These Mistakes May Cost You Muscle Gains

You can lift free weights, use resistance, and max out your muscles as many days per week as you want. But, when your workout is missing essential components, it can make or break your muscle gains. Here are four, simple mistakes that could be costing you the results you want:

Your Diet Doesn’t Match Your Workout

To balance out what you’re burning off, you need a surplus of calories. This means you are eating more than you are burning off. This is essential to building muscle – especially if you’re a “hard gainer,” or someone who struggles to put on muscle. You should strive to eat high protein meals that equal to about 20 calories per pound of your body weight.

You’re Not Working Out At Your Prime

If you’re an early riser, embrace the day with a morning workout. If you’re a night owl, hit the gym when the sun goes down. If you are forcing yourself to work out when you’re tired, you aren’t going to reach your full potential. You could also be putting yourself at a higher risk for injury. So, find a time that works best for you and optimize it.

Your Workout Is Not Well-Rounded

Cardio is a great component for those who are trying to shred fat. But, when you’re looking to gain muscle, too much cardio can be doing more harm than good. Conditioning that is quick rather than drawn-out, will get your heart rate up while complementing the muscle-building aspect. You should also toss in some stretching, Pilates, or yoga. Together, this will keep you lean as you gain muscle.

You’re Not Letting Your Body Recover

Muscle builds as it heals. Micro-tears are made during the workout and then heal during recovery. This process allows the muscle to grow stronger and larger. However, if you’re skipping on recovery time, you are doing yourself a disservice. You are also more likely to get hurt because your muscles are too fatigued. So, be sure to take rest days where you lay off the weights. A post-workout recovery routine can also help. This can be as simple as including a replenishing soak or herbal bath synergy to your bath or massaging a muscle-soothing body oil to your tired limbs.