How To Build Muscles The Right Way – The Third Most Common Mistake
This is the third post in the How To Build Muscles The Right Way series. You can see the first post, which talks about the most common mistake that people make when trying to build muscles here, and the second post, which talks about cardio here.
The Third Most Common Mistake When Building Muscles: Forgetting About Building Strength
Have you ever came across a person that had the muscle mass that you envy, but they were so weak that you could lift more weight than they could? I highly doubt that you have! In order to be able to maximize your muscle building routine, you will eventually need to move up in weight! How can you do that without becoming stronger?
You would be surprised how many people ask me how to build muscles, but want no part in building strength! It seems like the days of people wanting to become stronger are gone! Now, everyone just wants to look good! I always answer with the same line: “If you want to build bigger muscles, you need to build your strength!”
I always get a look of uncertainty when I tell them that! They always say something like: “I could care less about how strong I am! I just want to have big muscles.” Well, my friend… I don’t know if there is a such thing as a person with big muscles that is weak! Building your strength will lead to bigger muscles naturally!
How To Build Muscles And Strength At The Same Time
There are a few different ways that you can concentrate on building strength as well as building muscle. I am going to share with you my favorite workout that does both of those things (concentrating on biceps). Here is what you do:
First, you need to know what your max is as far as curling dumbbells goes. For this example, I will say that your max is 80 pounds. Now, at the gym, take 5 sets of dumbbells, and line them up one next to the other. The first set should be about 10 pounds (each), the second set should be about 20 pounds (each), the third set should be about 40 pounds (each), the fourth set should be about 60 pounds (each), and the fifth set should be your max (80 pounds in this example).
*Warning: This workout will really push you to your limits*
Starting at the first set, knock out 7 reps. When you finish the first set, take no more than 15 seconds rest, and move to the second set. Continue in this pattern until you get to your max. Once you complete your max set, work your way back down, except do only 5 reps of each. By the time you get back to the first set, you will feel like you are lifting 80 pounds, even on the 10 pound set!
What this routine does is push you as close as possible to muscle failure. You want to reach muscle failure on just about every workout! This helps break your muscles down, and forces your body to build them back up, thus making you stronger, while creating more muscle mass!
I personally love this workout, and try to do it at the end of my bicep day. Sometime, I don’t get all the way through it, because I reach muscle failure before I get to the end of the routine, but that is perfectly fine! The goal is to reach muscle failure, no matter how long it takes you to get there!
The End Of The How To Build Muscles The Right Way Series (For Now)
Well, this post concludes this series for now, but I plan on occasionally putting out a post that will add to this series. There are so many mistakes that people make when building muscles, and I could probably write at least 50 more posts! However, I want to move in a different direction for now. I have something good up my sleeve, so make sure you subscribe to the RSS feed, so you can see exactly what I am talking about in the near future!
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on June 11, 2009 at 10:32 am
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Thanks for the useful info. It’s so interesting