The top 5 reasons you are not getting results

The top 5 reasons you are not getting results

We often reach that training plateau where we are not seeing or feeling the results from our training. Sometimes this is because you just physically can’t lift any more or run any faster. But if you feel you are in a rut and there is room for improvement, then ask yourself the following questions:

1. Are you working hard enough to get results

This is often the most common one – people just don’t work hard enough. I see it all the time at the gym and in my classes – people exercising and barely raising a sweat, they just seem to cruise along and I can’t tell if they have just arrived or are leaving the gym.

I think a lot of people believe just coming to the gym is enough – well it is an important start, but you have to work hard too – you need to sweat, get the heart rate up, get the muscles aching and reach breathless – these are the signs of an effective workout and more importantly, one that will lead to an improvement in your strength and fitness.

2. Do you have bad form?

It doesn’t matter how heavy your weights are, if you have bad form, use more momentum than muscles, you don’t have the full range of movement or if you feel it more in areas where you should not (such as your lower back), then you won’t reach your goals. Even worse, poor form could lead to an injury!

Always make sure you have picture perfect technique especially when doing any strength training – it is always better to reduce your weights and execute the moves correctly with good posture than go too heavy and have the wrong form and maybe hurt yourself (in a bad way).

With any move you do, make sure you are bracing your core (like you are wearing a pair of jeans two sizes too small) to ensure you move strongly and safely.

3. How is your nutrition?

No matter how hard you train, if you are eating a lot of junk, eating too much food or drinking too much alcohol, you are going to undo all the hard work you do with your exercising.

They say it is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise that contribute to your results. What you eat is going to have a much bigger impact on your body and health compared to your training. So take a close look at your diet and see how it can be improved.

4. How often do your train?

If you train four times one week, once the next week, and nothing for the next few weeks, then it is going to be hard to reach your fitness goals. Consistency is key – I know easier said than done, but it is crucial you put aside an hour or so a few times a week to exercise. An hour is less than 4% of your day so trust me, you can find the time (just ask how many hours a day do you spend on social media or watching TV).

5. How often do you vary your workouts?

The body is an amazing thing and you would be surprised how quickly it adapts to exercise. Once your body gets used to a routine, it is important to change things up to keep shocking the body, improving your health and challenging your body. They say variety is the spice of life so make sure every few weeks you shake things up to keep challenging your fitness – it also means you never get bored either and are more likely to continue to train which will help you get a step closer to your goals.