Hypertrophy: Top 3 Training Mistakes

Hypertrophy training focuses on getting your muscles to grow. And who doesn’t want to grow? To ensure you spend your time at the gym the most efficient and productive, I compiled the biggest training mistakes for hypertrophy. Read this, think about it, hit the gym and get growing!

Mistake #1: Copying Others

You are unique and so should be your training plan. This doesn’t mean that it is full of strange exercises, that nobody else does, but it should be tailored to your needs and goals. Trying to copy Johnny Easygainers training split because he has big arms most likely won’t get you the best results. Perhaps he has had luck in the genetic lottery and it almost doesn’t matter what he is doing, it will make him grow. Try to think about why you want to copy others. Ask yourself why he is doing that exercise or that workout and what benefit this will give to you. Advanced lifters train differently than beginners, so keep this in mind before copying mindlessly.

Mistake #2: Using Too Much Weight

Bodybuilding (and therefore hypertrophy training) is a long term sport. Everybody wants to get results fast, but reality is that you have to dedicate a lot of work over an extended period of time to it. Training for hypertrophy is different from training for performance: you want to maximize muscle tension without getting injured. You’re not a powerlifter who has to train with maximal weights! You actually want to make the exercise harder by focusing on technique or on the target muscle (if this is useful for the exercise). Control the eccentric portion of every rep to ensure proper technique and spare your joints. Use your full range of motion! Again, don’t copy others: just because your gym crush can squat “ass to grass” it doesn’t mean that you can do! Choose exercises that do not hurt or harm you and that give you a good feeling. If you cannot progress on a given exercise, it may be time to say goodbye and switch to a different variation.

Mistake #3: Believing In Magical Exercises

There is no magical exercise for any target. I know, everybody wants to believe in magic, but please stop it! You don’t have to squat to grow your legs. You don’t have to do barbell rows for your back development. Those are good exercises and most people should do them, but if they don’t work for you, forget them! If you suffer from back pain after squatting for a week and are only barely able to train, do you think squatting will be the best choice for you? I know, everybody wants to squat, but it doesn’t make sense for you, it literally doesn’t make any sense. Period. Leave your ego outside the gym and switch to another exercise. Trust me, I’ve been there!

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