We are all guilty of it…
Life moves pretty quick and we all create habits. Some habits are good and others can steer us in the wrong direction. In the fitness world, it is no different.
For the past 40 years, bodybuilding dominated the fitness marketplace. Arnold, The Hulk, Muscle and Fitness magazine and many others became the poster children and examples that most people looked to for advise and as roll models. Unfortunately, most of us aren’t bodybuilders, have no interest in being bodybuilders and the advise that we get is leading us astray…not to mention it hasn’t changed much in 30 years. How boring!
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing, over and over, and expecting a different result.”
I’m sure you’ve heard that before, but how is it affecting your workouts?
Here’s 7 reasons why bodybuilding programs are holding you back in the gym
1. Progress – are you getting bigger, faster and stronger every week? If you are an athlete or just trying to feel better, then bodybuilding routines will NOT make you a better athlete. Bodybuilding routines neglect key aspects of performance, like speed, muscle recruitment, power, stability and coordination.
2. Overuse – Most people have been doing the same exercises for years. After awhile, the lack of variety of most strength programs will create imbalances and will lead to overuse injuries or pain. Most gym rats focus on chest. Its the first body part of the week. Ever tried to use the bench on Monday? Ever wonder why most of them have shoulder pain?
3. Boredom – Weights are incredible, but the bodybuilding world hasn’t really changed for over 30 years. (except for more supplements) It is essential to keep your body guessing and to force it to adapt to new movements, activities and challenges. Doing the same old thing for years will lead to boredom.
4. Conditioning – Strength is just one aspect of health. Guys that only lift are usually worthless in most athletic endeavors. Conditioning is a huge factor to overall health, energy and athletic performance. WIthout it, you are like a Ferrari with a moped engine. All show, no go.
5. Coordination – Your training should mimic your life or sport. Our bodies understand movement and by training movement patterns, our bodies will become more efficient. Bodybuilding programs typically focus on specific muscle groups and neglect teaching the body how to move efficiently. If you only train specific muscles you will lose coordination, speed and overall power during movements.
6. Imbalances – The body consists of hundreds of muscles, not just the basic 20 or so that bodybuilders talk about. You can’t just think about chest and back or quads and hamstrings. Typical bodybuilding routines neglect key muscle groups that provide support and stability during movement. Too much isolated movement on machines can lead to imbalances, impaired movement and inefficient muscel recruitment…bottom line, you will be weak and vulnerable to injury.
7. Performance – athletic performance is about alignment, stability, strength, speed and power. Ever watched a fight on tv? The guy with the big muscles usually loses, if the fight goes into late rounds. That happens because his strength and conditioning was focused on the wrong things. Size doesn’t always mean faster and stronger. Performance is usually determined by how well the athletes training program forced them to adapt, grow and change to become more efficient at the movement involved with their particular sport.
Want to feel better and perform better?
If so, then you need to focus on movements and making your body strong and efficient from head to toe. Isolated movement are good to allow a lagging muscle group to grow stronger, but then it should be integrated back into the movment patterns as soon as possible. The more efficiently your body parts can perform together as a unit, the stronger, faster and more powerful you will become!
Train hard, train smart!
Corey Beasley says
I have made every single one of these mistakes over the past 20 years..still screw up some of them every week…important part is be open to change, willing to commit and never stop learning along the way. #progress #persistent #consistent.
Mason Murphy says
I agree, although I am only 19 I have done body builder lifts such as bench press for about three years and already have nagging injuries from constant over use.
Mason Murphy says
I agree, although I am only 19 I have done body builder lifts such as bench press for about three years and already have nagging injuries from constant over use.