Whether you are a gym rat or a beginner that wants to start frequenting the local gym in line with your respective strength training program, you could significantly improve your chances of successfully achieving your bodybuilding goals if you are quick to recognise those mistakes that most gym goers – experienced or otherwise are guilty of committing.
This article points out ten (10) of those common mistakes that many gymrats make without even knowing it. The intention of this post is to help you in quickly identifying a gym mistake whenever it occurs while also proffering time-tested solutions to mitigate the impact of the mistakes and boost your rate of bodybuilding success.
#1. Not Having a Training Plan
This is arguably the most common mistake by many gym goers. To some people, the gym is a place to hangout and socialise, but these people cannot be farther from reality.
Yes, you can make friends with other gym goers, and infact many long-lasting relationships have begun in a gym. However, serious bodybuilders go to their local gym focused on meeting their training needs for the day and often don’t have time to waste on trivialities.
You should walk into your local gym with a game plan for the day, and this will drive your motivation throughout the time you spend in the gym. For example, you need to have a clear idea of what your training focus for the day would be.
Are you targeting the muscle groups of your legs, back, chest, shoulders, stomach, glutes or core?
Knowing what day it is, is important for the progress of your training program. Your training plan will also help in structuring your selection of exercises. For example, cardio workouts may be structured after your weight training session.
Typically, your plan should see you begin your training with complex workouts, such as; back squats or deadlifts which are physically demanding, but rewarding. Your plan would also point out your need to engage in warm-up sets before you attempt lifting heavy and fulfilling your training objectives for the day.
#2. Ignoring Your Warm-Up Routine
It is not unusual to find a gym buddy that works in and heads straight to one of the many equipment and machines to perform workout sets. Admittedly, we are all built differently and to some people, hitting their main workouts from the onset may seem normal, but for the average Joe this could have catastrophic consequences to any bodybuilding and fitness goal.
Typically, you should start with an activation warm-up and stretching exercise to help prepare your mind and muscle tissues for the subsequent intensity of your strength training session. It is important to get your heart pumping and your blood flowing before engaging in any medium to high intensity training routine.
In addition to this, you also need to enhance your core temperature and mobility by stretching out stiff joints like your ankles, hips, shoulders, and thoracic spine that could hinder the much needed efficiency of your movement during a training session.
#3. Poor Consistency in Workout Routines
Have you ever been in a gym and seen someone jump from one equipment to another with no clear method to their madness? Well, it becomes hard to train a particular body part if you are not predictable and consistent with your training session.
For example, if today is leg day, you have no business working on your upper body including your chest, back, arms or shoulders.
By being consistent with your training, you will not only build the muscle groups of your targeted body part quicker, but also improve your muscle memory and movement flow in the process.
#4. Assuming Gym Time is the Be All and End All!
There is this erroneous belief by quite a few gym goers that the time they spend in the gym is all that it takes to achieve their fitness and bodybuilding goals. Well, if you subscribe to this school of thought, you could end up frustrated by a lack of progress despite your dedication to training in the gym.
The truth is, what you do with the rest of your time in a day also plays a crucial role in whether or not you achieve results. You need to back-up your gym work with a solid diet, as well as proper rest and recovery time. You also need to abstain from excessive alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, and the use of recreational drugs.
#5. Poor Focus and Attention Seeking
Many people go to the gym thinking that other gym users are more interested in how they look or what they do while in the gym. The truth of the matter is, most gym goers are only concerned with meeting up their daily training regimen in the time they have allotted for their workout.
Most gym rats aren’t bothered about how you look, so before you venture into your local gym, get that thought out of your system to avoid gym anxiety.
Worrying about anything other than your workout routine can be dangerous, especially when you are lifting heavy, as you could increase your risk of incurring avoidable injuries due to a lack of concentration and focus.
#6. Poor Form during Weight Training
There is nothing more risky to a gym rat than the poor application of weight training techniques. While we all want to appear macho, you should know when to seek assistance from instructors when you know deep down that you have not tried to execute certain strength training workout routines before.
By executing poor posture and form during training, you will greatly increase your risk of failure and that includes a higher risk of injuries, longer recovery time, and zero to little results.
#7. Lifting Heavy Carelessly
There is a tendency for gym goers to let their egos get the better of them. While it is important to lift heavy for mass building gains, it should never be done in haste.
You should always be progressive in your thinking, starting with light weights and gradually stepping up to heavy lifting. You should never willingly try to impress anyone at your gym, as you could be risking serious injuries.
Understanding your one-rep Max (1RM) for each equipment and weight you intend using at your local gym. Your one-rep max is that weight that you can lift only one time before needing a break.
To have a good amount of sets and repetitions with lifting weights, you need to expressly know your 1RM for each weight you intend lifting. This way, you would know what your weight limits are for each of your resistance training routine.
#8. Poor Weight Progression
While lifting heavy too quickly is dangerous, you should also avoid being too comfortable on certain weights. You need to gradually, but surely increase your weights otherwise your fitness and bodybuilding goals may plateau prematurely.
What you want to do in strength training is to lift weights that put stress on your muscle tissues. It is when your muscle tissues heal during your rest and recovery days, that you build muscle mass.
However, it is not uncommon to find gym rats that stick to a weight class without progressing the weight at any point in time. If you belong to this category of gym goers, you will only be left frustrated by poor bodybuilding results.
#9. Poor Breathing Application
This is another common mistake that many gym goers are guilty of without even knowing it. Deep belly breathing with the diaphragm is actually the way to go during your resistance training, but more often than not, many gym goers adopt a shallow mouth and chest breathing practice.
With mouth breathing, instead of inhaling oxygen through your nose, you do so through your mouth. This improper breathing practice during strength training is dangerous during weight training as it can lead to a myriad of health issues including a poor cardiovascular output, tightened muscles, greater stress levels, anxiety, and even high blood pressure.
These health issues could greatly affect your ability to put in the hard-work in weight training to lose body fat and build lean muscle mass. It is important to practice and perfect deep belly breathing where you inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
When you inhale through your nose, you inflate your stomach before exhaling through your mouth and returning your belly to its normal size. Deep belly breathing has a positive impact on your recovery, so make sure you adopt and perfect this type of breathing during your weight training program.
#10. Poor Effort and Outright Laziness
You might not want to hear this, but what’s the point of you leaving home to go to the gym if you are not prepared to put in the effort required to achieve your bodybuilding and fitness goals?
If you have to subscribe to a gym membership and pay your hard earned money to do so, you might as well use every second you spend in the gym wisely. You shouldn’t complain about poor results when you are not prepared to work hard to achieve your desired fitness goals.
So whenever you go to your local gym, know that you are going In there with one goal in mind. Put your head down and stay focused on your training at all times, and you will be glad you did.
Conclusion
In summary, we are all guilty of one mistake or another whenever we visit our local gym. However, by knowing and avoiding common mistakes, we would be on the right track towards achieving our expected training results.
Remember to have a plan beforehand, focus on training body part at a time, lift heavy only when you have gradually progressed to the weight, practice deep belly breathing and proper form, stay focused, rest, eat clean, and maintain a healthy lifestyle and try as much as possible to avoid distractions at your local gym at all times.
Finally, if you need further assistance with your strength training program, you can chat with an IFBB PRO today.
