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[Ronnie Rowland]

I see a lot of repetitive questions in the training section and in the anabolic steroid section. What do you think is the #1 mistake I have witnessed by both natural bodybuilder's and drug enhanced bodybuilder's in my 24 years as a trainer? I bet you thought I was going to say over-training, diet or taking the wrong kinds of drugs didn't you? While those can be problems, the biggest mistake being made by many (and this applies to people on this board) is improper exercise form. Ever noticed how many people on the net are always getting injured? They get shoulder pain, elbow pain, knee pain, and the list goes on and on! And it can be even worse for steroid users because they get stronger faster.

If you train with the right form you will rarely, if ever get an injury that will put you on the sidelines. If you are always striving to beat a log book you should resort to power-lifting, not bodybuilding. Bodybuilding and powerlifting are two different sports. I think many people tend to not understand this. I see them asking how to bring up lagging body part when the answer is simple-use better form!

A true bodybuilder goes to the gym to work his muscle, not lift a certain amount of weight. Sure, you will get stronger to a point as you progress but feeling the muscles stretch, squeeze and contract while using no momentum is what builds the most muscle size and keeps you injury free. In fact, as you progress your goal should be to keep improving your mind muscle link which can mean reducing the weight load. I realize some people just never learn and they are not secure enough within themselves to let someone else lift more weight than them on a particular exercise even if it means throwing the weight. For those who are still searching for how to gain maximum size without dealing with nasty injuries you will want to take this all in. You've got to quit worrying about what others think and start worrying about your own self if you want to keep training for years without having to deal with all sorts of chronic injuries down the road. I steer clear of people who are always bragging about how much they lift. I say who cares unless you are powerlifting! I am never impressed when a bodybuilder comes up to me and says I did 315 for 6 reps on the bench today. What does impress me is when I hear someone say they got a good pump on chest by using perfect form.

Strength is mostly determined by genetics not training routines. And you can take all the steroids you want and never be as strong and many guys who are all natural because they have thicker tendons, etc. Some people are just very strong while others are not so strong. Sometimes it's the big guys who aren't that strong and sometimes it is the big guys who are very strong. Either way you must go to the gym with the attitude I am really going to feel my muscles working today, not with the attitude I am going to lift more weight or get another rep if it kills me. That's a stupid way to train because it causes certain injury over-time and you will not develop the muscles to your ut-most potential.

Most people fail to max out their genetics because they use momentum to lift the weight. When momentum is used the ancillary muscle can do more of the actual work than the targeted muscle group. It's an ego thing and has no part in bodybuilding.

[jbran23]

Nice post Ronnie and some good advice. Its not how much you lift, its how you lift it.

[Critical Mass]

Nice post,Ronnie.

[Klimax]

Very true. But it's not always easy to defeat our stupid Ego. Once you managed it, you will have far better workouts using less weight.

[FireGuy]

Excellent post. I agree 100%. There isnt a day I go to the gym and dont see someone trying to handle twice the weight they should doing and are using momentum or a very partial range of motion to do it.

[Reed]

Agreed! Aspiring bodybuilders take note!

[energizer bunny]

Great Post......

[Ernst]

Yes, far too many guys in the gym "ego-pressing". Nice post.