10 Reasons You Can’t Build Muscle

“One last feel,” she said as she groped my chest.

She worked her way down to my abdomen. And then my buttocks. 

I smiled. The new girl I was with did not.

These were the parting words of a married woman, sneaking in one last feel before leaving the bar with her husband. She was 29 – with a slim, stacked body. 30 minutes earlier we were kissing on the dance floor.

I barely spoke a word. My body, on the other hand, did all the talking. 

Every man should carry a solid amount of muscle mass, or strive to build more if that is not the case.

From increased strength and quality of life to an overall larger presence, the benefits of increased lean muscle tissue span across all areas of life. Below I have compiled what I believe to be the top 10 reasons most men fail to build muscle.

1. You Don’t Eat Enough

In order to build new muscle tissue, your body needs extra calories (ie. extra energy). This means you have to gain weight. And to gain weight you have to eat more.

Caution: Our bodies are not capable of adding more than roughly half a pound of lean muscle per week. Gain too fast and become chubby.

2. You Aren’t Consistent

This goes for both diet and exercise. Lift weights at least 3 times per week. Eat enough every single day. Consistency is key for any long term change. Missing a day here and there won’t kill you, but making a habit of it might.

3. Your Form Sucks

75% of dudes at the gym don’t know how to lift weights. And that is low-balling it for sure. Leave your ego at the door – using poor form to lift more weight is a good recipe for injury. Not to mention it fails to properly activate the correct musculature. You will get a lot more respect from experienced lifters as an added bonus.

Take some time and research good form for all of your lifts. Mark Rippletoe is a world class strength coach who offers invaluable information on proper form. Searching YouTube for “Mark Rippetoe Squat” or “Mark Rippetoe Bench Press” is a good place to start.

4. You Don’t Track Progress

If you don’t know how much weight you lifted for how many reps last time you were at the gym, you don’t have a target to aim to beat. I know everyone on this site recognizes the importance of pushing your limits. Be sure not to neglect this principle at the gym.

Use a notepad or excel spreadsheet.

5. You Don’t Do These Exercises

Squats, presses, and rows. Learn to live by them. Deadlift, too. Embrace them and bump your game up a notch.

These are the core movements that we use in our everyday lives. That is why everyone from professional athletes to housewives benefits from strengthening them. They recruit many different muscle groups and stimulate maximal muscle growth as a result.

6. You Do Too Many Of These Exercises

Bicep curls, tricep extensions, and calf raises. Isolation exercises like these target only one muscle group at a time. And it tends to be a small muscle group that’s already targeted by one of the big boy exercises above.

Use sparingly.

7. You Have No Butt

Having strong glutes helps immensely with squats and deadlifts. It also helps you sprint faster and protects against knee, lower back, hamstring, and groin injuries. Not to mention – a big, firm butt is the mark of a true alpha.

Start by doing floor bridges and focus on contracting your ass.

8. You Rely On Supplements

Whey protein can help you meet your daily protein intake. And creatine is proven to increase strength and muscle. But there is not much else out there that will truly help you.

Focus on your diet and training, not finding a magical potion.

9. You Expect Instant Results

Be patient. Enjoy the journey of building your body up little by little. It is a fulfilling process measured in months and years. Not days or weeks.

10.You Don’t Have Time

This is an excuse. Not enough time = not a priority. Make a commitment or stay skinny.

Check out my new book Shredded Beast here.

Read More: 3 Ab Exercises Every Man Must Know