Exercise can be really simple.
Just put some trainers on and go for a walk or run.
You only need to move around to keep your body strong and healthy.
However, it can get complicated when there are different types of exercise, today let’s talk about weight training…
It can be confusing to figure out which exercise to choose, in what order, how many reps, sets, tempo and rest periods.
I could write a book on what to do and one day I likely will, but for today let’s discuss some common mistakes I made myself in the very early days of my own training and the mistakes I see now if I’m in a commercial gym.
Let’s take a look at 5 issues, in no particular order.
1 – Not Warming-Up
Most people start their workouts without warming up probably because they don’t know its importance or because their training programme doesn’t mention it.
Warming-up your muscles is important even when you are at the gym for cardio or strength training.
A basic principle for the warm up is RAMP…
Raise your heart rate
Activate & Mobilise the muscles
Potentiate – Excite the muscles, if in doubt just do a couple of break-in sets for your first couple of exercises.
It should take around 5-15 minutes depending on the type of work you’re about to undertake.
2 – Poor Technique / Unintentional Partial Reps
A rep is a repetition of a certain exercise in your workout routine.
It can be anything from a bicep curl to a bench press or a squat.
Reps are great for challenging yourself, but if you’re training with a poor range of movement, they are not going to be as effective for most people.
A partial rep is performing a certain exercise at a very limited range of motion.
For instance, having a half squat instead of a properly executed deep squat.
You might have done this to get through the set quicker, but if you are looking to improve your strength or build muscle, you should be prioritising to do the full range of motion.
3 – Overusing Cardio And Underusing Weights
Most gym-goers overuse cardio equipment to lose weight.
The first inclination for those who want to lose some pounds is hopping in the elliptical, treadmill, or bike and sweat out calories.
Of course, cardio will help you spend energy, but you need to lift weights so that you can reshape your body and get the desired results.
Additionally, most women underuse weight due to the fear of becoming masculine.
Keep in mind that women have lower testosterone levels.
Therefore, it’s almost impossible to develop huge muscles.
4 – Doing The Same Exercises Every Time
If you have repeated the same gym programme more than 6 times (in general) or done the same workout every time you go to the gym, then you could making a mistake and not being as efficient as possible with your effort or time.
I recommended to change up your exercises every four to six weeks.
You don’t have to train different body parts or change everything completely; you can just tweak a few things once in a while.
Thanks for reading, have a great day.
Craig
Do you need confidential help with your health, fitness or nutrition? I have a range of services available, with Personal Training in my Private Gym in Manchester, also at your home or workplace in the surrounding areas. For clients further afield, I provide Online Personal Training, Nutritional Consultancy & Private Fitness Holidays.
