7 Myths about Building Muscle Debunked

If you’re struggling to pack on the size you want, there can be some simple things that are holding you back. Here are seven things you can do right now to get growing and making gains in the gym again…

1. Train a Muscle Group Twice a Week
   Contrary to popular belief, training a muscle group once a week is not enough for muscle building. Stimulating a muscle 104 times a year is better than 52 times. Start training muscle groups twice a week and manage your training volume to allow for recovery.
2. Avoid Training Every Day
   Training every day is not a good idea as it doesn’t allow your body enough time to recover. The minimum anyone should train for results is three times a week, but don’t exceed five to six days a week depending on factors like stress levels, sleep, diet, and recovery capacity.
3. Stick with the Same Workout for a Few Weeks
   Program-hopping and constantly changing your workout is counterproductive to muscle growth. Stick with the same workout for at least three weeks before making changes. This allows you to refine your exercise technique and consistently improve.
4. Don’t Follow the Workouts of Professional Bodybuilders
   The workouts of professional bodybuilders are often not what made them big in the first place. Additionally, these athletes have genetic advantages and use anabolic drugs that the average person doesn’t have access to.
5. Incorporate Isolation Exercises
   While compound lifts should form the foundation of your training, including isolation exercises can help target specific muscle groups that may be neglected. It can also improve your mind-muscle connection and allow for greater load on the muscles during compound lifts.
6. Avoid Always Training to Failure
   Although it is believed that training to failure is necessary for muscle growth, it’s not recommended to do so on every set. Not training to failure on your first set allows for better performance on subsequent sets and reduces the risk of injury.
7. Focus on Increasing Strength
   To get bigger, you need to get stronger. Progressive overload, achieved by adding weight to the bar or completing more reps, is essential for muscle growth. Make it a goal to increase the weight or reps in the six to twelve rep range while maintaining proper technique.

Source: 7 Common Muscle Building Myths You Need to Stop Believing