ATHLETE COLUMN
DYLAN RIDLEY
BODYBUILDING MISCONCEPTIONS
Greetings fitness freaks , fanatics and enthusiasts . In this column I ’ d like to share some of the misconceptions I had about bodybuilding when I first started , and how my education , professional life , and the time I spent working with the top coaches in SA have helped to set them straight .
When I started bodybuilding and weight training I was powered with enthusiasm , excitement and energy . I was ready to grow and build muscle like a beast and shred like a pro . In the first few weeks I wanted to look like Jay Cutler as soon as possible . This was a lofty goal considering I had no training history , and I didn ’ t have a diet or supplement programmes in place .
At this stage I believed that I could achieve my goals by training five days a week , two hours a day , without eating the proper foods or using supplements . My approach consisted of lifting the heaviest weights possible with no thought given to form or proper technique , with a focus on the “ feel good muscles ” – all the muscles I could see pumped up in the mirror that made me look good , such as shoulders , traps , chest , bis and tris . I , like many newcomers , totally neglected all the other body parts , such as quads , hammies and back .
So , as you would imagine , I didn ’ t improve much . I got injured and wasn ’ t healing quickly enough . Out of sheer frustration and desperation due to the lack of gains I started following all the wrong advice in the hopes of finding a quick fix . I bought every supplement and performance enhancer I could get my hands on and chugged down shake after shake – mass builders , whey protein , creatine , BCAAs , glutamine , testo boosters , pre-workout drinks , intraworkout drinks , and post-workout drinks , day after day . But I completely neglected the fundamental requirement of eating 6-8 well balanced meals a day .
Then came the weekends ; time to party . Feeling all jacked I would hit the town with the boys , consuming alcohol to all hours of the morning . On the way home we ’ d grab any food that was available – the greasier the better .
Come Monday , feeling all depressed and still hungover from the weekend , I would hit the gym , look in the mirror and think “ where have all my gains gone ? Where has all my hard work gone to ?” I think this is a story that many readers can relate to .
Thankfully over the years I ’ ve been coached and mentored , and have picked the brains of some of the most knowledgeable people in the industry ; the greats like Chris Scott , Marius Dohne , Mario van Biljon , Andrew Hudson and Chris Pillay .
THIS IS WHAT I ’ VE LEARNT FROM THEM AND HAVE APPLIED TO MY BODYBUILDING APPROACH : ✔ There are no quick fixes . Only time , effort and sacrifices will help you achieve your goals . ✔ You must have a plan . ✔ Meals , supplements and training are the three pillars of bodybuilding . If you do not have a strong foundation your bodybuilding career will crumble .
✔ Read , read , and read some more . Take in as much knowledge as possible . You can never know enough .
✔ Don ’ t be afraid to experiment ; try different training programmes and different diets , One man ’ s poison is another man ’ s meat !
✔ Never sacrifice good form for heavy weights . Leave your ego at the door .
COBUS VAN DER MERWE
LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES
If I look back at my personal journey – two decades in the world of bodybuilding – I admit that I have made a few mistakes . Hopefully by sharing them you can learn from my experience and avoid making the same mistakes over and over again in your quest to pack on more muscle , size and strength .
As a novice I got my inspiration from reading international muscle magazines where all the professional bodybuilders were featured . I actually believed that they were lifting those heavy weights they were holding during their photo sessions . As a starry-eyed youngster I tried to emulate these pros in the photos and posters . I ended up almost injuring myself in the process while trying to lift the heavy poundages I believed they were lifting . It was only later on that I eventually realised that they were actually only posing with tons of weights to make the photos more dramatic for the magazines . I only started to grow bigger when I started to train with lighter weight , with my primary focus on lifting with perfect form and feeling the muscles work . That ’ s not to say that heavy weights don ’ t have their place and cannot build muscle , but always remember to first , before lifting any dumbbell or barbell , stay true to form . If you ’ re too arrogant to open up your training repertoire and use various methods your gains will come to a halt .
Another lesson I learnt the hard way was the exclusion of proper training techniques for my glutes , hamstrings and lower back in my earlier gym sessions . Young and upcoming athletes who are serious about the sport of bodybuilding and who want to have long careers must implement extra work to strengthen and improve these areas . If they don ’ t , they will only become weaker as they get older . And please make time for stretching your muscles and working your core in your workouts . Your body will thank you later for it . You don ’ t want to become older and live with a weak lower back that gives you problems as this can have a major impact on your mobility .
It is also wise to learn from the best and save up your money to tap the knowledge of reputable coaches with international experience on how to train and eat properly , particularly if you want to compete . To be the best you need to learn from the best . Access experience sooner rather than later in your career . I only started to work with a coach later in my career and could see the difference it has made in a very short time .
Another mistake I think youngsters are making is to compete in far too many shows year after year and they don ’ t give their bodies enough time to recover and grow before stepping on to the stage again .
There is also a total unhealthy preoccupation with monster size among teens and novices , with a complete disregard for well proportioned , aesthetically pleasing physiques that could earn them titles at shows . Rather start by designing your workouts with the goal of bringing up weak areas . Remember , it is always a welldefined and ripped physique that wins shows .
Lastly , I used to cut out all fats during my pre-contest phase when I was prepping for a show . I failed to add good fats to replace some of the calories lost from the carbs that I cut out . I also eliminated water too soon before a show and this also had a negative impact on my conditioning . I now only limit water 12 hours out from a show .
106 Muscle Evolution