1. The 12 Rep rule
The twelve rep standard is often prescribed in bodybuilding routines for gaining muscle mass. However, doing this many reps at once actually places the type of strain needed for strength and endurance, rather than gains in muscle mass. In order to develop strength and gain mass, you will need to include both strategies in your workout with the addition of sets of fewer reps of heavier weights to your routine.
2. The 3 Set Rule
You will actually want to do more sets of fewer reps to target strength training and vice-versa if your goal is gaining muscle mass. Keep the overall number of reps the same for the entire workout, but split them up into sets according to your goals. This three set guideline is just that, although many have come to see it as a hard and fast rule.
3. Exercising each group 3 to 4 times
The truth is this is a waste of time. Combined with twelve reps of three sets, the total number of reps amount to 144. If you're doing this many reps for a muscle group you're doing too much. Instead of doing too many varieties of exercises, try doing 30 to 50 reps. That can be anywhere from 2 sets of 15 reps or 5 sets of 10 reps.
4. Knees before toes
It is a gym folklore that you should not let your knees go past your toes." Truth is that leaning forward a little too much is more likely a cause of injury. In 2003, Memphis University researchers confirmed that knee stress was almost thirty percent higher when the knees are allowed to move beyond the toes during a squat.
But hip stress increased nearly 10 times or (1000 percent) when the forward movement of the knee was restricted. Because the squatters needed to lean their body forward and that forces the strain to transfer to the lower back.
5. Bodybuilding supplements
The market saturation of early weight gain supplements led to a mass hysteria of bodybuilders everywhere buying and drinking gallons of what amounted to nothing more than sugary, overpriced milkshakes. While these do provide some muscle gain, the tendency of the body with these types of supplements is to store it as fat instead. Modern research into nutrition has led to a new and more competitive market of supplements that provide better nutrition for the aspiring bodybuilder.
The twelve rep standard is often prescribed in bodybuilding routines for gaining muscle mass. However, doing this many reps at once actually places the type of strain needed for strength and endurance, rather than gains in muscle mass. In order to develop strength and gain mass, you will need to include both strategies in your workout with the addition of sets of fewer reps of heavier weights to your routine.
2. The 3 Set Rule
You will actually want to do more sets of fewer reps to target strength training and vice-versa if your goal is gaining muscle mass. Keep the overall number of reps the same for the entire workout, but split them up into sets according to your goals. This three set guideline is just that, although many have come to see it as a hard and fast rule.
3. Exercising each group 3 to 4 times
The truth is this is a waste of time. Combined with twelve reps of three sets, the total number of reps amount to 144. If you're doing this many reps for a muscle group you're doing too much. Instead of doing too many varieties of exercises, try doing 30 to 50 reps. That can be anywhere from 2 sets of 15 reps or 5 sets of 10 reps.
4. Knees before toes
It is a gym folklore that you should not let your knees go past your toes." Truth is that leaning forward a little too much is more likely a cause of injury. In 2003, Memphis University researchers confirmed that knee stress was almost thirty percent higher when the knees are allowed to move beyond the toes during a squat.
But hip stress increased nearly 10 times or (1000 percent) when the forward movement of the knee was restricted. Because the squatters needed to lean their body forward and that forces the strain to transfer to the lower back.
5. Bodybuilding supplements
The market saturation of early weight gain supplements led to a mass hysteria of bodybuilders everywhere buying and drinking gallons of what amounted to nothing more than sugary, overpriced milkshakes. While these do provide some muscle gain, the tendency of the body with these types of supplements is to store it as fat instead. Modern research into nutrition has led to a new and more competitive market of supplements that provide better nutrition for the aspiring bodybuilder.