Building muscle isn’t complicated, but it does require consistency, strategy, and respect for how the human body adapts to stress. Many lifters put in the hours yet stall for months or even years. The reason often isn’t lack of effort — it’s a handful of small but damaging habits that work directly against hypertrophy.

Below are five science-backed bad gym habits that sabotage muscle growth, why they matter, and how to fix them immediately.

Habit 1: Rushing Through Reps Without Enough Time Under Tension

Muscle growth depends heavily on mechanical tension — the force you place on muscle fibers during each rep. If you speed through every set, rely on momentum, or let gravity do the lowering, you drastically reduce the stimulus your muscles need to grow.

Why Time Under Tension Matters

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