5 Reasons Why You’re Not Gaining Muscle

For the majority of people going to the gym, the end goal is to build muscle and tone up. But while you may have done your research and watched plenty of workout videos online, it’s still easy to make common mistakes that can lead to hampering gains and slowing down your progress.

Owner of Hanson Fitness and Celebrity Trainer Harry Hanson, who has trained stars such as Sandra Bullock and Tyra Banks is sharing 5 reasons you’re not gaining muscle.

1. You’re not eating enough – one of the main causes of not being able to build muscle is not eating enough and more importantly, not eating enough of the right food. Everyone bangs on about the importance of protein, but carbs and fats are just as important when it comes to growing muscle. You should aim for 2.2g of protein, 5.5g carbs and 0.9g fats per Kg body weight per day in order to see real results.
2. You’re not getting enough rest – you may think that it’s all about the training, but getting enough rest is often overlooked by gym-goers. Everyone has a busy lifestyle nowadays, leading to less sleep and not giving our bodies enough time to recover. In order to effectively recharge, you should aim for at least 8 hours of sleep per night, but just generally listen to your body! If you feel like you need a rest and a day off from training, then take a day off and relax those muscles.
3. Too much cardio – many people dream of cutting fat alongside building muscle which involves including a lot of cardio-focused workouts. While they burn fat, they can actually slow down the development of muscle mass too. If you are looking to cut and gain, it’s best to integrate HIIT cardio sessions into your workout. The short and intense exercises get your heart rate up and help maintain and continue muscle growth.
4. No consistency – if you don’t stick to a solid workout regime, your body will not respond to your exercises. You need to work every part of your body at least once a week, every week. Similarly, being consistent with your diet and rest patterns will lead to your body developing in the ways you wish. Regularly taking a week off or going out and binge drinking will only set you back on your fitness journey.
5. Wrong technique – if you want to build muscle, there’s no point in getting the lightest weight possible and maxing out on your reps. The hypertrophy rep range is between 8-12 reps, so you should be consistently pushing yourself to lift heavier not more. Set yourself targets to achieve, and when you can easily do three sets at a certain weight, increase it by 5% to give yourself a true challenge. Expert personal trainers have the know-how to develop specially tailored programs to maximize your fitness potential.

If you’re after even more expert tips and tricks, visit our blog page to see Harry’s other advice. Or if you’re ready to learn more about getting fit with Harry or our other excellent Independent Trainers, please get in touch with us today!