10 common gym problems and their secret solutions

1. My arms are just not growing

Solution: Don't train them! Yes, a great way of putting size on your arms is to not train them directly for a few weeks. Instead concentrate on basic compound movements like The Squat, Bench Press, Overhead Press, Barbell Rows and Deadlifts. Concentrate on increasing the weight on these exercises every week. Your arms will get bigger to lift the heavier weights. Simple.

2. I just look toned! I want to look massive!

Solution: You need to switch your training and train like a powerlifter. Concentrate on big, basic, compound movements, heavy weights, low reps of no more than 8. Do not neglect the Squat. Make sure you are Squatting once a week, hard and heavy. This will add 10% to your overall size, including upper body!

3. I keep losing size!

Solution: People lose size on a daily basis anyway. It really depends on what you eat. See the examples below:
High carbohydrate day = You will look bigger
High Gluten/high salt day = You will look bloated
High Protein Day = You will feel more muscular and "hard"
If you find you are getting big but then losing size and never really getting a lot bigger, then you need to up your protein intake. More red meat, dairy, fish, chicken, tuna, turkey. LA Whey is also ideal to ensure you don't lose size.

4. I just can't shift the fat!

Solution: If you are desperate and really want to see a big shift, then you need to have a protein only day. This means from morning of day 1, until noon of day 2, you have ONLY protein foods. Example:
Breakfast = Low fat cheese, tea/coffee, no sugar, lots of water
Lunch = Steak or turkey or tofu/eggs (only if you are vegetarian), lots of water
Dinner = Same as lunch, lots of water
Breakfast next day = Same as previous breakfast
Lunch next day = Meat and vegetables and Salad
Dinner next day = same as Lunch
Then back to normal.
If you get very hungry, have a SlimGum. You will lose a fair bit of body fat doing this. You can carry on once a week until you reach the weight you are happy with.
If you have a medical condition, don't do this.

5. I have no stamina or energy!

Solution: Stamina needs stamina to build stamina! Every heard this? If you don't have stamina to exercise for long periods, then you just have to start slow. The thing about stamina is that you WILL eventually get there. You just have to keep at it and do a bit more the next time.
If you are low on energy, try increasing your intake of pasta or rice the night before you plan to do some physical activity.

6. I have no motivation!

Solution: This could be due to several factors:
Low/No carbohydrates = Carbs give you energy. Eat more pasta/potatoes/rice or bread.
No/low male hormone = Eat more red meat, fenugreek, ginseng or take a male hormone booster like MAN.
No aim/goal = If you don't know where you are going, you won't be motivated to get there! Make sure you put your goals and plans on paper.
Too much stress = Stress will kill off your motivation sometimes. Make sure you DO exercise to reduce stress and try meditation/relaxation exercises.

7. One side is smaller/weaker!

Solution: Try isolation exercises and increase the weight. Go for dumbbell exercises rather than the barbell. If one side is stronger or weaker, then your muscles will not be balanced. You have to stop training the stronger side for a while and concentrate on your weaker side to balance things out.

8. I am really sore after working out!

Solution: This is not a bad thing! However if you are always sore, then you need to up your protein intake and probably rest a bit more between exercise days. If you find that your training and progress is getting affected, then take Explosive Creatine and LA Whey after workouts to get rid of soreness and enable more training.

9. I am never sore after exercising!

Solution: This "could" mean that you are just not training hard enough and thus not getting any bigger. If you follow a good split training routine and especially changing your exercises and their weight/reps/set frequently, you will feel soreness at times. This is a good sign. Don't worry if you are never sore but DO try and evaluate especially if not feeling sore coincides with not growing.

10. I am just not growing!

Solution: This is a common problem! You have to understand that to grow, you MUST increase one of the following (or ideally both) in each and every session, every week:
* The weight
* The intensity
Or you could reduce the duration in which you do the exercises.
Muscles ONLY respond and grow when they are challenged with more weight or more intensity in each and every session. You have to rest enough and have a clever split routine which allows for you to train with more weights every week. Remember that!

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