“No” is perhaps a 2 year old’s favorite word. It’s also a word I find myself repeating over and over again when answering questions about muscle building.
Most lifters have a fear that results will only come once a complex magical formula is unlocked. What they fail to understand is that muscle building is really a simple process.
You lift consistently, use the best tools possible, progress (get a lot stronger), eat so that your body is able to gain muscle mass, and remain patient. Very patient.
To help simplify things I thought it would be fun to list common muscle building questions, and then respond with my favorite answer – no!
Here goes…
72 Common Muscle Building Questions
- Will performing cardio several times per week slow my gains?
- Will doing yoga slow my gains?
- Will I lose a lot of muscle if I take a week off from training?
- Is there a magical rep range?
- is there a magical workout routine?
- Do I need the barbell bench press to build my chest?
- Is the PCF ratio (Protein/Carbs/Fat) 40-40-20 the only way to go?
- Will eating carbs at night make me fat?
- Do I need to frequently deload if I feel fine?
- Is the Smith machine just as good as barbell exercises?
- Is squatting with good form still bad for your knees?
- Is deadlifting with proper form still bad for your back?
- Do you need to deadlift to build a huge back?
- Do you need to squat to build huge legs?
- Great, then it’s ok to completely avoid squats and deadlifts for ever and ever?
- Do I need supplements?
- Do I need to eat every 2.5-3 hours?
- If my post-workout meal is sub-par, will I lose my gains for the day?
- Will having frequent sex limit my gains?
Do I need to eat all clean foods?- Is there a black and white answer to all muscle building questions?
- Should I completely avoid lifting straps?
- Do I need elaborate body part splits?
- Do I need to train more than 4 days per week?
- Does protein intake damage your kidneys if they are currently healthy?
- Does weight training stunt your growth?
- Can I add another chest training day to “program X”?
- Can I add another biceps training day to “program Y”?
- Will doing a lot of ab work give me a six pack?
- Do I need to count every gram of protein, carbs and fat each day?
- If I can’t sleep 8 hours per day will I be unable to gain?
- Do I need to train for the pump to make gains?
- Do I need to train like Dorian Yates to make gains?
- Do I need to volume train to make gains?
- I heard that full body workouts are useless. Is that true?
- Should I use the magazine workouts of top bodybuilding stars?
- Is Doggcrapp training magical?
- Is Wendler’s 531 magical?
- Is Starting Strength magical?
- Is StrongLifts magical?
- So and so says frequent feeding is useless. Is that true?
- So and so says intermittent fasting is useless. Is that true?
- If I eat more than 40 grams of protein per sitting does it go to waste?
- Do I need to use whey protein?
- Do I need to use fish oil?
- Do I need to use a pre-workout formula?
- Do I need to train to failure on every set?
- Can I get as big as a pro bodybuilder without steroids?
- I am 5’9″ and weigh 260 pounds. My mom’s scale says my body fat percentage is 12%. Is this correct?
- Can I gain 40 pounds of muscle in 8 weeks?
- My bench press has “only” went up 10 pounds in the last 4 weeks. Is this a plateau?
- Do I need to worry about TUT – time under tension?
- Can I get big without adding much strength?
Should I curl in the squat rack?- Will a beard really help my lift totals?
- Are all powerlifters fat?
- Should I make up my own workouts from scratch if I’ve never made gains?
- Will women look like Arnold if they train with resistance?
- Does eating fat make you fat?
- When I decide to cut, do I immediately need to add a ton of cardio?
- I heard I should never train when I am sore. Is this correct?
- The 1-5 rep range doesn’t build muscle, correct?
- High rep sets can’t build muscle, correct?
- Should I deload every time I have a bad training day?
- Do I need to change workout programs every 8 weeks?
- If I train over 60 minutes will I lose all my gains?
- Do I need slow negatives to build muscle?
- I was told I can’t build muscle with machines. Is this correct?
- Is creatine a steroid?
- Does every Youtube form video really teach proper form?
- Will high reps give me muscle definition?
- Should I train differently when I am cutting?
The Answer:
No.
Need clarification about any of these questions? Post a comment and I will respond in a timely manner.
Are there any muscle building questions you would add to this list?
43 and 50
#43…
You can eat more than 30-40 grams of protein per sitting and it’s not going to be wasted. The idea that it is wasted is one of the oldest, and most debunked myths in the lifting realm. This myth is not rooted in fact, and has no scientific backing. If you Google “30 grams protein myth” you’ll find all kinds of information on this subject that explains it in detail.
#50…
Assuming they are not underweight to begin with, most natural lifters are lucky to gain 30-35 pounds of muscle over the course of their life. Most will only gain 20-25 pounds of muscle. Gaining this amount of mass takes many, many years. Gains come quickly the first year, and then slow decrease over time. The more you gain, the less you will gain in the future.
Muscle gains are like a full glass of water. We are all given a glass, and that’s it. Our natural testosterone levels and other genetic factors dictate our muscular potential. The more water (gains) we pull from that glass, the less we have to pull from in the future.
The only way to make the glass bigger – or to increase our muscular potential – is via the use of steroids, HGH, etc.
you said its not necessary to take whey proteins and fish oil! how practical is that?!?
I didn’t use any supplements for over 20 years. I relied on tuna, eggs, milk, cheese, beef, chicken, fish, etc. Was this practical? Well, I didn’t mind. Back in the “day” most protein powders were horrendous, and no one talked about fish oil. At least I wasn’t paying attention if they did.
Most of us old schoolers gained without using a lot of supplements. No creatine, pre-workouts, sleep aids, BCAA powder drinks, etc. Sure we dabbled with some supplements, but I think in general we were more reliant on whole foods.
Supplements like this can make reaching our nutritional goals more convenient. I use them now. I love the convenience that whey protein and fish oil provides.
With that said, you certainly don’t need them. Your gains won’t be limited if you don’t use them.
Great article. There are some real gems in there. Although I strongly disagree with number 55.
As do I josh, but there is simply no quality scientific studies at this time to back our broscience
14, I m not able to squad propering .. I tried a lot of time but it maximum time its back taking load not ham … And my knee move forward .. I always fell my legs r week just becz I don’t do squad … But I can do all other excerise of legs .
Hi Avinash,
You need more practice, and to study form from some of the top experts on Youtube. You might also benefit from face-to-face help with someone who knows how to squat.
You can still build big legs without squatting. If you put a lot of effort into leg presses, hack squats, lunges, etc your legs would grow plenty.
hey thankx for reply , i just wanna know one more thing what is the best rule for gaining … or what is the best way of gaining ??…
I’ll be writing an article on that in the very near future. Please subscribe to updates or check back late next week. I’ll write about the rules for success.
How about: 73. Will doing extreme cardio (having my heart rate in ananbolic zones) work against me if I am tryign to build muscle, power, strength? It’s a slight fear of mine since I wanna to gain in those areas….and am a Spinning Instructor. My HR loves staying in the 140-170 as I am hammering out a ride for 45-60 minutes.
Hi Carl,
No, not unless you’re doing excessive amounts of cardio or undereating. How many times a week are you doing the 45-60 minute sessions?
I currently have stopped the cardio to focus on straight muscle, strength and power. However, if I am spinnig alone…..it would be 3x times a week…at 60mins each.
CORRECTION: I haven’t stopped all cardio….just Spinning as much… Cardio is now 20 min walk 10% inc. 3.0- 3.5 mph
3-4 sessions of 20-30 minutes per week is perfectly fine. Even going up to 45-60 minutes every now and then isn’t going to really impact anything.
Stay consistent with lifting, keep progressing and eat properly and magic will happen. It’s a long journey.
55.Will a beard really help my lift totals?- No
This is a lie – Without a beard you cannot be one with the Force. LOL
Ya know….I have felt a bit weaker since I shaved mine off…..
#72 – need some clarity… thanks and rgds
You should never train “lighter” when cutting. That’s a common, and huge mistake. It encourages your body to give up the muscle mass you just worked hard to pack on. There, continue training the same. Leg the reduction in calories strip the fat, and don’t risk losing muscle.
Can u plz explain Question number 8) Will eating carbs at night make me fat?
I am into bodybuilding from 6 years now, and from my knowledge till now, what i have learned is that in dinner time we must not eat much carbs, and that is why i have stopped eating rice in dinner time, so my real question is in you this statement, are u referring to eating less carbs at night is ok or are u saying that eating carbs normally is ok at night.
Late night carbs won’t make you fat. Eating too much food, will. It’s more about overall calories than when you eat them.
Thanks for ur reply about night carbs but as far as i know apart from your total overall calories, what u eat and when u eat is also very imp in bodybuilding, thats why it is said timing is also imp in bodybuilding, especially when it comes to eating and having protein shakes. i am still not convinced that eating carbs in normal quantity before going to bed is a good idea, i would still request for a explanation especially if i am wrong, bcoz i eat carbs to a minimum after 7pm or so. thats y this is imp to me, if i am wrong then i must change my this thing so i am replying again, sorry and thanks… plz reply…
Glad browsing your article, really helped me!
1- Will performing cardio several times per week slow my gains?
No. Not unless you are doing way too much cardio and/or undereating.
If i do Hiit 2 times per week i can burn fat and grow muscle?
Do I need to eat every 2.5-3 hours?
I love number 55. This is a great article for those bro-science noobs out there who believe everything they hear. Glad to see this info is still being put out there.