Are YOU Making This Typical Beginner's Mistake?
Dear Friend,
Just the other day a friend approached me for help. He has been training for several months (at least six months, I think) with little to no gains.
I put him on a routine that he would definitely make good gains on quickly.
He was surprised to see how infrequently he would be going to the gym while on this program. He commented about all the things he will be able to do with all this extra free time now that he won't be going to the gym 5 to 6 times a week for an hour or two a session.
He also expressed some concern that he wouldn't be doing enough sets to stimulate growth. I reassured him that it was plenty, but I still sensed that he wasn't totally convinced.
I wrote everything down for him and even took him through a chest and back workout to show him the proper way to perform the exercises (sets, reps, tempo, etc.)
It was several weeks later that I realized a crucial piece of information that I forgot to tell him. See, this guy is relatively new to this whole bodybuilding scene. A bodybuilding "virgin", so to speak. I mean. . . he just found out about creatine a few weeks ago. Almost a total neophyte. His head hasn't been filled with all the crap that many of us have been fooled into believing over the years.
The most important thing that I forgot to tell this newbie is...
Don't Read The Muscle Magazines!
I should have told him that they will fill his head with all kinds of garbage and will only keep him confused. He's on the right track. He just needs to stay on it!
When I saw him again, I knew immediately that the muscle mags had already infected his rookie mind. He hadn't been following my routine. He read somewhere that Mr. Milky Way does 20 sets per body part and trains 5 to 6 days a week. He figured that must be the magical formula to big muscles and he started adding exercises, sets, training days, etc.
Guess what? He wasn't making gains again. Doesn't surprise me.
He started telling me about "so and so" in the latest edition of Muscle Comics and how they do this and that and take only supplements from "XYZ Power Blast Muscle Supplements" and that's how he got so huge.
He says, "And Mr. 25 inch Biceps recommended in the latest issue of blah blah blah blah...".
My eyes just glazed over as I tuned out and mentally went to the Bahamas while still smiling and nodding.
It was too late. The influence peddlers had gotten a grip on his naive mind.
It didn't matter what I said at that point. My advice was the exact opposite of what the Muscle Comics were saying...and why should he believe me over the current reigning Mr. Milky Way. The only title I hold is "Mr. Genetically Average Joe"!
Not being one to be overly pushy, I just shut my mouth and thought to myself "Here's another guy that will have to learn the hard way."
Let's at least hope that it doesn't take as many years of wasted effort, that many of us endured, for him to learn the truth.
