There’s all kinds of contrasting information out there, and this can mean that training optimally can be tough. Most people make training mistakes at some point, where they are starting out or years into their journey. The odd training mistake won’t ruin your progress, but if you keep on making them, you could end up disheartened, with injuries, and suffering from imbalances. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some big training mistakes to avoid:
- Running Before You Can Walk
Everyone needs to master the basics, and even those who are pros in the gym can afford to go back to them from time to time. If you try to overcomplicate things, you’re going to run into problems. If you do it right, even a simple programme can help you to improve and get you great results. From there, you can build. However, never underestimate the effectiveness of going back to basics!
- Going For Weights Over Form
Ego training is another huge issue. Form is far more important than the weight you are lifting. While you need to challenge yourself in your training, go too heavy and you could hurt yourself. If your form isn’t right, you will develop an injury or a problem. Form first, weight second.
- Not Training Your Entire Body
Training your entire body is crucial, unless you want to develop muscle imbalances. You may think you already have strong legs or strong arms, but you should still train them. Balancing out your body parts and ensuring overall strength is smart and functional. You don’t want huge arms and stick thin legs, or vice versa. You can put more focus on a body part you particularly want to build, but you should never do this to the detriment of other body parts. A sensible training split is key.
- Forgetting To Work On Flexibility and Range of Motion
Working on your flexibility and range of motion is crucial when building muscle. If you fail to do this, you could end up with stiff, tight limbs, and you’ll become more prone to injury and issues later on down the line.
- Changing Up Your Program Too Often
If you change up your program all the time, how will you know if you’re improving? It’s a good idea to stick to a program for anywhere from 1-3 months, so you can track particular exercises and ways of training. You’ll notice whether you are getting stronger, fitter, and whether you are finding them easier this way. Somebody like Dr. Marvell Scott can help you to stay accountable with a program that you enjoy.
- Not Eating To Fuel Your Sessions
It isn’t all about your training. If you don’t eat to support your training and your goals, you’re going to have mediocre sessions and mediocre results. When training with weights, adequate protein intake is key. You need carbs for energy, and healthy fats, too. Women especially need to ensure they are getting enough healthy fats so that their menstruation cycles are supported. It’s a good idea to learn how to track macros so you can ensure you’re eating balanced meals with everything you need. This way, you can incorporate things you actually enjoy, too, rather than follow an unsustainable way of eating that you won’t stick to long term.
Thank you for reading!