What was your young/inexperienced mistakes in bodybuilding?

[WolfPackLeader]

Hi, Lone here, checkin in at 20 years old very first thread! Wondering what some of you might have done but regretted in the form of helping maybe steer young/inexperienced minds (myself included) away from avoidable mistakes. What would you have done different?

A lifetime or years of experience from someone who has gone through the trials will help avoid some possible detrimental outcomes, so to anyone following the page listen in!

[PistolPete33]

Learning how to properly eat and train is key. Forget your ego and don't bring it to the gym with you. Do the exercises right so you don't get injured and keep weight manageable. Do lots of reading and figure out what you want to get out of fitness/bodybuilding and build a plan to get there. Make realistic goals and change them often:

ie: do a winter bulk and summer cut. This keep diet/training goals changing and helps keep you motivated.

[WolfPackLeader]

Real solid advice, when did you start lifting? If you were to give your younger self advice, what would you say?

[PistolPete33]

I started lifting when I was around 20 or so. I started out weight about 130lbs. I remember when I hit 150 I was so proud and all the people I worked with thought I was lying. haha There have been ups and downs and changes along the way. I've taken breaks for many years several times over the past 18+ years and gotten into other hobbies. Most of them were physical but when I got married I got fat and lazy.

I think the best advice is that it is a marathon and not a sprint.

[WolfPackLeader]

Oh wow people cant believe 150? Yet in your DP you're a monster! Obviously from years on the grind, but I guess that puts into perspective what years can do.. How tall are you now and what do you weigh?

I started at 143lbs and now hitting 190lbs after 2 years of training, although I am 190cm and not very lean, I do have a background in martial arts, swimming and lifesaving so that could have contributed, not to mention I actually started to eat not just smoke constantly. Bodybuilding is a saviour!

Married fat and lazy haha, them home cooked meals get to ya! I'm battling that at the moment, live with my girlfriend who cooks amazing meals, but most defiantly don't fit my macros! It's a struggle at times

[djgreen]

Not learning proper technique in the beginning is the biggest mistake iv ever made I did 1 wrong squat and it messed my back up for life

[PistolPete33]

I'm 5'6" and about 200lbs. I've dropped some weight since I just started cutting but I have pretty decent size and a fairly strong build. You've gained a TON of size in a short time frame. Just try to stay lean and keep the fat in check. That can be the most difficult thing to control. We sometimes get obsessed with what the scale reads that we eat more junk than we should.

I was able to get to 185lbs naturally and just couldn't get any bigger.

[jolter604]

Doing cycles in high school with no pct..... Dumbbbbb.

[WolfPackLeader]

Oh damn, always have put an emphasis on form, although I'm pretty lucky not to have ****ed up my back with bad form with deadlifts in my first few months of training, hope all is well mate.

Keeping the fat off is hard to do, I count my macros but it keeps going out the window when I look at how skinny I am, guess it's a mind game, I've gotten comments like "That guy is pretty big, could be a bricky?" But I remember the comments of "You look like a stick" and that makes me binge. Also the unfortunate and fortunate part is most of my fat is stored on my gut, I can hide it easily and keep telling myself I need to bulk, argh.. haha

Oh snap, gotta get that PCT! I've never done steroids but did abuse clen , had a prescription for bronchitis while attending a sports academy years ago, I realised it helped me push through the gruelling training and used it much more than I was meant to, got down to 4% bodyfat but I have an irregular heart beat. Young and dumb.

[brazey]

Welcome to the community! Perhaps this thread should be moved to a more appropriate forum.

[NACH3]

Welcome aboard!
Tbh - diet and training(HIT) has made the biggest impact of all! I just wish I took dieting as serious I am now in terms of the past(list of time wasted not eating right)... Training hard enough... Etc... I so wish I joined at your age - even knowing that cycling was not an option to me then(at that age) but the diet/training sections here are great! And if you think you can do HIT(def not for everyone - or the faint hearted) but check out Marcus' Diary from pg 1(it'll take a while to read) but it's got everything you'd ever need to know about pushing yourself yo true positive failure and beyond failure protocols! Great stuff!

[Captein_Nemo]

Welcome to the forum alot to read here.

[wmaousley]

Welcome to the forum alot to read here.

In short; Doing it for all the wrong reasons was my first mistake.

[jdc91gt]

Welcome aboard. My two early mistakes - diet and consistency. I never gave enough credence to diet and wondered why I had trouble gaining. Consistency was due to a lack of discipline - a folly of youth. Best of luck!

[clarky.]

Welcome to the forum