12 Reasons Why You Can’t Build Muscle

LAST UPDATED: April 2nd, 2022

You can’t imagine how many times have I heard this:

I work out 5-6 times a week, but I don’t make progress, my muscles don’t grow.

Or I lift 300 pounds on the bench press, but I’m still not satisfied with my looks.

Probably there are many of you out there who go to the gym and work hard to gain muscles, but your muscles aren’t better toned than when you started working out.

So, if you really try hard and can’t see the results, it’s possible that you make some mistakes.

Your will is simply not enough.

Obviously, there are some reasons why you can’t build muscle,

Ask yourself the next question and be honest with yourself.

Do you work out hard at the gym and you can’t make real progress?

If the answer is yes, then read about the most common reasons why you can’t grow your muscles.

PS I’ve spent a lot of hours at the gym in the last 15 years so that I can finally write about this.

So, let’s get started with the most common reasons why you can’t build muscle.

12 Reasons Why You Can’t Build Muscle

1. You skip warming up

This is the one of the most common bodybuilding myths.

You can’t believe how many guys don’t warm up and this is the first thing we explain how important it is at the gym.

No matter how eager you are to get down to business, don’t forget to warm up because you are making a huge mistake.

Why?

A good warm-up of a couple of minutes on the bike at the gym or jogging on the running track will make your strength training pay off.

Warming up raises the temperature of your muscles and tendons and it decreases the chances of getting injured, but it also burns a lot of calories.

Also, remember to stretch before and after training since this is very important, too.

2. You lift too heavyweights

Let’s clear this up once for all:

Lifting too heavyweights won’t bring you bigger muscles.

It will only cause injuries.

Too heavyweight means only injuries and lifting too lightweight is a waste of time.

When you start going to the gym start doing 1-2 series with 15-20 reps using weights that are 50% of the maximum mass you can lift doing some exercise.

When you get stronger you can do 2-3 series with 10-15 reps using weights that are 60-75% of the maximum mass you can lift.

You can make progress only if you adjust the weights to your current shape.

3. You work out sloppily

For example, you lift the weights up and down too fast and this can lead to injuries and reduce the efficiency of the exercise you are doing.

Lifting weights more slowly is actually more efficient.

A slower rhythm gives your muscles a chance to be stronger without burdening your joints.

4. You do the same exercises all the time

One of the most common reasons why you can’t build muscle.

It’s easy to get caught up in your exercising, doing the same moves, and thinking that’s enough to get into better shape.

It’s true that you need to add some new exercises after a couple of weeks.

Your muscles simply get used to the exercises after a while and you stop making progress and muscles as in the beginning.

It’s also recommended to change the machines you are using at the gym so that you can affect better a certain group of muscles.

For example, if you do only bench press for your chest, it’s good to do bench press with dumbells after a while.

5. You make too long breaks between sets

By doing this you waste precious time for burning calories.

So, what you really need to do is to add 2-5 minutes of cardio such as running on the track or jumping rope.

That will help you lose more calories and you will have both cardio and strength training in 45 minutes.

6. You do too many reps

If you are a beginner you will make progress if you do exercises with 60% of the weight you can lift only once (1-REP MAX).

So, you need the weight with which you can do 15-20 reps.

If you go to the gym longer, to make further progress you need to work out with 80% 1-REP MAX, hence, the weight with which you can do 8 reps.

7. You do too many exercises

Forget about isolation exercises if you can’t make progress.

From now on, each training needs to include complex exercises since that’s the way to activate all your muscles.

And by activating big groups of muscles you burn more calories.

8. You don’t make enough breaks

It’s a mistake to make too many breaks, but it’s also wrong not to make enough breaks. (1)

Doing one after another exercise fast can overtrain your muscles and slow down their growth.

9. You don’t eat enough food

Believe it or not, guys who want to get into good shape often don’t eat enough thinking that will help them get rid of fat and gain muscles.

Or they are making a calorie deficit unintentionally by trying to eat more healthily.

In both cases, the result is the same.

If you don’t eat enough you slow down your metabolism and you are at risk of overtraining because you don’t have enough nutrients for your recovery.

SEE ALSO: WHAT TO EAT BEFORE AND AFTER A WORKOUT TO BUILD MUSCLE?

10. You skip cardio

You may have heard some of those hardcore builders saying cardio supposedly doesn’t allow muscle growth.

Don’t believe that.

For example, 45 minutes on the bike in addition to strength training brings 14% more muscle volume on your legs.

Choose at least 1 day a week to do only cardio exercises.

You can do 30 minutes of moderate cardio training on the running track, the ergometer, or the stationary bike couple of times a week.

11. You skip leg day

We all know about the term ‘bird leg’.

It happens a lot.

Just don’t skip leg day.

Strong gluteus is more important than insanely big biceps.

And it’s not only about looks, but your legs are the most important part of the posterior chain, a chain of muscles on the posterior of your body.

Deadlifting and squats are great for your glutes.

That means more strength and better results at the gym and out of it, of course.

12. You improvise too much

Guys who follow certain training programs with their instructor or alone following books etc. usually improvise with the things that are recommended.

For instance, they add more sets or exercises, switch to a different program after a week or two if they are not satisfied, or they work out on days when they should rest.

The result is reaching a plateau.

Improvising with your exercises or doing extra sets can exhaust you and you won’t be able to keep up with the program you’ve chosen.

Therefore, follow the program you chose and in the end, if you aren’t satisfied, change the program or ask your instructor for advice.

How to Build Muscles Faster?

If you want to gain muscle mass faster you can think about the best bulking supplements. (2)

And of course, stop making the above-mentioned mistakes.

If you think I will show you a steroid that will build your body overnight then you are wrong.

I suggest taking only natural supplements.

The best supplement to increase muscle mass (and keep that muscle) is definitely D-bal.

D-bal is the best natural alternative to the steroid Dianabol (best for muscle mass).

Thanks to the mix of powerful ingredients D-bal increases nitrogen retention in your muscles.

Nitrogen is essential for protein synthesis.

D-bal is safe and effective.

You can read more about D-bal here.

Reasons Why You Can’t Build Muscle – Bottom Line:

The main reasons why you’re not gaining muscle mass are:

• Skipping warming up
• Lifting heavyweights
• Lifting the weights up and down too fast
• You work out the same muscle groups
• Resting between reps and sets
• Exaggerating
• You don’t rest properly
• Too many reps, sets, and exercises
• Bad diet habits
• You skip cardio workouts and leg day

If you want to build muscles faster follow the above-mentioned tips.

The best natural supplement to speed up the process is D-bal.