As promised, Vince and I are back to go over some of the biggest misconceptions surrounding the topic of building muscle, and several BIG reasons why your current weight training regimen isn’t leading to the lean muscle gains your after. Part I of this article will cover 3 reasons, and then we’ll be back tomorrow with 3 more. Enjoy!
6 Reasons You’ve STOPPED Building Muscle, Part I
By Joel Marion and Vince Del Monte
Training your butt off but not really getting anywhere? Put on “some” muscle, but can’t seem to add any more? Simply not progressing fast enough? If you can relate to any of those scenarios, then you’re going to love this 2 part article as we’re getting ready to unleash six BIG reasons why you’ve stopped building muscle.
Reason #1: Lack of Frequency
The old adage of training a muscle once per week to allow for recovery is DEAD. If you’re not training a muscle multiple times each week, you’re simply NOT going to make optimal gains, period.
But, let’s go back and dissect the “reasoning” of this whole philosophy.
If you train, and train hard, you’re likely to get sore. Conventional wisdom tells you that you should wait until you’re no longer sore to train again. Unfortunately, conventional wisdom is faulty here.
You see, if you don’t train your body to improve it’s recovery capacity by training when you’re sore, then you’re body has no reason to improve it’s recovery capacity.
Want to train a muscle 3 times per week and reap double or triple gains? Then you need to teach your body to recover faster by training more frequently.
Beyond that, let’s further bury the myth that training a muscle while sore hampers recovery.
All 3 of these studies came to the same conclusion: training a sore muscle does NOT adversely affect recovery. In fact, when done properly, doing so can actually speed up the recovery process by shuttling nutrient rich blood to recuperating muscle tissue.
Here’s the deal: The more frequently you can stimulate a muscle to grow, the more it will grow. Sounds simple, and it is.
One small caveat, however: obviously when upping training frequency you can potentially run in to the problem of “overreaching” or burning yourself out. The important thing is to listen to your body and train as frequently as possible. If you’re motivated to train and feel “good”, then have at it.
Reason #2: You’re muscles don’t have enough “room” to grow
Huh? Not enough “room”? Allow us to explain.
All muscle is bound by connective tissue called fascia, which surrounds individual muscle fibers (endomysium), groups of fibers (perimysium), and entire muscles (epimysium). This fascia tissue is continuous with the tendon and functions to conduct the forces generated by the contractile proteins actin and myosin through the tendon, to the bone.
Here’s the problem: these “protective coverings” that surround all muscle tissue lack elasticity. Meaning, when a muscle grows and fills the “bag”, trying to shove more muscle into the same size bag becomes difficult.
Think of a hot water bottle that holds 16 ounces of water. Now fill it with 20 ounces of water. Go ahead; do it!
What do you mean you can’t?
You see, no matter how hard you try to fit 20 ounces into a 16 ounce hot water bottle, it aint gonna happen, not unless you somehow stretch the bottle so it can hold more water.
Well, it’s the same thing with fascia tissue; it can only hold in so much muscle, and when the lining gets full, the rate of growth is dramatically decreased.
Enter “regulatory feedback”.
Essentially, you very well may be stimulating your muscles to grow through proper diet and training, but if the surrounding fascia tissue is not expanding at the same rate, you can bet your bottom dollar that your brain will respond by putting the kabosh on growth.
Fortunately, there are several things you can do to “stretch” this fascia tissue and avoid this form of regulatory feedback — we’ll teach you those in another article this week.
Reason #3: Muscular Imbalances
While we’re on the topic of regulatory feedback, it’s fitting to address another major initiator of R.F. activity, and that’s muscular imbalances.
Simply put, your body wants things to be symmetrical and even, and when they aren’t, it will prevent further adaptations from taking place that will ultimately throw things even further out of whack.
For example, let’s say your training is full of pressing movements, which has caused your chest to experience significant growth. On the other hand, you don’t do a whole lot for your back…no rowing or heavy pulling movements, leaving your back rather weak and underdeveloped.
The body’s response: no more growth until you bring your back up to speed.
And this is true across the board, over virtually all muscle groups.
Have you ever seen someone with huge biceps and puny triceps? No, it simply doesn’t happen because your body doesn’t let it happen.
Why?
One is the issue of injury. Large pecs and an underdeveloped back put a huge strain and pull on the back and result in poor posture and ultimately injury, especially if things were to get really out of whack (which the body won’t allow).
The other is the issue of symmetry. It’s almost as if your body wants to prevent you from looking like a moron. Thank you, body. It won’t let your biceps grow too much beyond your triceps, even if you work your biceps every day.
Bottom line: you need to correct imbalances to prevent regulatory feedback from stopping you dead in your tracks. We’ll share some strategies for correcting imbalances in another article later in the week.
Wrap Up
In yesterday’s article, we talked about why YOU want muscle.
In today’s article, we discussed several reasons why you may not be getting it as fast as you want it.
Bottom line, there ARE things holding you back, and in order to achieve your goals you need to understand and learn how to correct each one. If you don’t, it’s going to be a long, frustrating road, and that’s the last thing we want to see you deal with.
As mentioned, in another article this week we’re going to provide practical and strategic solutions for all the “problems” mentioned in this 2 part article. Today we covered 3 biggies, and in Part II (tomorrow) we’ve got 3 more coming your way.
Until then, train hard and train smart.
Joel and Vince
Comment Time:
Learn something today? Have a question for us? Vince and I will be checking in throughout the day today, giving of our time to help you. Take advantage by taking time to respond and interact with us below. We’re here to help.
Talk to you in the comments section below!
At the risk of sounding stupid, I want to know if it is true that building muscle burns fat? I have a problem with abdominal, chest and fat in the back and waist area that makes me look like potato with a bump n top supported by legs. I am 71 and hate looking at myself in the mirror sideways and looking at that revolting sight. I have one major problem…motivation!…mostly which has resulted from my PTSD and anxiety and depression following my exit from the military and I live alone. I have a resistance machine (Crossbow) and 20lb dumbells and some other weights. I am really out of shape …BAD!
I love all the info very helpful. Every one is great you, vince, mike, roman and isabella all helping to reach my goals. Only one thing to complain about prograde sends a product full of chemicals (lean) in a package they just rather cancel your order than help you with something healthy. I know they work with all of you so maybe you can pass on a little comment to them. Thanks
I wanted to know what are your thoughts in Body Pump classes.
Thanks!
In regards to frequency, it largely depends on your training experience. When the goal is strength and skill aquisition (as is the case with beginners) then frequency must be high. Concurrently, intensity is usually low.
As the trainee hits the intermediate stage (1 year or more of progressive training) and there is significant strength and size development, the trainee will have to reduce the frequency to accommodate the increased load and intensity of effort.
At the advanced stage (2 years or more) you’ve now built just about all the muscle you ever will (at least naturally) and it’s time for a much lower frequency of training the muscle group every 7 -15 days. This is to facilitate the enormous strain for the body to maintain such an adapatation (large muscles and joint wear and tear).
The above statements are in regards to building muscle and fall in line with the laws of exercise science. Training programs need to be balanced (frequency, volume, load etc) and appropriate for the individual at their unique stage of development. I don’t think it’s correct to say one system is superior since real world evidence shows us all systems will work if the basic laws of adaptation are applied.
FIRST and Formost listen to your body, push your limits, push your recovery intervals, get a heart monitor watch and Document-Document-Document (get it) I’m 49 not 19 so I workout differently. There are 4 or 5 very savey trainers providing GREAT information, keep an open mind. For example: I do Seans MWF routine and T/Thur I do Dr. K fatloss for the next (8 weeks) take 1 week Break – Next 6 weeks I will be doing Final Phase Fat loss (great program by the way) with cycling cardio 3 days a week and tennis 2 times a week. Take 1 week off. The next 8 weeks will be some of Jeff Andersons concepts plus Karate 2 times a week. Remember, keep it different, keep it fun and you will stay motivated to continue to improve each and every week. Best of luck to all.
Gr8 Info…I still havent got and answer to “Vince’s Ask him a question” and he will “answer”…..How do i get from just losing weight….to toned and adding lean muscle.
Thank you for sharing good information.
Sincerely,
Eldon
Great post. I knew all of these except that fascia thing and I look forward to know how to counter act this. Thanx guys. You both rock.
I have heard that the 1 of the newer treining ides is to do major % of 1 RM on one day with low reps + then the next day do very light weight with very high 20-30 reps for the same area to increase blood flow and muscle recovery … any thoughts?
Ron
Should have read the blog first ! Found my answer thanks guys for such great info.
Originally Posted By F.I.I have a question. What is your opinion on plyometric training for muscle growth?
Ploymetric work has a training effect on the nervous system, on the muscle reflexes and on the muscles/tendons themselves.
For us, who are primarily interested in gaining muscle mass, the main advantage of plyometric work is the increase of the high threshold muscle fibers (growth fibers like Type 2a and Type 2b fibers) that can lead to growth.
I believe plyometric work should be done in 2-4 week intervals at very high intensities to see any benefit. Longer periods of plyos at low intensity are not nearly as effective.
Trust that helps
vince
Originally Posted By RonnieShouldn’t streching help with the fascia? Also, foam rolling should help break it up and bring new blood with nutrients
Long and extended periods of static stretching will help but the most effective way to expand the fascia is stretching between sets when the tissue is being stretched by the blood and fluid inside the muscles.
High volume training and fascia stretching in between sets can really get your muscles growing to new proportions.
Originally Posted By MelHey guys,
great article –
question though: i know i want gain muscle size in some parts but only lose fat in others (or stretch muscles in other parts) .. how can I differentiate? i.e. I would like a well defined 6pack but do not need my calves to get even bigger but would like them to slim down a bit instead of getting more and more round. Any suggestions?
Plastic surgery would be best to do this all at once!
Just kidding.
Remember, to excel at one thing, something else needs to be sacrificed.
You can build muscle and lose fat at the same amount – at least not in significant amounts.
It’s easier to excel at building muscle and forget about fat loss.
It’s easier to excel at fat loss and forget about muscle growth.
I prefer to chase each goal in Phases. So for 12 weeks we’ll focus on just muscle and then 12 weeks we’ll focus on fat loss.
In those times we’ll specialize on your personal body parts.
Hope that helps.
I know this question doesn’t really relate to this post entirely but here it goes:
If your currently bulking and you happen to go out for a night drink a little more than you thought you would, is it a good idea to fast the next day EVEN though you are bulking and not trying to lose weight?
Thanks,
Travis
Originally Posted By TravisI know this question doesn’t really relate to this post entirely but here it goes:
If your currently bulking and you happen to go out for a night drink a little more than you thought you would, is it a good idea to fast the next day EVEN though you are bulking and not trying to lose weight?
Hey Travis.
No… the effect of the fast will probably be more detrimental then the “drink a little more often then you would.”
Get back into the saddle and right back into your meal plan. Drink at least 5 liters of water to get your liver to push out that alcohol in your system and do better next time.
Vince
Thanks,
Travis
Hi,
Thanks for all your valuable info guys.
I’m having trouble buying your e-books, just becoz my country (Kenya) is not listed with Click Bank.
Is there any other way i cud purchase ur stuff apart from click bank??
i used to do natural body building 13 years ago, nowadays i teach aerobics, my problem is i want to reduce the muscles of my inner thighs ???? they r still massive ( in my eyes ) can anything help or anyone
That was very helpful info. Anxious to hear the second half.
Joel,
With regards to the myth about training while the muscle is sore.. does it then mean that the “8 hours sleep per night” standard is also a myth. Would continually getting 6 hours sleep force your muscles to repair quicker too? Or is that a no go?
Cheers
Great! I certainly learn some new things today… and the title of this article totally is like answering the exact question I had in mind… Looking forward to the next part of the article.
Now the question I have in mind is about losing 15 more pounds… I lost 22 pounds in the last 2 months, but I just couldn’t burn away the last 15 pounds, my weight has been stagnant since then… what should I do?
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Hey, it’s Joel! So you want to know a little more about me, huh? Well, I’d be happy to oblige :-)
I guess it all started back in 2001 (my freshman year of college) when I was just a “skinny fat” 19-year old kid. At the time, I was spending close to 2 hours a day in the gym (now my workouts last about 30 minutes), and despite my efforts, you’d probably never guess I worked out a day in my life by looking at me...read more