Exactly what would happen if pandering to your instincts was an option? During an exercise set, you would stop performing well before you stimulated any muscle growth. The human body is a homeostatic organism. It will do everything in its power to maintain status quo. For example, instinctive hunger pains precede your body’s actual need for food by several hours.

In case of intense exercise, body is quick to recognize onset of a challenging workload. It will do everything it can to prevent you from performing additional exercise. The instinctual body dreads point of momentary exhaustion. You must be aware of this destructive self-talk, so that you can push onwards to bigger gains and better gains.

There is of course a definite limit in your training that you shouldn’t go beyond. However, this limitation only applies to quantity of exercise performed, not intensity of effort. Exhausting your body’s ability to recover is only real, potentially life threatening concern. However, maximizing intensity of effort is an absolute requirement for achieving super-fast muscle gains. Using your questionable instincts to guide your training program will not produce maximum muscle gains. No gains at all, is most likely outcome from just such actions.

Another misguided and dangerous myth involves use of ‘growth drugs’ or anabolic steroids. Unfortunately, drug use is widespread among athletes, bodybuilders and individuals looking for a performance advantage. The health risks associated with consuming steroids are severe. Compared to risks, benefits just aren’t worth it.

Besides, using these types of drugs is totally unnecessary. The only exception is someone who has them prescribed by a doctor for medical reasons. Steer clear of these substances if you are healthy and wish to remain so. Essentially, majority of ‘performance enhancing’ drugs are synthetic hormones.

Even though increased dosages of these drugs can boost recovery ability, they are not required for incredible muscle gains. On contrary, most bodybuilders who use drugs, must do so simply because they are training too often. I guess ignorance is bliss. At least until you suffer a stroke, and end up in a wheelchair.

The dangers in using ‘performance enhancing’ drugs are obvious. The benefits and damaging side effects associated with their consumption is still greatly unknown. Controlled testing has not been widespread. The jury is still out on long term effects of these drugs. My advice, avoid steroid use completely.

To make sure that muscle gains are achieved safely, form is one of most important factors. Proper form should never be sacrificed in an attempt to add weight or artificially increase repetitions. Use as much weight as possible to perform repetitions, while maintaining good form. During first few repetitions of a given exercise, you are able to move faster due to you high levels of strength available. However, this is also when injury is most likely to occur. It is important to make sure that first few repetitions of every set are performed in a slow and deliberate manner. Perfect form should always be goal.

Even though a muscle can produce more power at beginning of a set, during first few repetitions, muscles and tendons have not been given enough time to warm-up. Injuries can happen at any point during performance of an exercise. But, more often than not, majority of injuries occur during first few repetitions. Those that don’t, occur because of a lack of proper form.

Really slow repetition speed is not required. As a general rule, lifting weight in approximately two seconds will work just fine. Lower weight in approximately four seconds. This may vary slightly throughout set, which is perfectly fine, however, always try to perform each repetition at this rate of speed. This will help you maintain excellent form.