Why do we make building muscle so complicated?

[bigdog123]

It's basic really isn't it.

Lift heavy weights often. People have always done this.
eat a lot of good food. People have always done this.
take drugs. We have seen hgh and slin added in recent years.
recover well. People have always done this.

Grow.

guys in 1980's at top level 20lb smaller than now on average... Because of drugs solely. HGH and slin the reasons, why do people hide this and make people believe it's something else? Nutrition is just that.. Meat, fish, carbs etc. Creatine is creatine, supplements on the whole do little anyway. Any fucker can lift weights, that's never changed, there isn't some special method today adding lbs and lbs of muscle that didn't exist thirty years ago lol. It's all drugs that have made the changes.

 

[Pheedno]

A. People make it complicated because they don't know what they're doing
B. People make it complicated because they know just enough to make it so
C. People make it complicated because it makes them feel like they're on a righteous pursuit

D. Then you have people that know just enough to simplify it for everyone out there

And if you think training and nutritional methodology hasn't evolved exponentially in the last 40 years then I'd put you somewhere in the B/D

 

[dj]

Some people complicate things because they want to sell you something. They have a magic formula. We are conditioned to be passive consumers and not use our own innate intelligence. Look at any pastime/hobby in the US and it will most likely be endlessly complicated by the marketplace. Think of hunting and fishing. The best hunters and fisherman I know make it look simple and easy without all the shit from Cabela's.

I think we also live in a day and age of "hacks" so we think if we stack a bunch marginal gains from multiple hacks will get percentage level gains. For the most part humans love novelty so the almost infinite variety of programs and styles lends to switching it up when consistency may better the "smarter" choice.

As far as diet goes we have been bombarded with misinformation and propaganda not to mention the food industry hacking our sensory system that leads to a lot of people into making unhealthy choices.

So really gaining muscle is kinda boring... work out with the right program consistently, eat the right food consistently, rest. Repeat.

Most people don't like boring even if it works.

 

[USMuscle9403]

Smart guys take food, water and weights and make it work. Wannabe smart guys overcomplicate the shit out of everything because they want to feel like geniuses.

Either that, or it's the "they must be hiding something" mentality. How about some fuckin hard, consistent work for once in your life?

If you want to gain, eat enough to be in a surplus. If you want to lose, you want to be in a net deficit. Lift as intensely and as frequently as your individual recovery ability will allow. Know when to back off and know when to ramp up.

The rest eventually works itself out...

 

[nihilixm]

Building muscle is easy initially. Breaking thru plateaus is complicated. If it was as easy as people say there would be a lot of 280lb lean mass monsters here.

 

[bigdog123]

Building muscle is easy initially. Breaking thru plateaus is complicated. If it was as easy as people say there would be a lot of 280lb lean mass monsters here.

Yes, agree that building muscle early doors is easy. The reason there isn't is because people can't afford or find the level of Gh and slin required. Back in the 80's guys weren't 280 everywhere and they sure had the same genetics and some worked as hard. Now it's down to hard work, granted, but the drugs mean it's much easier to achieve.

 

[Cito33189]

because lazy people start making up shit and other lazy people believe them.

lift heavy weights and eat food

 

[bad rad]

Step 1: Read my signature.
Step 2: Read step 1.

Many people look for any excuse for poor results. Typically lack of effort manifests as lack of results.

 

[Rogue]

In the old days the mags used to make it sound complicated so as to get you frustrated... a frustrated reader is a goo buyer of an advertized product.
Today , those over complicating things just want to sound like they know a "secret" or have a genetic "gift"
Bodybuilding is NOT rocket science. The REAL secret to this sport is listed in the original post.

 

[DOGGCRAPP]

Building muscle is easy initially. Breaking thru plateaus is complicated. If it was as easy as people say there would be a lot of 280lb lean mass monsters here.

Thats a great post right there Nihilxm...and so true. Virtually everyone gets the "new to lifting gains" in the beginning and virtually everyone gets the "im a steroid using newbie" gains later on......and a great majority of people never figure out what to do beyond those two time periods. Steroids as good as they work screw up alot of peoples deductive reasoning on what actually works training wise to put on muscle mass and what doesn't. There are alot of guys out there using steroids with great genetics that never get past that "intermediate bodybuilder" stage because they dont figure out the training (progression) and eating part (progression) that needs to be done after the newbie steroid gains wear off. A natural guy jumping on steroids that goes from 185 to 210 initially thru the newness of steroids not very impressive to me...but the same guy who figures out how to push to get to 220, 230 , 240, 250 without abusing himself....thats impressive.

 

[TheOtherOne55]

It's easy...but it's complicated when it doesn't work as fast as you want it to.
Thats the story. Shit works then it doesn't. You make a size jump, then you dont.
Everyone wants it but people hate slow things and building your body is a slow thing.
The best bodybuilders are usually the ones who just love training the most....they can just sit back and enjoy the training for 6 months and boom, they look very different.

 

[EWRECK]

because lazy people start making up shit and other lazy people believe them.

lift heavy weights and eat food

but but, my 5 minutes to better abs cd just came.

 

[buck]

The basics usually work for most any area of life. Course as many people think they are unique and have to do something special as opposed to being disciplined.

 

[IronLion2]

So, bodybuilding is simple and the only reason anyone's got better is because of more complex drugs. Got it

 

[CONTRACTOR 47]

Yes easy to get big and strong as your genes allow you to. But understand there would be a lot more to it at the next level.
I suppose that's where knowledge, devotion are needed. And time as in you can't work 10 12 hr day in construction. At least I couldn't.

 

[b-boy]

Most people lack discipline that's it. Doing the little things day in and day out. No matter how shitty your genetics are you show me a man with great discipline and I will show you a guy with a pretty damn good physique.

Shelby Starnes is my poster child for my discipline statement.

 

[nihilixm]

Thats a great post right there Nihilxm...and so true. Virtually everyone gets the "new to lifting gains" in the beginning and virtually everyone gets the "im a steroid using newbie" gains later on......and a great majority of people never figure out what to do beyond those two time periods. Steroids as good as they work screw up alot of peoples deductive reasoning on what actually works training wise to put on muscle mass and what doesn't. There are alot of guys out there using steroids with great genetics that never get past that "intermediate bodybuilder" stage because they dont figure out the training (progression) and eating part (progression) that needs to be done after the newbie steroid gains wear off. A natural guy jumping on steroids that goes from 185 to 210 initially thru the newness of steroids not very impressive to me...but the same guy who figures out how to push to get to 220, 230 , 240, 250 without abusing himself....thats impressive.

Cool thst Dante responded. Ironically when ever I start getting confused or overwhelmed w info about this I find going back and reading the cycling for pennies article usually helps guide me lol. Providing the right circumstances isn't always easy or possible but the info is the most practical in terms of ped use and mentioning food, progression etc.

 

[Elvia1023]

It's easy...but it's complicated when it doesn't work as fast as you want it to.
Thats the story. Shit works then it doesn't. You make a size jump, then you dont.
Everyone wants it but people hate slow things and building your body is a slow thing.
The best bodybuilders are usually the ones who just love training the most....they can just sit back and enjoy the training for 6 months and boom, they look very different.

Exactly. The best bodybuilders are the ones who can stick to a plan regardless how boring it is. Many people love training but very few will progressively eat until they are taking in 6+ large/clean meals every day without fail. It is true though the guys who have a passion for the gym will always be consistent to a degree because they basically are always training. Many stop training for years at a time because they "don't have the time" or "life got in the way" but anyone who is truly passionate about training won't understand that because they simply just make it happen and they don't miss the gym (of course there are some exceptions).

It is true so many overcomplicate bodybuilding but sometimes it's not for negative reasons. Some people just want an optimal routine but 90% of the time the guys after the secret stack of 10 compounds timed throughout the day or a complicated training program are not doing the basics consistently. I get many newbies pm me and the amount of detail they put into proposed drug protocols and training plans is staggering but they are over 20%+ bodyfat and you think you obviously aren't being consistent and they never are.

All in all I agree that many overcomplicate things but at the same time bodybuilding can be very complex and you need to know what adjustments to make and when. As you stated things go well then suddenly nothing and you are doing everything well but to break that plateau it's not always just about eating more or taking more drugs.

 

[MaximumTheHormones]

It may be "simple", but it's not "easy". There are a ton of people out there who can't gain muscle despite thrashing themselves with heavy weights. Usually they're not eating enough despite feeling full all the time and thinking they're eating a ton. There are also a ton of people out there who can't lose fat despite thinking they're starving all the time too. Those people also usually greatly underestimate the amount of time required to reach their goals, which leads to them getting even more frustrated. So instead of looking for the simple solution, they think they "must be different" and start looking for more complex solutions.

 

[method2madness]

Anything bodybuilding related that might approach complicated levels is contest prep, and even then it's only the week or two before the show that might get 'fuzzy' if your not hitting your look. The rest is straight forward...eat well and train hard. When your gains slow down, re-assess and change up one or both of these factors. HARD CONSISTENT WORK WINS!