Rookie Mistakes...Care to share?

[hotttsauce]

1. Thinking you have to go full range of motion (which is actually beyond normal range of motion usually) or it doesn't count.

2. Stretching too much before a workout

3. Thinking 5000 bad calories = 5000 good calories

4. Believing it's good to work different parts of a muscle. Like "lower bicep" or "inner pecs"

5. Trying so hard to reach a number that I injured my shoulder.

Good one! Trying to push poundages instead of simply feeling the burn.

 

[Phidias]

it would take a lot less time to list the things i've done right than the things i've done wrong

Just like b-boy and main, I'm so much with you on this one, Shelby!

I would say the 2 biggest mistakes for me are:
1) Thinking every set has to go to failure and beyond
2) Not being dedicated in the offseason like i am precontest

You're so right on both points, Main.

thought that I had to eat anything and everything in the biggest possible quantities to gain muscle

never again

Did the same mistake countless times... and still tend to when for no logical reason I wake up one morning feeling way too small (now keep in mind I had seen Mr O in the mirror the day before... ).

So about the "never again" part... yeah, most definitely...

 

[Phidias]

As for my own specific mistakes:

- abusing thyroid meds to the extent you're too scared to stop cause you've been on for sooooooo long... just to realize after a while when your doc calls that you're screwed and will have to be on T4 replacement for the rest of your life.



- taking HUGE amounts of slin just to follow that stupid rule of 1 IU per 10g carbs/pro... quickest way to "most impressive fat gain in the shortest amount of time"

- abusing anti-e's to counteract your massive gear abuse... high doses AAS + lots of arimidex or letro = awful lipid profile

- never getting off stimulants (fat burners, ephedrine, nicotine, etc...) to avoid crashing badly and not being able to train with enough intensity

Many more to share but it's already not so bad (well, actually it is lol ).

 

[phoenix13]

overtraining
being obsessed w/ diet/training (different than being focused and disciplined...fear based)

what i did to overcome it:
adopted many DC philosophies/theories...systematically found what volume I could handle, approx. how much carbs i need offseason to grow w/o getting too sloppy, and focused on aspects of my life completely unrelated to bbing to help me keep a balance such as other hobbies, relationships, service to others.

 

[b-boy]

overtraining
being obsessed w/ diet/training (different than being focused and disciplined...fear based)

what i did to overcome it:
adopted many DC philosophies/theories...systematically found what volume I could handle, approx. how much carbs i need offseason to grow w/o getting too sloppy, and focused on aspects of my life completely unrelated to bbing to help me keep a balance such as other hobbies, relationships, service to others.

now thats a featured member post right there.... NICE

 

[MAINEVENT]

As for my own specific mistakes:

- abusing thyroid meds to the extent you're too scared to stop cause you've been on for sooooooo long... just to realize after a while when your doc calls that you're screwed and will have to be on T4 replacement for the rest of your life.



- taking HUGE amounts of slin just to follow that stupid rule of 1 IU per 10g carbs/pro... quickest way to "most impressive fat gain in the shortest amount of time"

- abusing anti-e's to counteract your massive gear abuse... high doses AAS + lots of arimidex or letro = awful lipid profile

- never getting off stimulants (fat burners, ephedrine, nicotine, etc...) to avoid crashing badly and not being able to train with enough intensity

Many more to share but it's already not so bad (well, actually it is lol ).

Im sure this was tough to type out and admit but im glad you did. I know your an extremely smart individual an this shows that it can happen to the best.

Thanks for sharing this with us.

 

[tatteredxangelx]

1) Overtraining - doing more than one workset per body part
2) Running almost 3 grams on my first cycle
3) taking too much insulin and almost dying
4) taking too much insulin and getting fat
5) not caring about gyno and now realizing I am going to waste $7000 to get rid of it this december
6) competing with mulitple torn muscles in my back
7) not eating any carbs for a year when I was 16
8) not listening to my body and just doing what I read in muscle mags
9) thousands I spent on GNC supplements .. lol The Beast and Cell Tech were the dumbest
10) Not realizing how incredible accutane really is


those are my top 10, and before I am done I am sure there will be another ten to go along,.

 

[Mbuffguy]

taking createin

 

[cslim]

Since I don't use any "supplementation", I don't have any of those mishaps to report, but I believe my mistake is definitely being a control freak and worrying too much! But i think i've finally relaxed a bit (RIGHT?, Rob???!!! lol!) and am just doing everything RR tells me to do!

As I've said before, the hardest part for me has been getting used to the added weight & fluffiness during my preseason but my mind is closer to accepting it and being excited about the growth and then the final reveal next year!
I've always been extremely "fat" conscious etc, even before I started competing in figure so Rob asking me to relax and put on a few pounds was a tough one for me!

Also in the beginning, the restricted diet seemed like the most horrible thing on the face of the earth! but having been through it once, i'm very confident that i'll be much more relaxed about it next time!!!! and i think my boyfriend, friends and coworkers will really appreciate that!

 

[thebrick]

1) Thinking I was a weenie if I didn't train through pain.
2) The more I trained, the bigger I'd get
3) The more I ate (including the crap foods), the more muscle I would gain

 

[hotttsauce]

Since I don't use any "supplementation", I don't have any of those mishaps to report, but I believe my mistake is definitely being a control freak and worrying too much! But i think i've finally relaxed a bit (RIGHT?, Rob???!!! lol!) and am just doing everything RR tells me to do!

As I've said before, the hardest part for me has been getting used to the added weight & fluffiness during my preseason but my mind is closer to accepting it and being excited about the growth and then the final reveal next year!
I've always been extremely "fat" conscious etc, even before I started competing in figure so Rob asking me to relax and put on a few pounds was a tough one for me!

Also in the beginning, the restricted diet seemed like the most horrible thing on the face of the earth! but having been through it once, i'm very confident that i'll be much more relaxed about it next time!!!! and i think my boyfriend, friends and coworkers will really appreciate that!

What was the key word again last year ......... "R...E...L...A...X"!

Frankie says so

 

[Phidias]

Thanks for sharing this with us.

I know when I was a teen (or "rookie" to quote cslim ) and hadn't access to the internet, all I could do was guess and "experiment" the craziest protocols on my body... I was my own guinea pig with absolutely no one to tell me I was just hurting myself and taking unnecessary risks to not even go anywhere with my physique.

Now with those boards, and especially such a quality one as PM, people can educate themselves and learning from others' knowledge, successes... and above all mistakes. If our experiences can save a kid from going nowhere but in a wall, then all those years spent alone in a gym lifting weights won't have been totally useless.

I hope newbies realize how lucky they are to be able to learn from all our great members on here.

 

[Pekkerwood]

1. Overtraining
2. Bulk up at all costs, then cut.
3. Thinking "cruising" = recovery
4. Thinking 8 weeks equals 9 months.
5. Not getting regular tests.

 

[Phidias]

What was the key word again last year ......... "R...E...L...A...X"!

Freddie says so

And so does FRANKIE... you know, the one who GOES TO HOLLYWOOD!

Relax, don't do it, when you wanna come... when you wanna come lol

 

[cslim]

What was the key word again last year ......... "R...E...L...A...X"!

Freddie says so

Ya and i think Frankie says so too! hee hee!

 

[hotttsauce]

And so does FRANKIE... you know, the one who GOES TO HOLLYWOOD!

Relax, don't do it, when you wanna come... when you wanna come lol

Ya and i think Frankie says so too! hee hee!

DAMMIT! I knew it was one of those LMAO!

 

[betito]

I chose bad parents... and from that point it has been a downhill

 

[myFriend]

Deep

wow, this thread is deep. I'm still a rookie so can't comment cause I'm still making some of these mistakes but wanna stay tuned for more good info

 

[cslim]

As for my own specific mistakes:

- abusing thyroid meds to the extent you're too scared to stop cause you've been on for sooooooo long... just to realize after a while when your doc calls that you're screwed and will have to be on T4 replacement for the rest of your life.



- taking HUGE amounts of slin just to follow that stupid rule of 1 IU per 10g carbs/pro... quickest way to "most impressive fat gain in the shortest amount of time"

- abusing anti-e's to counteract your massive gear abuse... high doses AAS + lots of arimidex or letro = awful lipid profile

- never getting off stimulants (fat burners, ephedrine, nicotine, etc...) to avoid crashing badly and not being able to train with enough intensity

Many more to share but it's already not so bad (well, actually it is lol ).

Thanks for sharing, JC.
This is exactly what i was hoping from this thread...letting the newbies know that even the experienced peeps had problems along the way but overcame those challenges!

 

[HeavyHands]

Finally I have realized the first key to getting where you want to be is getting a routine that works for YOU and STICKING WITH IT. Too many times have I started a routine, done it for 5 weeks or so and said to myself "I'm not getting huge like I thought I would... time to try something different". In the past I would never allow my body enough time to react and get any sort of benefit from my workouts. Now its a solid routine with small variations maybe in iso movements every couple weeks or so. Wish I would have realized that a few years ago!