There are certain mistakes in the gym that are made with some regularity. These errors are most likely causing you to not progress properly. In this article we will mention some of the most common errors, explaining their correction.
Not planning training
On many occasions it is observed how people arrive at the gym and start to do the first machine they come across, or while they are doing an exercise they are thinking about what will be the next one they are going to do.
This is a mistake that many gym users make, whether they're beginners or not. To avoid this problem, it's essential to plan your workout properly and consider the mistakes you can make when starting out at the gym.
Train based on your goal.
Your goal, whether it is improving for a specific sport, gaining muscle mass, losing fat or any other, requires specific training. Also, training that may be good for one person may not be for another.
There are guidelines that usually work for most people, but it's best to consult a professional for individualized advice. This way, you can avoid common gym mistakes that could prevent you from achieving your goals.
Lift more weight no matter what
Lifting more weight as time goes by in the gym is not a mistake, but something that should happen due to strength gains. Nevertheless, lift more weight whatever, at the cost of sacrificing the technique of the exercise, is a awful mistake.
Who has not seen performing a biceps curl with a fairly large inertia? What about a deadlift with a very pronounced lumbar curvature?
This can have different associated problems:
- Exponentially increases the risk of injury.
- Less muscle stimulation. By performing poor exercise technique, it's very likely that the muscle you want to work isn't being stimulated due to the involvement of other muscles. This translates into less muscle gain. Also, if you're looking to learn more about lifting mistakes, I recommend reviewing this list of common mistakes when lifting weights.
train too much
While it's true that training volume (total amount of work done over a period of time) is one of the most important factors for progression, most gym users do too much of it.
By doing more, it does not mean that we are progressing more.
There's a certain limit to the amount of work our body can handle and tolerate. The more novice you are, the less you'll need. The more advanced you are, the more you can tolerate. To avoid overtraining, it's helpful to be aware of common mistakes when returning to the gym.
One of the factors that can influence gym users when choosing the amount of exercise they should do is muscle soreness. Often, we train looking for those sore muscles that make us think we've had a good workout. However, muscle soreness is not a good indicator. Training to feel sore should not be a priority. To learn more about this topic, you can read the following: article.
