“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure”. Colin Powell.
With or without gym equipment, it is possible to build muscle at home. But you have lingering doubts, you are still unsure if what you are doing is what you are supposed to be doing.
Let me ask, what is your greatest strength as a bodybuilder?
If your answer is big guns or lots of muscles, you are wrong! The answer is confidence. Confidence is something that is shaped throughout your life, in fact, some people develop it very late in life.
But you are not like other people, you want to overcome challenges, you want to do something with your life. The question is, how do I transform my workouts into pro-level, muscle-building sessions?
What the Experts Say
Ronnie Coleman, I’m sure you’ve heard of him has a huge home gym. According to him, he built up the gym for 11 years. He says he wanted something to call his own.
For most people, building a home gym is not something you do overnight. It takes time, lots of money, and patience.
The trick is to start with the basics and buy more equipment as you progress. I recommend you start with a pull-up bar and squat rack, Olympic barbell, weight plates, flat bench, and jump rope. You should also get one giant rubber band for resistance training.
Common Mistakes you Make While Working Out at Home
Bodybuilding rules change all the time. That said. According to experts, there are important rules that you need to remember while working out at home.
Rule 1: a combination of low (3 to 5), medium (6 to 14), and high (15+) is more effective than the traditional 8 to 12 reps.
Rule 2: you don’t have to lift to failure in every set.
Rule 3: you don’t have to do cardio on an empty stomach
Rule 4: eat enough protein
You know the rules; the mistakes you need to stop making are:
You don’t Breathe Methodically While Training
If you have poor posture you may have noticed that you breathe with your chest and not your diaphragm. This results in shallow breathing and that can result in you getting tired faster.
There are two main benefits of methodical breathing, one is it improves the overall rhythm of your workout and two, it improves your overall oxygen supply.
Should I Hold my Breath While Lifting?
According to Jonathan Penney from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. NO, don’t hold your breath, why?
When you exercise or lift, your blood pressure is elevated. The problem with holding your breath in this instance is that your blood pressure may rise to unsafe levels especially when your muscles elongate.
High blood pressure can trigger dizziness, nausea or even a heart attack. You don’t want any of that, do you?
Trust me. When lifting, you will be tempted to hold your breath, but don’t do it. Instead, breath through it.
Expert Breathing Tips
- Inhale through your nose to
- Exhale through your mouth
Have you Heard of the Valsalva Maneuver?
This maneuver is used to balance air pressure in your ears. What you have to do is pinch your nose closed, close your mouth, and try to exhale while bearing down as if you are having a bowel movement for ten seconds.
This maneuver increases power output and protects your lower back from injury when lifting.
How to Use the Valsalva Maneuver
- Inhale during the negative phase.
- Exhale during the positive phase (breathe out when you get past the most difficult part)
This maneuver is not 100% safe as it can put unhealthy strain on your heart. Because of that, if you have a heart condition, avoid it.
Other Mistakes You Should Stop Making
- You don’t prioritize recovery.
- Stop spending money on low quality supplements.
- Don’t ignore a condition you have or injuries.
- Training the same muscles on consecutive days.
- You don’t practice proper form.
Factors to Consider
There are a number of factors that affect performance in resistance training. These factors include:
Lack of Sleep
Researchers have found that lack of sleep hinders energy levels and leaves you susceptible to mood swings. The reason for that is your body cannot breakdown glucose stored in your muscles that is used for energy if you don’t get enough sleep.
In simple terms, if you don’t get enough sleep, your muscles shrink!
Hydration/dehydration
To stay hydrated, the average bodybuilder should drink at least two liters of water every day. You don’t have to drink all that at once, carry a two-liter bottle with you and make sure it’s empty by the end of the day.
Remember, drinking lots of water in one go is dangerous if you are not used to it.
Compound Exercises
This refers to any type of movement that engages two or more different joints to stimulate entire muscle groups. Incorporating compound movements into your bodybuilding routine is important in that it burns more calories, it improves balance, reaction time and coordination, and it also improves joint stability and muscle balance.
High Intensity Workouts (HIIT)
HIIT workouts reduce blood sugar, improve oxygen consumption and increase your metabolic rate.We have an article that goes into deeper details, click here.
Your Age and Health
Age is not a major factor, but it can affect your athletic performance depending on how active or inactive you’ve been throughout the years.
Why Nutrition is Important
All things considered, nutrition is the most important factor for muscle growth. Without proper nutrition, you will see no or very little gains. The trick here is to find a diet that suits your body type and goals. For example, if you want to bulk up, your diet should include lots of calories. find a balance between carbs, proteins, and fats.
Conclusion
To conclude, strength training can be done with or without equipment and by anyone no matter your age. But, to be successful you must use proper form 100% of the time, you must be patient, and you should vary your workout routine to avoid plateauing and boredom.
You have the time, you have the energy, so why are you letting yourself get weak? It is up to you to decide today to start strength training. Get on all fours and do some pushups right now.