10 Reasons You Can’t Build Muscle

“One last feel,” she said as she groped my chest.

She worked her way down to my abdomen. And then my buttocks. 

I smiled. The new girl I was with did not.

These were the parting words of a married woman, sneaking in one last feel before leaving the bar with her husband. She was 29 – with a slim, stacked body. 30 minutes earlier we were kissing on the dance floor.

I barely spoke a word. My body, on the other hand, did all the talking. 

Every man should carry a solid amount of muscle mass, or strive to build more if that is not the case.

From increased strength and quality of life to an overall larger presence, the benefits of increased lean muscle tissue span across all areas of life. Below I have compiled what I believe to be the top 10 reasons most men fail to build muscle.

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1. You Don’t Eat Enough

In order to build new muscle tissue, your body needs extra calories (ie. extra energy). This means you have to gain weight. And to gain weight you have to eat more.

Caution: Our bodies are not capable of adding more than roughly half a pound of lean muscle per week. Gain too fast and become chubby.

2. You Aren’t Consistent

This goes for both diet and exercise. Lift weights at least 3 times per week. Eat enough every single day. Consistency is key for any long term change. Missing a day here and there won’t kill you, but making a habit of it might.

3. Your Form Sucks

75% of dudes at the gym don’t know how to lift weights. And that is low-balling it for sure. Leave your ego at the door – using poor form to lift more weight is a good recipe for injury. Not to mention it fails to properly activate the correct musculature. You will get a lot more respect from experienced lifters as an added bonus.

Take some time and research good form for all of your lifts. Mark Rippletoe is a world class strength coach who offers invaluable information on proper form. Searching YouTube for “Mark Rippetoe Squat” or “Mark Rippetoe Bench Press” is a good place to start.

4. You Don’t Track Progress

If you don’t know how much weight you lifted for how many reps last time you were at the gym, you don’t have a target to aim to beat. I know everyone on this site recognizes the importance of pushing your limits. Be sure not to neglect this principle at the gym.

Use a notepad or excel spreadsheet.

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5. You Don’t Do These Exercises

Squats, presses, and rows. Learn to live by them. Deadlift, too. Embrace them and bump your game up a notch.

These are the core movements that we use in our everyday lives. That is why everyone from professional athletes to housewives benefits from strengthening them. They recruit many different muscle groups and stimulate maximal muscle growth as a result.

6. You Do Too Many Of These Exercises

Bicep curls, tricep extensions, and calf raises. Isolation exercises like these target only one muscle group at a time. And it tends to be a small muscle group that’s already targeted by one of the big boy exercises above.

Use sparingly.

7. You Have No Butt

Having strong glutes helps immensely with squats and deadlifts. It also helps you sprint faster and protects against knee, lower back, hamstring, and groin injuries. Not to mention – a big, firm butt is the mark of a true alpha.

Start by doing floor bridges and focus on contracting your ass.

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8. You Rely On Supplements

Whey protein can help you meet your daily protein intake. And creatine is proven to increase strength and muscle. But there is not much else out there that will truly help you.

Focus on your diet and training, not finding a magical potion.

9. You Expect Instant Results

Be patient. Enjoy the journey of building your body up little by little. It is a fulfilling process measured in months and years. Not days or weeks.

10.You Don’t Have Time

This is an excuse. Not enough time = not a priority. Make a commitment or stay skinny.

Check out my new book Shredded Beast here.

Read More: 3 Ab Exercises Every Man Must Know

80 thoughts on “10 Reasons You Can’t Build Muscle”

  1. All true, and all said umpteen billion billion times an hour every day since before the birth of Jack Lalanne.
    Everytime I see a new “pill” or effin sensa commercial I want to grab a weapon and go nuts.
    Even if by some chance someone does invent a pill or machine that take the challenge out of health; that person should be shot.
    The reason a ten is a ten is because she is so rare.
    If all these chubby wannabes could get the body of a ten via ingested pill; the already low value of most women would crush through the rock of the rock bottom.

  2. Actually, ALL of those big guys you see in the muscle magazines, 100 PERCENT ALL USE STEROIDS.
    If you REALLY want to get big, then use steroids Just be sure to research it properly first. And it might be best to just use them short term. But, if you really want to get big, STEROIDS are the way to do it. All those protein shakes and creative powder products are just bullshit. The real way those bodybuilders get big is by using steroids. They can’t openly admit it of course but it is true.

    1. This isn’t the thread for advocating steroids. If you are on a serious, consistent program and you can honestly say you are doing nothing wrong with diet, technique, consistency, and persistence, then maybe that’s the time to start thinking about the pros and cons of steroids. It’s not a shortcut to getting huge, it’s a tool that accomplishes nothing unless the rest of your program is in place and solid.
      The vast majority of men will be thrilled with the results from clean, consistent diet and lifting. And so will the ladies.

  3. Look, just cut out the bullshit, okay? We’re all adult men here. Let’s be honest, for once.
    Lifting weights and eating will not get you BIG muscles. Stop bullshitting yourself.
    If you really want to get big muscles, the ONLY way to do that is to take STEROIDS.
    Now, steroids are really not that harmful, as the media has demonized them to be.
    If you use them responsibly, and use them well informed, they are not dangerous at all.
    Now, using them LONG TERM is what can fuck you up. So, just use them for one or two cycles (a cycle is like 4 or 6 weeks) and then stop. You’ll lose about 30 percent of the muscle you gained through using steroids, but you’ll keep about 70 percent, which is very good.
    Just research how to use them properly (don’t drink alcohol or do drugs while you are on steroids) and you’ll be fine.

    1. Jesus, you didn’t even mention LIFTING HEAVY WEIGHTS as one of the reasons.
      LOGIC- the heavier weights you life, the biggest your muscles will be. So LIFT HEAVY.
      ANd if you are serious about getting big muscles, TAKE STEROIDS. Just use them for one or two cycles and quit. Don’t use them long term, like all the professional athletes and bodybuilders do.

  4. Steroids are overhyped. If done correctly they will cause nothing but good things in your life: health, happiness, and confidence. Abused and they’ll destroy your liver. They’re another scapegoat for politicians to demonize as the bane of civilization. Just don’t be a dumbfuck with it and you’ll be fine. Also, chicks will be able to tell any increase in testosterone like a bloodhound sniffing out a pepperoni roll. They’re safe and good for you. Take it from me, a random loser on the internet who doesn’t know shit BUT I don’t have shit to sell or a cause to champion.

    1. Yes that’s what I am saying. Steroids are WAY overhyped by the media. There are many things out there that are far more dangerous than steroids- like aspirin, diet soft drinks, alcohol, cigarettes, etc.
      Do one steroid cycle a year (a cycle is 4 to 6 weeks of taking the drugs) and you’ll get pretty big. Be sure to research it properly first.
      So, this article title should be changed to “ONE REASON why you can’t build big muscles”- you’re not taking steroids.
      Believe me, ALL of the professional atheletes, wrestlers, MMA fighters, bodybuilders, ALL of them take steroids.
      Don’t expect to look even 50 percent like Arnold without taking steroids.

      1. The only cycle that is 4-6 weeks long are the short-chain steroids that produce rapid weight gain and rapid weight loss when you come off. Along with most of the least desirable side effects. Take something long-chain and you will retain a lot more of your gains provided you continue the same efforts and do proper post-cycle treatment.

    2. No doubt, every pro athlete and bodybuilder you see is on the juice and it pushes the average guy’s expectations way beyond what a normal body can accomplish. But saying there’s no downside if you do it “right” is a put-on. I did one cycle about 10 years ago, nice and slow, no huge doses, and roid-raged like a mutha, threw a TV at a guy, no good at all. Seriously can’t recommend.

    3. True, but you should naturall build on all aspects of training for a good period of time before using them.
      Also I don’t like to enhance my hormones because there’s the chance of yout system being too reliant on the gear.
      Personal choice, personal responsibility.

  5. Shit, looks like my comment already got deleted. I guess the goody-two shoes moderators won’t allow any SERIOUS TALK on here.
    Have fun looking like pipsqueak faggots, trying to get big muscles naturally, LOL.

    1. Looks like all that roid juice has gone to your head brah.
      you’ve lost even the most basic of manners. Even if we were inclined to agree with you, sqawking like a parrot ain’t conveying your point across exactly well

  6. Simple but true. My 2 cents: too many guys neglect legs and squats. Leg muscles are the biggest in the body and should be the focus. Building them up vastly improves everything else. (And nice vintage photo of Arnold & Franco Columbu).

    1. I have neglected this for years, but as of 3 weeks ago I have decided to seriously do the squats. I will keep at it.

  7. To all the steroid proponents: Yes, of course steroids offers a fast track to muscle. However, there are many reasons to avoid them unless you’re well-being depends on it (ie. you are a bodybuilder or professional athlete). I suggest watching the YouTube series “Gear Talk” by IceCreamFitness for a better understanding of how different types of steroids work.
    In short – man up and build some muscle the natural way. It will be harder, yes. But I’m hoping that people here, of all places, see the value in consistency and long term progress.

    1. David, you CANNOT BUILD MUSCLE THE “NATURAL” WAY. That is the point we are trying to make.
      Yes, you can build some muscle, a small amount. But if you are looking to look even 30 percent like Arnold, you have NO OTHER OPTION but steroids. This is reality.
      “Long process”, “short cut”, “fast track”, these are all bogus talking points. Even if you lift weights for 20 years, you will never get big unless you take steroids.
      If you are so much against steroid use, why did you post pictures of Arnold? You are going to tell me that Arnold was a natural bodybuilder? LOL. Tell that bullshit to the tourists, man.

      1. John, it is true that if you’re goal is to look like Arnold or Ronnie then steroids are your best option. However, it is also true that someone new to lifting weight can put on over 20 pounds of muscle in a year with proper training and diet.
        I have personally added 35 pounds of muscle to my frame over the past 2 years by eating enough to gain weight and using a simple method of progressive overload in the gym. You, in fact, can build a good deal of muscle naturally. More than most guys are looking for.

        1. You can build a great amount of muscle naturally.
          Check out the Brawn series of training books by, Staurt McRobert.

      2. How lucky we are to have a ‘roid troll, like a pimple on a roided out dude’s ass, showing up to tell us all how we’re doing it wrong if you’re not on roids. I guess Eugene Sandow, Jack LaLanne, and the other early fitness culture pioneers don’t count as having “muscle.” Apparently you have to look like a pizza-faced gorilla before you are “big.”
        As a humorous aside, the subset of women who actually respond favorably to massive hulking muscle hypertrophy like you see in the magazines is both a very small subset of women and a rather skanky one, in my experience. Many more sexy, feminine, normal middle class women women seem to prefer guys who are cut, strong, muscular, but necessarily “huge.” Lots of chicks get grossed out by the super-massive like roided out ape-men in the bodybuilding mags. The reality is, guys who get that big are really out for male approval more than female.
        In non-steroid-land, men with decent genetics and a reasonably healthy starting point who put in reasonable effort over time, can easily put themselves in the top 20% of men. Keep at it for a while, and you’ll get bigger and stronger over time, and keep rising in relation to your peers. Most guys quit, stop & start every few months, don’t maintain consistency, then try to mask their lack of fortitude and stick-to-it-ability by shooting up with roids.
        Boosting testosterone naturally isn’t hard. Packing on 20-30lbs of muscle onto an already lean frame, without supplemental T, isn’t hard, it just takes time, great nutrition habits, and investment of both time and mental energy. But the key is, you can’t just take some fitness guru’s training protocols as gospel, you have to take time to learn about your body and find out which training stimuli it responds to best in terms to creating strength, size, speed, etc.
        Not all men respond to volume training a la classical bodybuilding. Science shows us that some people respond well to low-weight volume training that gets “the pump”, while others respond very poorly to that protocol, and instead require very short time under tension bouts of lifting very heavy, with very low reps sets. There’s a great series of podcasts at “BodyRx” which discusses this research. People differ greatly in their percentage of fast twitch versus slow twitch muscle fiber proportions, and also in their hormonal response to various training inputs. You need to figure this out before you can get big naturally, though some people stumble onto what works as a happy accident. Again, roids are simply a shortcut, because a guy can get by with sloppy protocols and still put on a lot of mass.
        To claim that men can’t be buff, manly men without supplemental T is not only the height of ignorance, it also reeks of an insecure, defeatist pussy who is willing to shortcut everything to get quick results.
        There are no “hacks” to being a true a high value man; you must earn it with your time, effort, energy, and intellect, whether it’s game, fitness, or money.
        People who seek those shortcuts need to be shamed for the pussies that they are, just like the fatties who can’t push away from the table. Both result from poor impulse control, poor long term planning, and a lack of testicular fortitude.

        1. These guys who use the shortcuts without building a solid foundation with sound nutrition, a good training regimen and all the other elements basically is like building a house on sand.

  8. GIGO – Garbage In, Garbage Out. Most guys don’t have a clue as to how to eat right. Read, read, read those labels. And stay the hell outta Mickey D’s and BK, dumbasses!!

  9. Patience is key. A month is not a long time…don’t weigh yourself more often than that or you will get discouraged. PATIENCE.

    1. I want to listen to this. I am 5 ft 7 and 148 lbs. I have a pretty fit body with some good shape and muscles but obviously i’m not big. Does this sound okay? I find it very hard as i’ve posted to gain any weight, even when eating huge amounts of the good stuff.

  10. Novice lifter here. I’ve started lifting in the last few months to get stronger to help prevent injuries and make my job in electrical construction easier. The work involves a lot of lifting and twisting movements at the same time, ladder work, forearm, hand and finger dexterity and strength, and overhead pushing and pulling at arms length, much of the time using power tools.
    I’ve been doing different cable pulls, deadlifts, squats to shoulder presses, and ab work.
    I’ve noticed some of the pulling motions have become a bit easier (due to the cable pulls maybe?).
    Any tips from the veteran lifters? Getting huge is not a priority as I can work in confined and tight spaces, but more definition does look good.

    1. Depends on what your goals are. Injury prevention is dependent on what is likely to injure you.
      But generally speaking – back, wrists, shoulders and knees are particularly vulnerable to injury. Best advice I can give is avoid injuring them in the first place, so posture while performing is everything.
      To build on this, you could do a solid routine (like Starting Strength) and start with responsible weights. Add in some planks to help brace your core (which will help avoid back injuries).

  11. Anabolic steroids are just testosterone. All of them.
    Manufacturers have added various esters to the testosterone molecule to enable it to remain in the bloodstream longer, but the core molecule, the active component of all of them, is just testosterone.
    Think about that — it’s just the masculinity hormone. The hormone for masculinity is considered to be contraband.
    Can it be used safely or dangerously? Of course. So can ibuprofen.
    But the masculinity hormone is considered too dangerous to be freely available. You are not permitted to enhance your masculinity.

  12. I agree with the get fit or die principle. However, you’ll hardly find me in a gym, ‘pumping’.. Heh. (Except for my intermittent wanderings to sexually harass women or pick up a kettlebell and do a Turkish Get Up. That’s it.) Building full body functional strength at home is my game. Tactical fitness is a big hint, so I won’t drop program names. Calisthenics in the park like the almost white-he-has-so-much-dignity nig Hannibal For King. That’s how the ancients trained. Think you got A game? Picking up a ruck and trekkin’ is my latest forte… Classic material baby. Now I hope all you soft bodies are ready for the Global Coastal Event heading our way, now that might be judgement day!
    Go take a cold shower.

  13. Best bodybuilding article I’ve seen on RoK so far.
    Putting diet first is key. Making sure you eat enough of the right things every day is by far the most time consuming thing about bodybuilding. You shouldn’t hit the gym every day, you need recovery days, but you must watch your diet (make sure you are getting enough calories and protein) every single day to make progress.

  14. I’m a fanatical guy when it comes to dieting and working out but I’m dealing with an shoulder injury for over 15 years. Every time when i’m at my max lifting weight, the shoulder starts hurting like hell and I have to stop for a few months just to start all over again and start building the muscle again that I lost in the previous months.
    It’s driving me nuts and it makes me loose motivation every time. I can’t cardio or work out my legs and abs forever and want to work on my upper body. Physical therapy isn’t doing shit for me.
    I would highly appreciate an article how to deal with injuries. I want to start buffing again.

    1. You need a good orthopedic practitioner–a chiro, PT, DO, a sports-oriented acupuncturist, or even a knowledgeable personal trainer, to diagnose the shoulder & figure out which structures are affected, and the nature of the structural problem. Some shoulder issues that are caused by ligamentous or tendonous laxity can be healed with prolotherapy, where they inject non-toxic substances that increase scar tissue formation and tighten up the joint. If the problem is caused by tight muscles or tendons, or muscle imbalance, then you need mobility work and strength work on opposing muscle groups. Bottom line is, if your PT isn’t getting you anywhere, you need to switch PTs. Some of the people in that profession will continue working on people without changing an obviously shitty protocol, simply because they want the recurrent income. It’s a travesty of a highly regulated market that practitioners that suck can stay in business.

      1. Thanks for your advice Revo but i’m afraid I have to self medicate since I don’t have money to visit a PT, chiro or personal trainer. It used to be covered by my insurance but not anymore.

  15. Don’t forget about BCAAs. BCAAs definitely work; I’ve been on a cut and making gains thanks to those coupled with Leangains.

    1. Leangains is a great diet protocol and a good site for general bodybuilding. Disagree on BCAAs, and even if they do work I wouldn’t count them as essential. BCAAs are just an amino acid which is present in protein anyway.

  16. An important point is that a natural lifter should be hitting each muscle group twice a week. I cringe at the amount of beginners using a classic bro split.

  17. I went on my first bulk starting mid-October of last year. Never been a strong guy, but did martial arts and kettlebells for a few years and have enough muscle to look decent when I am lean. I wanted more so I went on the bulk. Squat went from 135-210 3×5. DL 135-285 1×5. Bench 165 – 195 3×5. Press 95-125 3×5. Bodyweight went from 175 @ 15% BF to 200 at 20% or so, on a 3k cal per day diet.
    Then I fucking tore my groin adductor. It has taken three months to heal. In that time I have lost almost all of my strength gains, but none of the body fat I put on while making them. Squat dropped to 180. DL is still about the same. Bench is a pitiful 175, barely more than I started with. Press is about the same. Body weight is currently 190 and I look like complete shit… I have not been able even to run for almost three months, so the only exercise I have been getting is long walks and some upper body lifting.
    I have basically wasted six months… very frustrating. I am on a calorie cut right now but actually gained a pound this week.
    All of this is to say… starting on the path to become strong is a lot harder than just saying, “learn how to lift weights, then go to the gym, and you will see results”. I have no intention of staying off the horse and am slowly trying to build my lifts back up what they were. But it is hard to feel confident at a high body fat % when you have no muscle, and that is all I have essentially gained from the past 6 mos. of lifting… other than technical knowledge and practice with learning to move the weight

  18. Best exercise post I have seen here yet. Rippetoe got a mention – my hero! Bench, squat, deadlift, row and don’t forget the military press. In addition to eating right and lifting well (good form) and heavy, rest is critically important, esp if you are over 40.

  19. I do not see the appeal of all this weight lifting bullshit. All you are doing is building worthless bulk and undeserved ego. Be a man and build your body via a combatative sport… Having muscle that’s built to hit someone n break joints beats bullshit bulk used to lift structured amounts of heavy stuff.
    L a m e.

  20. Agree with this article 100 per. What helps me IS actually doing the Hannibal For King type workouts and only at home. Too many distractions at the gym so at home i stick to pull-ups, chin-ups, jump squats, push-ups with different hand positions, core(not ab) strengthening, and riding my bike damn near everywhere a car isn’t necessary for serious leg workouts. Do Not Forget To Diet Right for sure. No tips from me on diet because what suits me may not suit those used to shit food. Just dive in and totally change everything about your workout routine and food intake. It’s all for the better so why not?

  21. “Squats, presses, and rows. Learn to live by them. Deadlift, too. Embrace them and bump your game up a notch.”
    He’s right. I just looked up these exercises on wikipedia. There’s a table that shows the muscles each exercise targets. Look at the link below. It should be no surprise that the exercises listed above target the most muscle groups when you do just one exercise. The dead lift comes number one, targeting eight muscles when you do one lift.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_weight_training_exercises
    There’s one other piece of advice not mentioned in the article. The majority of your exercises should be done using free weights. Minimize your use of weight lifting machines, such as a Smith Machine or a chest press machine. They limit your range motion, which limits the development of stabilizer muscles and skeletal strength. That landscape of cuts and groves you see on a chiseled body that belongs to an MMA fighter or say Brad Pitt are their stabilizing muscles.
    That said, there is one type of machine you should…no, must use. Cable crossover machines use a free moving pulley cable with interchangeable attachments like handle bars and pulleys. There are different kinds, but here’s the general rule in distinguishing between free cable machines and those on rails; you should be able wrap what ever it is you are pulling, around the machine.

  22. As someone who is well-traveled, and misses the foods of those foriegn lands, I find that going into ethnic enclaves of my city and eating thier foods is the healthiest, protien rich cuisines I can eat. Is there a Korea Town near you, korean BBQ are organic awesome! Ethiopian Take Out? Can’t get better organic veggies and meats! Moroccan/Lebanese/Turkish?? We are talking protien rich lambs, mediterreanean salads loaded with anti-oxidants! Avoid greasy caribbean/Latin take-out (Jamaican/Dominican/Haitian/Columbian) and Slavic (Polish/Balkan) foods tend to be fatty too, or just be choosy. But for the most part, Work out Hard, Rest, and eat ethnic (Arab/African/Asian) organic, you will be be diesel (and worldly)!

  23. As someone who is well-traveled, and misses the foods of those foriegn lands, I find that going into ethnic enclaves of my city and eating thier foods is the healthiest, protien rich cuisines I can eat. Is there a Korea Town near you, korean BBQ are organic awesome! Ethiopian Take Out? Can’t get better organic veggies and meats! Moroccan/Lebanese/Turkish?? We are talking protien rich lambs, mediterreanean salads loaded with anti-oxidants! Avoid greasy caribbean/Latin take-out (Jamaican/Dominican/Haitian/Columbian) and Slavic (Polish/Balkan) foods tend to be fatty too, or just be choosy. But for the most part, Work out Hard, Rest, and eat ethnic (Arab/African/Asian) organic, you will be be diesel (and worldly)!

    1. Very true. I’m a woman who has been trying to gain muscle (and strength) & I find being consistent with diet is tough. There is so much prepping and not enough hours in the day. But as long as I eat enough and enough fat dense (don’t be afraid of healthful/not fried, pork etc. fats) food, it just goes more smoothly. Ethnic food really is excellent for this. Some are too high with the sodium however, so be careful of this.

  24. FYI, at 38, I have been in sports most of my adult life. From mountaineering to rugby to Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Racing, triathlon and simple foot races, I have gained tremendous value from having a mindset that focuses on being physical. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, comes close to the workout I am getting in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Yes, you roll around on the floor with a bunch of sweaty dudes, but you get ripped.
    What’s more, as long as your opponent does not know bjj better than you, you can pretty much count on winning any fight you get involved in. This, of course, helps to avoid them. It is well known that dating often comes down to having a strong frame. Philosophically, go with Ayn Rand. Physically, go with Brazilian jiu jitsu.

  25. Good stuff and totally agree about most guys not knowing how to lift. Those are the same guys that are butt slapping with their buddies and sitting around on benches instead of getting out of the way too.
    I found weight lifting to be really boring, but if I was seeing better results I probably would’ve enjoyed it more. To your points, I probably spent too much time doing the muscle isolation stuff – didn’t even do weighted squats – and I certainly wasn’t eating enough. If/when I go back into that, I will definitely look to consult with a nutritionist to talk about how many calories I can be eating (min/max). I was too worried about getting fat (before that I had lost 50 pounds, so no doubt I carried that into weight lifting – probably not a great idea). Thanks for the insights.

  26. What’s the point? People are so fat today that I can be fat and still weigh less than 90% of the country.

  27. >>>
    Caution: Our bodies are not capable of adding more than roughly half a pound of lean muscle per week. Gain too fast and become chubby.
    >>>
    Wait – didn’t Timothy Ferriss put on almost thirty pounds of muscle mass in only one month with only eight gym sessions of 30 minutes each in that month???
    Somebody here must be full of sh*t, and it sure isn’t the author of this article.

  28. We know that your body needs protein while it sleeps in order to build muscle. This doesn’t mean that you need to go crazy and have a large meal before you go to bed – try something like 30grams of casein shake or cottage cheese. If you’re keen to pack on loads of mass then things like oatmeal or whole-wheat bread are a good place to start.Readers can find more information on a blog defensesoap dot com/grapplegnostic/

  29. Great article, nails the important points.
    Thought I’d weigh into the steroid debate too. It’s a personal choice really isn’t it? I couldn’t give a sh*t if someone decides to use steroids – it’s your body, you are its master.
    Steroids are not for me however and I’ve built a good physique without them whilst still trying to progress. Just last night I pulled in town and was complimented on my broad shoulders and chest shape by the girl. This same girl told me how she gets quite put off by blatant roidheads. Women can surprisingly spot them a mile off and any man with reasonable knowledge will too. Not to mention the symptoms – frog jaw, bitch tits, you know the score.
    You might say ‘well Arnie never had those symptoms!’ but that’s because he was a pro-bodybuilder with round the clock access to medical and health pros to minimise any damage. If you aren’t a pro bodybuilder why would you jeopardise your health?
    Those of us who train naturally can still learn a lot from pro bodybuilders. Arnie in particular had a great social life, never did anyone any harm. I think it’s fantastic how he always went to eat breakfast with his bodybuilder mates, who then accompanied him as they went off to train together. Day after day in the Californian sunshine. What a life!
    But for those average Joes without the patience, time and balls to work out how to EAT, TRAIN and SLEEP properly – it’s nothing but a quick fix. Of course they still have to train to gain results but it takes nowhere near as much dedication and effort as shown by others.
    It’s about becoming the most ALPHA version of yourself. For me, a 5’9 ecto-mesomorph, arms measuring 15/16 inches looks pretty damn great. On a 6’8 wrestler that obviously wouldn’t look as good. Contrary to the guy above, even steroids won’t make EVERYONE look like Arnie or Jay Cutler! But it’s relative to the individual. Eat like a lion, train like a beast, sleep like a baby and your physique will only improve. This confidence radiates like mad and attracts people to you. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing people pick up on this and knowing you worked your ass off for it.

  30. Lift heavy three times a week. Squat, overhead press, deadlift, bench press, row. You can do several lifts in each session, or several sets of one lift, and rotate days. Watch Rip’s videos to learn proper technique and stick with light weights until you have the technique nailed. Push a prowler sled if you have access to one, 50 meter sprints with 150 lb or more on the sled. Add cleans and snatches to your lift rotation IF and ONLY IF you have a qualified trainer to teach you how in person, do ’em wrong and your back will hurt for months. Do short intense conditioning sessions after lifting, 7-10 min at an anaerobic level. Every now and then, run 3-4 miles, no more, for time. Track your progress and keep pushing your limits. Eat paleo, but don’t be afraid to have a low-carb drink occasionally (learn to drink martinis or manhattans, forget the beer, and definitely avoid the sweet drinks.) I am just an ordinary dude with a sedentary profession, I have been doing this for 3 years, total time commitment is maybe 4 or 5 hours a week max, I am in better shape than at least 95% of the guys I meet, and the change in how I am perceived by men AND women is astonishing.

  31. I strongly agree with 3 points you have put down
    No 2) Consistency is the key!
    No 5)Squat,rows and dead lifts , these are the basic exercise for muscle building. They also boost testosterone level naturally. Young guys joining the gym try to avoid these exercises.
    No 8)Rely on supplements: these has become the norm these days. only supplements give results. But if you look back at the early days of bodybuilding, there were no supplements, people only had food as their source of protein. Still they managed to build muscles. Also one of the top Indian bodybuilder Suhas Khamkar has said in interview that he did not take supplements on this journey from beginner to Mr India 2013, Although he agrees he takes them now because he has higher goals.

  32. I have the, Stronglifts 5×5 program on my Android phone.
    Straight and to the point, no excuses.

  33. What the hell do I have to do to gain muscle and weight 🙁 Jesus christ. I am on a high muscle gain diet with protein and eating a lot more clean stuff and working out a lot more, with good form, and weeks later I weigh myself to find I have gained 0…..NOTHING.

  34. I do everything on this list and never put on any muscle on top of what I have.

  35. All I want is to put on 4 pounds of muscle and I can’t. I have tried for 2 years now. I guarantee I do everything on that list.

  36. I am weight lifting. I am up to 15 lbs and I am female. I eat healthy 4-6 times a day, I make my own shakes from protein. I am under 100 lbs and 5 ft 5. I started in Dec. Why can I see anything but tone! I want muscles like Cat Zinango!

  37. Aside from the opening paragraphs up to “Every man should carry….”, this was pretty good stuff.
    She was a married woman and you were with someone else: don’t use fitness and the results of it to be an asshole. That’s solid advice for all of us.

  38. How to build muscle as fast as humanly possible…That’s what we all want to know.Most of us don’t have the genetics of an NFL running back or pro bodybuilder.So it’s not all your fault.I was mixed-up until I got this plan,see my review of it:>bestfitnessandmusclebuilding(dot)com/tmd<

  39. ‘Squats, presses, and rows’.
    WHICH squats, presses and rows?
    Like other joe schmoe out there with an attitude and a gagging desire to spaff your shite all over the rest of using the internet, you post nice, generic information.
    There are half a DOZEN applicable exercises, no, more – tied to the word ‘press’.
    Same goes for rows.
    With research and reading around, a beginner reading your ‘article’ might be able to figure the best answer for ‘squats’. Even though there are valid variations on this exercise.
    BE SPECIFIC. If you want to elevate your content above every other ‘bro’ pile of shite website, provide detail on WHICH squat. WHICH row. WHICH press.
    Give real advice. Want to hit the bicep hard? Sure, compound exercise is
    great. HOWEVER. Hammer curl and rope climb are consistently,
    CONSISTENTLY, listed as serious contenders for mass gain in this muscle.
    This is not an opportunity to rail against criticism. I wont be back here to read any responses, i simply post responses such as the one above to generic, vanilla ‘articles’ which purport to offer advice to people with regards to muscle gain.

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