Beginning Bodybuilders: STOP! Don't Do This!

Online, February 7, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Darren here from http://www.darrensmuscletips.com So you've been training less than a year in the gym? Well you need to train a little different than the "juice heads" in the magazines. One of those things is training until failure every time. Jason Ferruggia breaks it all down at jasonferruggia.com:
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Can Beginners Go To Failure?

No. Raw beginners should never go to failure. That ingrains bad habits. They need a lot of repeated efforts to learn lifts and improve coordination. Let's say a beginner could squat 95 pounds for 10 reps. I would much rather see him do eight sets of five with 95 than four sets of ten with that same weight. More sets with low reps further away from failure would give him a much better shot at mastering the exercise and making sustainable progress.
What About What I've Said in the Past?

In the original version of Muscle Gaining Secrets I explained training to failure much in the same way I have in this series. The problem was that ended up confusing the hell out of everyone and I got far too many emails asking what I was talking about. So I rewrote it.

Most people need a concrete answer and I decided to give them one. Being that the majority of the customers emailing me seemed to be at a beginner to early intermediate level with very little proper training experience I thought this was the best way to simplify everything for them.

When do you stop your set? When you can't do another rep with good form and you have one more in the tank. That's the current version of MGS. Pretty simple.

The funny thing is I wouldn't change that. I even still push some people in my gym closer to failure than they should go because they need to learn what hard work is. In order to know how to stop shy of failure you have to have actually experienced training to failure first. At that stage of someone's training career I would rather them work too hard than train like a wussy. You can learn all the stuff we're discussing here with experience.

But everyone's gotta get under the bar and bust their freaking booty some time.

How Training To Failure Affects Athletes

If all you want to do with your life is lift hard and heavy, three days per week and are willing to do no more than 6-10 total work sets per session, you can train to failure regularly. Your joints and CNS will take a beating but since you are doing nothing else but sitting on the couch all day you should be alright.

If you're an athlete, however, this won't cut it. Athletes need to do speed and agility work along with sport or position specific preparation in addition to their strength training.

If your CNS is always shot and your body feels like shit how can you do all of that extra training?

You can't.

If you like this article or just want to look at the other pictures ;) you can see the article, click here.

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Darren again.. More good info? Well another article from Jason Ferruggia gives you 12 SIMPLE muscle building tips that you can use for your next workouts. You can continue looking at that picture or you can see his 12 tips right here:
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-If you are a beginner or intermediate do full body workouts.

-If you are advanced do upper/lower splits.

-When in doubt do more chin ups, dips and pushups. These are still the best upper body mass builders around and nothing is bound to replace them any time soon.

-Most guys will make great progress with three weight training workouts per week. More than that may lead to recover issues for some people. Others will be fine but the fourth day won't necessarily provide significantly better results in many situations. Also, remember that mental recovery is just as important as physical. You will usually be more excited and fired up to go to the gym three days a week than four. Especially if this is something you plan on doing for the rest of your life.

-If you train four days per week it's best to not have two back to back training days more than once. So train on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat or Mon, Tues, Thurs, Sat.

-As the great strength coach, Ethan Reeve once said, "I have yet to find a better way to get strong than lifting heavy." Load up the bar, keep adding weight over time, and you will get strong. Eat enough calories while doing that and you will get very big as well. A simple muscle building tip that works every time.

-Having said that, it should be noted that certain exercises aren't meant to be done heavy. Some of these are split squats, dips and neck work. Exercise caution with any movement that puts you in an unfavorable joint position. But for the big exercises like presses, squats, rows and deads, go heavy.

That's just a little flavor of his 12 tips. To see them all just see them by clicking here
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Okay beginner's I hope you got some good tips from today's articles. There were also great clues for everyone else that wants bigger muscles. Jason doesn't disappoint. Lots of good information. Remember beginner's you don't have to do anything super fancy to make great gains. Just learn the techniques, eat right and work out hard.

If you have tips or ideas please share them on my Facebook Fan Page ---Click Here and Share. Don't miss another article from me. Just go there and like my page! ;)

Good day!
Darren

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