Gym Mistakes that Will Harm Your Health and Fitness
Hit the Gym in the Right Way by Avoiding These Newbie Errors
You finally make it to the gym after promising yourself you’d get fit for years – but making these common mistakes will damage your health.
Even if you avoid injury, getting things wrong can create unnecessary pain, or even strains which could stop you going back. Once you are a regular, the gym mistakes listed below will be clear. Who knows, you could be the one giving advice to a new person on how to avoid making them.
These gym mistakes cover both strength training and cardio machines.
Gym Mistakes #1: Too Much Weight too Soon
A sure-fire way to injure your muscles is to go too heavy too soon with weights. This mistake is prevalent among people returning to the gym after a multi-year break. You should start light – and work your way up as your strength improves.
Nobody will be impressed by your strength, and nobody will care if you work your way up slowly.
Gym Mistakes #2: Failing to Warm Up
Stretches and gentle warm-ups will make the difference between a smooth session and a nasty strain. This applies for both weights and cardio machines. For example, if you are about to hit a treadmill, start off with a brisk walk after your usual runners stretches.
Gym Mistakes #3: Incorrect Machine Technique
I made this mistake myself. Years ago, I hit the rowing machines hard, despite having zero experience on them. You can guess the rest. My lower back was strained through incorrect posture and hurt for over a week.
This same logic applies to many other machines. Even something as simple as an elliptical trainer or Stairmill has room for error. When it comes to strength training, getting a friendly gym goer or member of staff to show you how things work is even more important.
Gym Mistakes #3: Staying Hydrated
A water bottle, or frequent trips to the drinking fountain will keep your body hydrated. This in turn allows you to perform at your best. Dehydration can hit you quickly when you are sweating in the gym. This has unpleasant health drawbacks. Make sure you hydrate after working out, and keep those electrolytes topped up too.
Gym Mistakes #4: Skipping Leg Day
Sure, everyone loves to focus on those ‘mirror’ muscles like biceps, pecs, and abs. Miss leg day (or many other groups) too often and you will end up looking like a cartoon drawing – and not in a good way.
It is not just the legs here. You should make sure your routine covers all major muscle groups, and that you cycle between them to keep rested between sessions.
Gym Mistake #4: Staying too Light too Long
The inverse of going too heavy too soon is staying too light for too long. This makes it harder to gain lean muscle mass. You need to combine lighter starting reps with increasing weight to optimise your strength training – staying too light is a common mistake that holds people back from enjoying the benefits of regular gym sessions.
Gym Mistakes #6: Overtraining
You need rest days for optimal health. When the endorphins hit of your first workouts hits, it is easy to overdo things. If you are going to the gym every day, then it is time to speak to a personal trainer to make sure that this is not a negative for your health.
Overtraining can also occur in individual sessions.
Wrapping Up: Gym Mistakes Also Apply for Home Fitness
The common errors above also apply to getting fit at home. When you choose a new piece of fitness equipment, you should always watch a video or two to ensure your technique is good. Imagine the waste of your new home multi-gym or rowing machine (to pick just two examples) if you need to sit out for a fortnight with a major strain!
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