People have been trying to stay fit and healthy in the ever-fast modern world and it does become difficult to manage your job, life, and personal growth. But it is important to take some time out for ourselves. This me-time also involves your time on the yoga mat or in the gym. But at times, people get frustrated and leave their fitness journey in between when they can't see any progress. But next time you feel there's no progress, take a deeper look into your lifestyle and habits to know what mistakes are you making that are coming in between your muscle-building journey.
According to Spoorthi S.- Fitness Expert, Cult.fit, here are a few mistakes people can avoid on their muscle-building journey.
Neglecting the Progressive Overload: Failing to progressively increase the load or intensity of the workout over time. To overcome this, you can gradually increase the intensity of the workouts by increasing the sets and reps or using time under tension principles and cutting short the break timings between the sets and repetitions.
Inconsistency: Irregular training and not following a Structured workout plan can also be a problem and to tackle this you can create a realistic workout schedule and follow the exercise program diligently.
Overtraining: Training too frequently without adequate rest or recovery does more harm than good. For example, if someone trains lower body the day before, at least 48 hours of recovery should be in place before hitting the gym for lower body workout again. Thus allow adequate time for muscle recovery. Overtraining can lead to increased injury risk and fatigue and hinder muscle growth.
Ignoring Nutrition: Neglecting nutrition and not consuming enough protein will cause excess fatigue and low energy levels. Ensure a protein-rich diet to support muscle repair and growth ideally 1 to 1.5 g of protein per kg of body weight, coupled with sufficient carbohydrates and healthy fats for energy. Include vitamin-rich foods to enhance cell function, energy production, and bone health.
Insufficient Sleep: Not getting enough sleep will not aid in muscle recovery leading to low energy levels and increased soreness after a workout. Quality sleep is a critical component for muscle restoration, stress reduction, and improved performance. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep for muscle recovery.
Skipping Warm up and cool down- Not activating the muscles before a workout and cooling down after a workout. Warm up and focus on activating the muscles to engage the muscles with maximum efficiency while working out and cool down/stretch to avoid soreness the following day. For example, before heavy deadlift day, glute bridges and lateral banded walks will increase the maximum engagement of the glutes and hamstrings during the deadlift
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