The first few weeks of a new gym routine can be overwhelming. It’s easy to get side tracked by all the new ideas, techniques, and methods you have to adopt. But once you get into regular patterns, your mind can finally focus on the task at hand.
If you’re going to achieve your fitness goals, it’s important not to overlook small details. In order to set yourself up for success, it’s best to avoid making common mistakes while training at the gym. Here are five common gym mistakes and how to avoid them that will help you see results:
Going for a Treadmill Instead of a Stair Machine
When you think about it, the idea of putting yourself into a machine that keeps you immobilized while moving the weight around is a bit odd. But when you’re actually in the machine, you don’t feel a thing. This may seem like a great idea until you realize that doing pull-ups, push-ups, or squats on a treadmill is about as effective as doing them on a piece of cardboard or a wooden seat.
The good news is that treadmills are inexpensive, easy to use, and can provide a good workout. The downside is that the machine itself does all the work. You won’t see any progress, and you could end up with all the aches and pains that come with regular exercise. If you want results, you’ll have to put in the work.
Missing the Barbell Bench
You’d think that by now, everyone would know to get their rear ends into the squat rack. But somehow, that’s still happening. As great as squats are, many people still neglect to use the bench press. This is a crucial part of any fitness plan, and you’ll see results when you commit to using it properly.
With the bench press, you’re using your own body weight as the weights. You’re not holding anything that makes you feel so exhausted that you can’t lift your own body weight. When done properly, it’s a great exercise for building muscle and for improving your overall fitness.
Going to the Gym Too Early
Exercising is important, but you have to give yourself the right amount of time for it to have an effect on your body. Exercising should be a leisure activity that you do when you’re not very stressed. You should do it for a few minutes at a time, and you should not go more than that.
You may feel great and think that you’re working hard, but in reality, you’re just wearing yourself out. And when you don’t give your body the time it needs to properly recover, you’re putting yourself at risk of muscle breakdown, muscle cramps, and other issues.
If you want to achieve results, you need to be consistent with your routine. Go for a few weeks without changing anything, and then, when you’re ready, you can start experimenting.
Eating To Train Or To Stay Healthy?
If you’re eating for two or three, you’re doing it wrong. If you’re eating for one or two, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Eating for one person does not mean you have to eat scold’s lunch every day. What that person needs is support. You have to give yourself permission to have an occasional treat.
You have to recognize that you don’t have to do it every day, and you have to put yourself in the right frame of mind to enjoy it. People who do Crossfit train regularly, and they love to brag about how hard they work out. But the thing is, they don’t always work out. So, they eat all the time. It’s the same at the gym. If you eat while you’re there, you’re only going to end up looking back at your watch and realizing that you should have been working out.
Conclusion
The best way to get fit is to measure how you feel, how you measure up against others, and how you want to change. Put a target on your back, and shoot for it. Don’t set goals for yourself that you know you can’t achieve. Just because you think you can, doesn’t mean you can. If you’re not seeing the results you want, you can always change up your routine or try a different exercise. But don’t give up if you don’t see the results right away. Keep at it, and you’ll see results.
