Building muscle and getting stronger may seem simple. The common belief is that if you lift heavy and often, you’ll see results quickly. This is true to a degree, but in reality there are tons of nuances to get you to your goals. Sometimes to get to where you want you need a little inside knowledge from industry vets.

Legendary strength coach Mark Rippetoe said “Strong people are harder to kill than weak people and more useful in general.”

Since most Muscle & Fitness readers wouldn’t argue “Rip’s” wisdom, let’s take a look at the six worst things you can do in your pursuit of strength.