Your favorite instagrammer has just posted a video of their new chest exercise. The results look good and in addition it only takes five minutes. So let's do it! Well no, it's very (too) often the case that advice is not always good for everyone, especially those who are not qualified. That's why we have a list of six so-called tips to avoid at all costs. Always do your research. Generally, there is no miracle solution or shortcut in bodybuilding.
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"Go hard or go home"
This is often what we hear from people trying to motivate us. Maybe it's even written on the wall of your weight room. To give it your all is good, but how you do it matters too. If the idea of this slogan is to train until you have no strength left, that each set must be done until failure, this is clearly not the solution. Because if we go too far, we risk getting injured. Poor technique can lead to a disaster. Remember to give what you have, depending your energy on that day, but remember that performing the exercise correctly is what's most important.
"Push through the pain"
Even better. "There is a big difference between soreness and pain, and ignoring pain is a ticket for disability," says Mike Boyle, a certified coach. That is to say that body aches are common when you do bodybuilding without taking BCAAs (a dietary supplement that promotes muscle recovery). But you have to know how to differentiate a good pain from bad pain. If you push through bad pain, it is an injury that will worsen and increase the risk of not training for a while.
"Do crunches and sit-ups to protect your spine"
Crunches and sit-ups are two exercises that strengthen the abdominals. Considered as the basic movements for the abdominal belt, they are frequently found in abdominal programs for the summer or other "flat stomach" programs. While they are effective, they do not protect your spine at all, on the contrary. These two movements cause strain on your spine to bend and therefore doing them too often can lead to the opposite effect. To protect your column, practice static exercises instead, such as planks.
"Show me how many deadlifts you can do in a minute"
Let's see who's boss! There's been quite a number of these "challenges" posted on social networks. However, when it comes to bodybuilding, it is important not to rush. Doing the maximum number of repetitions of an exercise in a very short time will push us to use terrible form. Once again we put technique aside to inflate our ego. Great, but what does our body think? If you want to compete with others, do Crossfit and try to do the WOD as best you can. It's more fun and better supervised.
"Do not rest between sets"
This one is rather good advice, if you don't care about what you're doing. The rest period between two sets will change according to your goals (and your form). There is little or no break when trying to burn fat or congest a muscle. In this case it is better to work in supersets, to work two muscle groups, or in drop sets for a targeted muscle. If you are looking for strength, leave two minutes between sets, otherwise your muscles will not have time to recover. We don't run sprints without taking a breath; it's the same with the muscles.
"Add plyometric exercises to your session"
Plyometric exercises (or plyometrics) can be very effective, but also very bad. They are often added to burn fat or become explosive, only they can have adverse consequences on your joints. For example, box jumps or other style exercises will put your knees and ankles to the test. It is important to pay attention to your joints to be able to move correctly in everyday life. We're not saying that box jumps are a bad exercise, only that you have to take precautions based on your physical condition.
