The top 5 mistakes people make at the gym

Good 2 Grand

The top 5 mistakes people make at the gym

I have been using and teaching at gyms for over 20 years now and have seen so many changes over this time. However the main reasons people join a gym hasn’t changed all that much whether it is to lose weight, build strength, increase energy or just to make new friends.

However if you are a member of the gym and feel like you nothing you are doing is making a difference or you are not reaching your goals, then read my top 5 personal and practical tips as to why this may be the case:

1. Not working hard enough

I see this all the time and it frustrates the hell out of me – people just going through the motions and just not trying that hard. Let’s be honest, if you want change, you have to challenge. So ask yourself, are you able to lift heavier weights? Can you move faster? Can you make your aerobic moves bigger? At the end of your workout, you should be breathless or your muscles should be screaming. So when you finish, you just couldn’t have kept training and reached your limit, then I guarantee you will get the results you want.

2. Being too social

Look you are paying often a lot of money or spending valuable time to go to the gym so you want to make the most of it. But if you are spending more time chatting with people or on your mobile phone than actually training, then you are wasting your time. A simple test, if you can talk after a big session, you aren’t working hard enough! So put the phone away, set up a time after your training session to catch up with your mates and focus on you and your training.

3. Poor form

This is a pet hate of mine and I see it all the time. Before you start to lift heavy or work really hard, you have got to make sure your form is correct and your core is always braced to support your back and to encourage great posture. Get your form right before you start to add the intensity to your routine otherwise you won’t get the results you want or worse still, you may give yourself an injury.

4. Doing the same thing, week in and week out

I have to admit this is a trap I fall into. Your muscles get used to the same routine and adapt quickly – think of is as muscles memory. You need to keep shocking your muscles, keeping them out of their comfort zone if you want to lose weight, build your strength or increase you fitness. So every 6 to 8 weeks, change you workout to keep your muscles guessing and challenge your body in a different way. Also this gives you some variety in your routine – as they say, variety is the spice of life.

5. Exactly what are you doing outside the gym?

It doesn’t matter how hard you work at the gym, whether you flog yourself like a demon every time, if you eat badly, drink too much alcohol, smoke or lead an unhealthy lifestyle, then you will undo all the hard work you put in. Remember what you eat has a much bigger impact on your body and health than exercise so focus on getting your diet right before you start training at the gym.