15 Critical Muscle Building Mistakes to Avoid for Natural Lifters
TutorialSean Nalewanyj•3,952,167 views•Nov 15, 2021
Sean Nalewanyj breaks down common bodybuilding errors that hinder muscle growth and how to train effectively for real gains.
Blurb
In this video, Sean Nalewanyj highlights 15 common but critical mistakes that natural lifters often make which stall muscle growth. Key takeaways include:
- Avoid focusing solely on the muscle pump, fatigue, or soreness as indicators of effective training.
- The primary driver of muscle growth is mechanical tension applied close to muscular failure.
- Training hard enough and tracking workouts for progressive overload are essential.
- Consistency in exercise selection and proper form matter more than chasing flashy routines.
- Beware of copying routines from enhanced bodybuilders that don't suit natural lifters.
- Proper rest between sets and avoiding excessive pre-workout cardio help maximize training quality.
This guide cuts through fitness misinformation to help you build muscle efficiently and sustainably.
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Highlighted Clips
Why Muscle Pump Isn't the Key to Growth
Sean explains that while the muscle pump feels good, it is not a significant driver of hypertrophy and is more of a training byproduct.
The Real Importance of Mechanical Tension
Mechanical tension close to muscular failure is identified as the primary stimulus for muscle growth, not fatigue or soreness.
Train Hard Enough: The Biggest Mistake
Not training close enough to true muscular failure is the biggest barrier to muscle gains, with Sean emphasizing the need to push sets near failure.
Track Your Workouts for Progressive Overload
Sean stresses the importance of recording workouts to ensure consistent progress and avoid stagnation in muscle growth.
Introduction and Importance of Avoiding Mistakes
Sean opens the video with a strong hook, acknowledging that calling these mistakes "idiotic" might sound harsh but emphasizing the critical nature of the information. He stresses that many viewers are likely making several of these errors, which could be the difference between steady muscle gains and frustrating plateaus.
"If you just watch this through, take all 15 points and apply them to your program, it's gonna instantly set you on the right track and could easily make the difference between consistently gaining muscle from week to week versus spinning your wheels and making little to no progress like so many people do."
Key points:
- Many lifters unknowingly make multiple muscle-building mistakes.
- Applying these 15 tips can dramatically improve muscle growth and strength.
- The video aims to cut through misinformation from fitness influencers and fake naturals.
- Focus is on natural lifters seeking long-term, legitimate gains.
Mistake #1: Centering Workouts Around the Pump
Sean challenges the common obsession with getting a muscle "pump," explaining that while it feels good and can indicate muscle activation, it is not a primary driver of hypertrophy.
"The pump feels great... but it's not a significant driver of muscle hypertrophy in and of itself."
"You can just logically reason this out... you could get a huge arm pump off of just flexing your biceps with no resistance."
Key points:
- Pump is a byproduct of training, not the cause of muscle growth.
- Pump can be used to confirm muscle activation but should not be the main goal.
- Training should focus on mechanical tension rather than chasing the pump.
Mistake #2: Using Fatigue as a Success Gauge
Sean explains that fatigue, like the pump, is a side effect of training intensity but does not directly cause muscle growth.
"Just because you're tired, sweating, breathing heavily... doesn't necessarily mean that any of that is going to directly lead to muscle growth."
"You can perform a completely ineffective workout and still feel highly fatigued from it."
Key points:
- Fatigue alone is not a reliable indicator of effective hypertrophy training.
- Training should be purposeful, not just about feeling exhausted.
- Focus on specific parameters that stimulate muscle growth.
Mistake #3: Relying on Muscle Soreness
Soreness is often mistaken as a sign of muscle growth, but Sean clarifies it is more about muscle damage and novelty of stimulus.
"Being sore doesn't necessarily mean you stimulated hypertrophy and not being sore doesn't necessarily mean you didn't."
"Soreness can be somewhat used as a gauge for muscle activation but it's not a direct driver of hypertrophy."
Key points:
- Soreness indicates muscle damage, not guaranteed growth.
- Novel exercises or returning from a layoff cause more soreness.
- Use soreness cautiously as a feedback tool, not a goal.
Mistake #4: Not Training Hard Enough (Avoiding Muscular Failure)
Sean identifies the biggest mistake: insufficient effort and not pushing sets close enough to failure.
"Muscle growth is an evolutionary survival mechanism... the stressor needs to be right up close to or all the way to the maximum limit."
"If you're never making this face on at least some of your sets... you're almost certainly not training hard enough."
Key points:
- Training close to muscular failure is essential for growth.
- Aim to leave no more than 1-3 reps in the tank on most sets.
- Occasional all-out failure sets can be beneficial.
- True effort involves physical and mental intensity.
Mistake #5: Not Tracking Your Workouts
Sean stresses the importance of recording workouts to ensure progressive overload, the key to continuous muscle growth.
"Tension is the primary stimulus for growth but that tension needs to consistently increase aka you need to progressively overload."
"Your training logbook is what you use to confirm that you are in fact gaining muscle even if you can't visually see it yet."
Key points:
- Progressive overload requires increasing workload over time.
- Tracking reps, weights, and variations helps measure progress.
- Strength gains correlate closely with muscle growth.
- Without tracking, it's hard to know if progress is real or stalled.
Mistake #6: Constantly Switching Up Workouts
Sean warns against frequently changing exercises and training variables, which disrupts progress tracking and mastery.
"Muscle confusion is not a thing... muscles only respond to the degree of mechanical tension."
"It's far more effective to keep your training variables constant and focus on maximizing progress within those variables."
Key points:
- Avoid chasing novelty or flashy exercises.
- Consistency allows better technique and progressive overload.
- Mastery of a few exercises beats mediocrity in many.
- Bruce Lee quote: mastery through repetition over variety.
Mistake #7: Improper Exercise Selection
Sean highlights the need to understand muscle anatomy and function to choose exercises that effectively target desired muscles.
"If you're not directing tension toward the specific muscle fibers you want to grow, that's obviously not going to do you any good."
"For example, overhand pull-ups are more upper-back focused, not optimal for lats."
Key points:
- Learn basic muscle functions and select exercises accordingly.
- Avoid blindly copying random workouts.
- Include exercises that target all functions of a muscle group.
- Sean’s channel offers detailed exercise and technique videos.
Mistake #8: Overemphasizing Showy Muscles (Chest and Biceps)
Sean critiques the common beginner tendency to prioritize chest and biceps disproportionately.
"Biceps are the smallest major muscle group... pecs are roughly equal in volume to triceps, lats, and traps."
"Well-developed delts and upper back will do more for your overall muscular appearance than chest or biceps."
Key points:
- Avoid neglecting larger, more impactful muscle groups.
- Balanced training leads to better overall physique.
- Don’t fall for clickbait about optimizing tiny muscle details.
- Shoulders and upper back are crucial for a strong look.
Mistake #9: Creating Instability During Lifts
Sean debunks the myth that unstable surfaces or unorthodox lifts enhance muscle growth.
"Training on unstable surfaces... just puts you in a weaker position and reduces the total force you can generate."
"You want to make your lifts as stable as possible to maximize mechanical tension."
Key points:
- Instability reduces the load you can handle.
- It does not recruit more muscle fibers for hypertrophy.
- Focus on stable, controlled lifts for maximum tension.
- Avoid gimmicks like Swiss balls or Bosu balls for primary lifts.
Mistake #10: Ego Lifting and Poor Form
Sean warns against sacrificing form for heavier weights, which reduces muscle tension and increases injury risk.
"Sloppy technique means less tension on the targeted muscle and more stress on joints."
"True progressive overload means your form looks more or less the same as with previous weights."
Key points:
- Prioritize proper form over lifting heavier weights prematurely.
- Use full range of motion without excessive momentum.
- Scale back if you need a spotter or cheat reps.
- Injury prevention is critical for long-term progress.
Mistake #11: Being Excessively Strict with Form and Mind-Muscle Connection
Sean advises against obsessing over perfect form or feeling every muscle contraction intensely.
"The sensation you feel in a muscle is not necessarily an indication of mechanical tension."
"Aim for a middle ground: solid technique but allow natural movement."
Key points:
- Mind-muscle connection is helpful but not everything.
- Don’t lift like a rigid robot; slight natural movement is fine.
- Overthinking form can reduce overall tension.
- Experience helps find the right balance.
Mistake #12: Performing Too Much High-Rep Work
Sean explains that very high reps (15-20+) cause excessive systemic fatigue, limiting muscle-specific effort.
"High rep sets create more metabolic stress and cardiovascular fatigue, which can stop you before true muscular failure."
"Most people will benefit most from moderate rep ranges of about 5 to 12 reps."
Key points:
- High reps are not inherently bad but should be supplemental.
- Moderate reps maximize mechanical tension with manageable fatigue.
- Individual preferences vary, but efficiency favors moderate reps.
- Use high reps sparingly for variety or endurance.
Mistake #13: Not Resting Long Enough Between Sets
Sean stresses the importance of adequate rest to recover systemically and maintain high effort in each set.
"Short rest times reduce the quality of the upcoming set due to lingering fatigue."
"Rest as long as you need to feel fully recovered, often 2 to 5 minutes depending on the exercise."
Key points:
- Hypertrophy training is not cardio; avoid excessive fatigue.
- Rest times should be individualized based on effort and exercise.
- Full recovery allows maximal mechanical tension on each set.
- Don’t rush sets just to finish faster.
Mistake #14: Performing Pre-Workout Cardio
Sean advises against doing intense cardio before lifting, as it creates unnecessary fatigue.
"Doing a full-blown cardio session immediately pre-workout is definitely not the best idea."
"Post-workout cardio is okay if you have the energy, but pre-workout cardio reduces your ability to train with maximum effort."
Key points:
- Light warm-ups are fine, but avoid heavy cardio before lifting.
- Pre-workout cardio saps energy needed for mechanical tension.
- Separate cardio and hypertrophy training sessions if possible.
- Prioritize lifting effort if muscle gain is the goal.
Mistake #15: Copying Enhanced Bodybuilders’ Routines
Sean cautions natural lifters against blindly following routines designed for steroid users.
"There are guys on gear with top genetics who build physiques no matter how they train."
"Natural lifters have to play by a different set of rules."
Key points:
- Enhanced athletes can handle ultra-high volume and fluff routines.
- Natural lifters need efficient, science-based programs.
- Don’t be fooled by flashy routines from enhanced bodybuilders.
- Sean offers free customized natural training and nutrition plans.
Closing and Resources
Sean wraps up by promoting his free custom training and nutrition plan and his supplement line, encouraging viewers to subscribe and stay tuned for more content.
"If you are looking to get a solid training plan in place to make those legit natural gains, make sure to visit shawnell.com/custom."
"Check out my research-backed clinically dosed formulas at realscienceathletics.com."
Key points:
- Free personalized programs available for natural lifters.
- Science-based supplements designed by Sean.
- Subscribe and turn on notifications for future videos.
- Practical, no-nonsense advice for natural muscle building.
This detailed breakdown captures Sean Nalewanyj’s direct, no-fluff style and highlights the essential muscle-building principles he teaches, debunking common myths and emphasizing effort, consistency, and smart training choices for natural lifters.
Key Questions
No, the muscle pump is a byproduct of training and not a significant driver of hypertrophy. Mechanical tension is the key factor.
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