Getting committed to training regularly is a perfect start that can lead to long-term change. However, many athletes make several common mistakes that can impede gains and stop you from achieving your fitness goals. Here are five mistakes to avoid when training:
- Using weights that are too heavy
For many former athletes, the competition never dies. This is a great trait to have when training, but can easily injure yourself or set you back in your progress if you start training with weight that is too heavy. This can lead to a decrease in movement speed and an increase in compensation of the movement you want. Compensation = Pathway to injury. When focusing on the QUALITY of your movement with a safe moderate weight, your body has the true recipe for success. Movement efficiency is now one of the most important aspects of training. - Not fueling your body properly
A lack of fuel will reduce your ability to perform at high intensities, compromising your training, and potentially harming your body. Fueling your body is not what you put in right before or what you put in right after a training session. It’s a 24/7-365 aspect of your life. Follow the 80/20 rule and you will set your body to run optimally and still be able to enjoy your sweets. - Having an unreliable workout partner
Training with a partner or a small group is a proven way to increase the success of your training. Holding each other accountable and pushing each other in a safe manner to increase your gains. If you OR your partner begin to slack, you will see a decrease in your performance. Be responsible, accountable and realistic – remember, it takes approximately 21 days to establish a new habit. - Wasting time with slow transitions
There should be no down time at all in a gym. If you need a rest station as part of a circuit or between sets, spend it doing soft tissue work, stretching or working on stability. One of the most common excuses for people not training is they “don’t have the time"". Spending multiple hours in the gym is not the answer to this. Going through proper programming, your workouts can be completed beginning-to-end in an hour. And in some case, you will get more work done than the guys you see sitting around the gym. - Performing too few (or too many) reps
Each training cycle and session needs a clear plan. This reiterates the importance of #4. Knowing what qualities you're trying to develop will drive your volume and intensity selections. Over time, performing too many reps can leave you with a limitation of max strength and power, and too few reps can leave you with a poor work capacity.
Avoiding these mistakes in the gym can help you pave the way to a successful workout or training regimen.