Maybe you recently decided to give bodybuilding a try. Of course, bodybuilding involves more than just lifting weights and consuming protein shakes. So how can you ensure muscle gains without putting your body at risk?
Here are some mistakes to avoid as a young bodybuilder, as referenced from Bodybuilding.com:
Poor warmup
“I don’t need to warm up.” We hear that time and time again from new clients. However, without a proper warmup, you could wind up seriously hurt.
Each workout, regardless of duration, should begin with a 10-minute warmup. Keep in mind that a thorough warmup increases blood flow to the muscles and improves joint viscosity. You want to be 100 percent sure that your body is revved up for a heavy movement.
Training too heavy
We’re willing to bet you have high aspirations as a young bodybuilder. Maybe you even see yourself on the competition stage one day. For now, though, the focus should be on establishing sound technique and slowly increasing your weight over time.
Bodybuilders who overdo it in their 20s tend to have some sort of chronic injury in their late 30s. That’s why we recommend spurts of lower-intensity, higher-volume training after high-intensity training cycles. Always remember that bodybuilding is a marathon, not a sprint.
Not enough variety
You can do the same lifting routine over and over while adding weight from time to time. Should you take this approach with bodybuilding, don’t expect more than marginal results. As you’ve probably heard before, it’s better to shock your body with exercise variety.
It could be something as simple as switching from standard dumbbell curls to hammer curls. Whatever your current workout routine, try to switch things up every few weeks. The more you keep your body guessing, the better your long-term results.
Too many dangerous exercises
Bodybuilding is all about pushing your body to its limits. Notice we said “to its limits” and not ‘beyond its limits.” The last thing you want to deal with is a bodybuilding related injury that sets your progress back months or potentially even years.
Take the behind-the-neck press, for example. This left can spell bad news for someone with below average shoulder mobility. As an alternative, you may want to try the neutral-grip dumbbell shoulder press.
Not enough flexibility work
Here’s another big one. Believe it or not, flexibility work plays right into your bodybuilding efforts.
Now is the time to start taking static and dynamic stretching more seriously.
Plus, as you can see in the aforementioned Bodybuilding.com article, flexibility is fairly easy to maintain once you have it. You’ll be amazing at how just a few pre- and post-workout stretches can reduce soreness.
Stressing over your diet
Let’s dive into nutrition for a moment. It’s tempting for young bodybuilders to stress over the exact grams of protein they eat every day. What seems like a key step toward a healthier lifestyle can actually turn into an unhealthy obsession.
This is where moderation comes into play. Remember that bodybuilding and achieving your fitness goals should be things you enjoy. If you ever find yourself overdoing it, take a step back and re-evaluate why you started bodybuilding in the first place.
The Bodybuilding Experts
Now that you have a better idea of what not to do as a young bodybuilder, let’s discuss what you should do. For one thing, you should get in touch with a local bodybuilding expert. But with so many personal trainers in Fort Collins, how do you really know which one is right for you?
Atlas Nutrition is so much more than a gym or fitness center. We pride ourselves on giving clients the best experience when it comes to achieving their overall fitness goals. Plus, our team of seven personal trainers has decades worth of bodybuilding experience.
At Atlas Nutrition, we never take a “cookie-cutter” or “one-size-fits-all” approach. Our team will listen to your goals and then customize a workout/nutrition plan accordingly. Most importantly, you can count on us to be right by your side every step of the way.
We want to help build the foundation for your bodybuilding efforts. Contact Atlas Nutrition to get started.
