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When practicing exercise, you must consider several factors to avoid injuries and achieve your goals in the most appropriate way. If you exercise without knowing if you are doing it right, you will not only not get the optimal results, but you will endanger your health.We point out the biggest gym mistakes people make so that you keep them in mind when doing your exercises:
The biggest gym mistakes
1.Lifting too much weight
You will lift a weight which you are comfortable with and progress gradually training your strength, always warming up with light weights before moving on to a heavier weight. If you lift too much from the beginning, you’ll be prone to injuries and pains that will slow you down when it comes to progress and achieving results.
2.Overtraining
Many gym rats often get too excited when they start seeing results and improvement in their training.Most of these people fall for the same misconception that the more they train, the bigger the gains.
If you fall into this category and you experience a decline in your physical performance either a decrease in strength or feel like you’ve reached a plateau coupled with persistent fatigue among other symptoms you may have become a victim of overtraining.
Regardless of the fact that studies on the effects of bodybuilding on testosterone are still limited, research shows that when you start working out, your testosterone levels begin to rise, but they come to a halt roughly after 45 minutes of training.
This, in turn, worsens with the increase of the hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol have a number of unwanted effects for athletes, as they lead to a perpetual catabolic state where a great loss of muscle mass occurs.
Based on practical experience what this tells you is that you should train no more that one hour or remain at that perfect 45-minute time frame if you can. Otherwise, you’ll experience the as mentioned earlier side effects.With that being said, refrain from training for more than one hour.
3.Not following an organized routine
You must split the exercise sessions between several days of the week, resting at least 24 hours between them so as not to strain the muscles and they can grow. Therefore you should not concentrate all the work in a day or two because you will subject the body to an over-exertion that will cost it too much to recover.This is closely related to the previously mentioned overtraining factor.
4.Neglecting the principle of overload
Today, many young bodybuilders have fallen into the seductive trap of the immediate gains that result from inflating tissues with anabolic and countless sets of light weights with high reps.Applying the Principle of Overload to the bodybuilding routine implies that you make continuous efforts to increase the workout loads. When you find that your strength has reached the point where you can handle a weight for 12 repetitions, in an exercise that initially allowed you to do eight, you will have increased resistance by approximately 5 percent.
Then you have to move on and increase the weight where your rep range is back to 6-8 reps.This will give a new stimulus to the muscle and make them grow.
5.Using only machines
It is proven that the best exercises to increase muscle gains are free and multi-joint movements.Free weights induce a greater hormonal response than the use of machines, even using the same relative intensity with the same multi-articular movements.Machines have a number of advantages such as space layout, or ease of handling, which means that anyone can perform exercises easily, and without having an instructor continuously correcting postures and bad movements as usually happens with free weights
On the flip side, exercise machines can not move in three-dimensional space and usually only do it in one or two dimensions. With free weights, you can work specific muscles while involving smaller ones such as stabilizers. This also helps to burn more calories and muscle growth when you train.In any case, combining both exercises is the most advisable, so you do not have to cling to one or the other option.
6.Fasting or not eating properly
This will cause you to suffer hypoglycemia, that is, lower blood sugar and give you a drop in tension. Whether you do not eat anything before training or eat too much just before exercise, you will have a feeling of discomfort during the workout session, which will make it difficult to perform correctly and prevent you from improving. You should always make a pre-workout meal and then wait at least a half hour to engage in any physical activity.
7.Not eating or drinking enough
You must hydrate properly, because when exercising you sweat and lose a lot of fluid, which you must replenish by taking 2 liters of water a day to keep your body hydrated. You must also bear in mind that on training days you will have to eat more to help your muscles recover, otherwise, the only thing you will achieve is that they consume themselves creating a counterproductive effect.
8.Not stretching
It is critical to always stretch after each exercise session to improve your flexibility, reduce muscle stiffness, as well as prevent injuries, pain and improve posture. But you should not force the body to stretch because it weakens the tendons, ligaments, and muscles, you have to find the position in which you notice a slight tension and stay in that position about 20 or 30 seconds.
9.Working out before bed
Exercise stimulates the central nervous system by activating and increasing your metabolism, in a way that will affect your sleep if you exercise for hours before bed. We recommend exercising for at least 5 hours before going to sleep.
10.Wearing unsuitable clothing
You will wear breathable and flexible sportswear that allow you an unlimited mobility.You should not take too much time to exercise or wear clothes that are too hot, because it does not help you lose weight, only to lose water, and it hinders performance. The sneakers will have to be changed periodically
11.The concept of all or nothing
The fact that you do not have a full hour to exercise is no reason to avoid your physical activity. Research has shown that even up to 10 minutes of exercise can cause substantial health benefits.
12.Unbalanced training programs
Most people tend to focus on certain muscles, such as biceps or abdominals because they have more impact on appearance or are where they feel stronger. To achieve a strong and harmonious body, you must train all major muscle groups . Make sure your routine provides you with this variety of training.
13.Bad technique
The easiest way to injure yourself in a gym is to do exercises wrong. For example, let the knee go beyond the tip of the feet when doing lunges.This can cause undue pressure on the knee. Also, another frequent error is not completing the full range of motion and consequently the result of the exercise will not be optimal.
Anyone who attends a gym should prioritize perfect form over weight. In some exercises, it is easier to lift the weight with poor form. Proper form, in general, make the muscle work without excess weight.
14.Lack of Motivation
15.Insufficient variety
Many find a routine or physical activity they like and never change it. Failure to change your workout routine can lead to boredom, monotony, and, in the worst case, injury or overload.
16.Not adjusting machines to the personal size
Most exercise equipment is designed to fit a broad range of bodies and sizes. However, it is up to you to adapt the machine to the unique needs of your body. Using improperly adjusted machines will keep you away from good results and increase the risk of injury.
17.Lack of attention
It is very common, when doing exercises, to think of anything else that has nothing to do with what you are doing. However, it is important to keep your mind focused on physical activity. Reading or watching TV, for example, can affect the quality of your work in a bad way since distraction can cause you to change the pace of the activity.
18. Not cooling down properly
Many people, when finishing their routines, run to the showers, as if staying a few more minutes in the gym could spread severe illness. You, of course, will not. Take a few minutes to lower your heart rate and stretch your muscles. This not only improves flexibility but also prepares you for the next workout.
19.Bad gym behavior
This comes in many forms: from being merely impolite, occupying machines while resting, poor hygiene, not using sweat-wiping towels, yelling when lifting weights, counting reps out loud. Be Considerate of the rest of the users. Paying the monthly fee does not give you the right to do what you want.
20. Not setting realistic goals
Setting unreal and vague goals is one of the leading causes for leaving the gym. The key is to set specific training goals, appropriate to your fitness and your possibilities. It can be a bit complicated, but it is necessary if you want to prolong your stay in the gym. Goal setting (all achievable) is recommended. Organize a set of objectives and, step by step, go for them. You can relax every time you meet one.
Adjust it with a nutrition program suited to your needs, whether it be losing weight, toning or gaining muscle mass, or increasing your aerobic performance because your nutritional requirement will change for each goal.
