Top Five Mistakes Made In The Gym

Top Five Mistakes Made In The Gym

As a personal trainer with over 20 years of experience, I’ve had the opportunity to observe a large magnitude of people work out at the gym.  Although most people have good intentions, many people make mistakes that keep them from getting the results they are looking for.  Time is precious and with busy schedules you want to ensure that you are getting the most out of your workouts.  Avoid these gym blunders to make sure you are on the right track to meeting your fitness goals.

• Using the wrong form.  Proper form is crucial when looking to build muscle and improve your physique.  Performing weight lifting exercises incorrectly will not only hinder your progress but can also lead to injuries.  It is important that exercises be executed in a controlled manner using a full range of motion to receive the full benefit from the exercise.  Avoid using momentum to lift the weight and do not rush through exercises which can lead to injuries that may not only sidetrack your progress but can also cause you to regress.
• Lifting too much or too little weight.  It is important to use the correct amount of weight when looking to build muscle.   A lot of men lift with their egos and use weights that are too heavy for them.  By using weights that are too heavy you risk the chance of injury.  Women are just the opposite and think by using more than 5 pounds they’re going to transform into the incredible hulk.   But by using weights that are not heavy enough you are not going to see any appreciable results.  You’ll know you are using the correct amount of weight when you can challenge yourself to complete 8 to 12 repetitions using correct form before the muscle starts to feel fatigued.
• Spending too much time at the gym.  You do not need to spend countless hours in the gym to see progress.  In fact, spending too much time in the gym can actually impede your progress.  As you strength train you break down muscle in the process.  If you spend too many hours lifting weights, your body starts to release cortisol which reduces protein synthesis and growth.  The body needs time to rest to allow it to rebuild and grow muscle.  Two to three days with no more than one hour per session is all it takes to achieve maximum results.
• Only working certain muscle groups.   I notice most guys love to spend a lot of their workout time on the bench press.  Now there is nothing wrong with wanting to have a well developed chest, but you never see these guys in the squat rack.  It is important to train all of your body parts equally . Achieving a balanced physique is going to give you the best results for a strong, attractive body.  While incorporating isolation body exercises into your workout will help shape certain body parts you also want to make the majority of your workout consist of compound body exercises, such as squats or pull ups, to get the most out of your workout.
• Lack of focus.  Lack of focus at the gym is evident in different ways.  Spending too much time talking can distract you from performing to your best ability and leaves too much time for rest in between exercises which results in a lack of intensity.  Also, doing cardio while reading or watching television can divert your attention from pushing for maximum aerobic intensity to burn calories in a short amount of time.  Remember to always be mindful of what you are trying to achieve at the gym.

To learn more about common mistakes made in the gym, working out, staying in shape, or if you’ve been thinking about hiring a personal trainer, contact us.