Bodybuilding: 50 honest tips and truths

Bodybuilding isn’t magic. In this article I fire off 50 lines, claims and pieces of advice in no particular order — some are backed by science, some come from my own experience in the gym. A few contradict each other slightly, and that’s normal — everything has its nuances. If even one of them makes you think, the article has done its job.

Introduction: bodybuilding as a long journey

This list is not a ready-made training plan. It’s more a collection of reminders — things every lifter stumbles over sooner or later. Read it calmly and argue back with yourself where needed. Enjoy.

50 lines, claims and tips about bodybuilding

1. Lifting weights causes micro-tears in the muscles. When you rest, they recover and the body builds new muscle — that’s how you get bigger.
2. To build muscle you need enough calories and protein. Training alone isn’t enough — you can’t build a house without materials.
3. You can’t build muscle and lose fat at the same time. The exceptions: if you use banned substances or you’re a complete beginner in strength training.
4. The best back exercises are pull-ups, the deadlift and barbell rows. The rest are variations of these.
5. The best leg exercises are the squat, the leg press and the stiff-leg deadlift.
6. The best for the arms: dips, dumbbell biceps curls and French presses.
7. Cardio isn’t mandatory for burning fat. What counts is a calorie deficit.
8. As a natural bodybuilder, don’t expect to gain more than 15 kg of muscle over a lifetime. Only the few who are not just gifted but also very hardworking and disciplined can do more.
9. Steroids are prescription drugs, prescribed for hormonal disorders. Most people don’t need them.
10. If you get injured in the gym, it’s usually because of your own stupidity.
11. If someone says their body fat is 10%, it’s often actually 19%. Leanness gets overestimated, and by a lot.
12. If a woman looks like a man, she isn’t natural.
13. Most pro bodybuilders stay on hormone replacement therapy for life just to feel like a normal person.
14. To build muscle, you don’t need to train more than 4 times a week.
15. A pro bodybuilder’s training plan is not right for you.
16. If you want to see how not to train, watch one of Branch Warren’s workout videos.
17. Not all calories are equal.
18. You can train to failure, but rarely.
19. Doing heavy deadlifts 2 times a week is foolish.
20. 90% of overweight people are overweight because they eat a lot of junk — not because of bad genetics.
21. To progress, you have to REST.
22. More isn’t always better. Usually it isn’t.
23. Bodybuilders love compliments and praise. Even if they don’t show it.
24. Everyone’s favorite — the locker-room banana — isn’t the best choice after training. Fructose is absorbed too slowly.
25. To build muscle, you don’t have to stuff yourself like a pig.
26. The most important thing in muscle growth is CONSISTENCY.
27. The leaner you are (the lower your body fat %), the more powerful you look — provided your musculature is developed.
28. When you burn body fat, you inevitably lose some muscle too. How much depends on how smartly you go about weight loss.
29. Bodybuilding is a long journey. Be patient.
30. Don’t stress. Bodybuilding shouldn’t shut you off from the rest of your life.
31. Don’t be afraid to experiment. What works for one person may do nothing for another.
32. Training your abs doesn’t burn belly fat. What it does do is thicken your abs, which can make them stand out better.
33. Muscle doesn’t turn into fat or vice versa. They are two completely different tissues.
34. You can’t isolate the middle of the chest.
35. To build muscle, you don’t have to eat every 3 hours.
36. You can eat carbohydrates in the evening too. It all depends on your daily energy balance and when you train.
37. Rapid weight loss comes largely at the expense of water and muscle.
38. If you’re already on your fifteenth set for biceps or triceps, you’re doing something wrong.
39. Eat meat. Humans are omnivores.
40. Don’t be afraid of salt.
41. Hard training does more harm than good if you don’t pay attention to recovery.
42. Choose supplements thoughtfully.
43. There are no right or wrong foods — only wrong amounts.
44. When you think you can’t do any more, you actually still can.
45. When you think you’re already lean (contest-ready), chances are you still have some way to go.
46. If food is secondary for you, your physique will look secondary too.
47. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive.
48. There are no secret tricks or miracle training programs.
49. A pump doesn’t mean muscle growth.
50. Educate yourself. Read, read and read some more. We all think we know enough — a couple of years later you think, damn, I was an idiot.

What bodybuilding really demands

If I had to sum up the whole list in three words, I’d say: patience, consistency, honesty with yourself. Most people don’t struggle in the gym because the plan is wrong, but because their nutrition is sloppy, their sleep is short and their expectations are unrealistic. Bodybuilding won’t turn you into a different person in a couple of months — but in a couple of years, it will.

FAQ: bodybuilding for beginners

How many times a week should a beginner train?

Three to four times is usually more than enough. More doesn’t mean faster growth — recovery is part of training, not its opposite.

Is protein powder a must in bodybuilding?

No, it isn’t. If you cover your protein needs with food — meat, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes — you’ll do just fine. Powder is simply a convenient way to fill the gap when the day doesn’t go as planned.

How long does it take to see the first visible change?

Realistically, three to six months of consistent training and eating. You’ll start noticing a difference in the mirror sooner, and in photos after about half a year.

Author: Peep Reinart

Come and train! ArtGym