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Nobody is perfect, we all know that. Look around in any gym and you’ll see jacks of all trades, masters of none. Or you’ll see “body part specialists” who have amazing biceps and triceps, but have never trained legs a day in their lives. Let’s look at a few of the mistakes commonly made by lifters in the gym to ensure you aren’t making them too!
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1) Training too long
We’ve all seen the golden warriors training all morning long in the gym and never really making much progress. Sure, they’re slowing the aging process a bit, and if they enjoy themselves, so be it. But they’re also spending a ton of time in the gym and not growing. The reason is their lack of intensity. To train 2 or 3 hours, you sure can’t be training all that hard, now can you? Bump up the intensity and you’ll see better results – in less time!
2) Training too little
We’ve all seen the “HIT” warriors who attempt to train every muscle group in the body in 12 minutes. They’re usually soft and skinny, despite all the science in the world (delivered in high quality imaged books). Yes, the idea of training like mad for a short period then growing makes sense on paper, but it doesn’t really translate all that well into real life. Stick with 45 minutes per body part for best results.
3) Training too heavy
Unless you’re a Powerlifter, you should never be training with 1 and 3 rep maximums. It’s bad for your joints, and really does very little to contribute to the growth of new muscle. If you want to move heavy weight, that’s all well and good. But if you want to LOOK like you can move heavy weight, and you’d like to LOOK like a bodybuilder – then you are going to have to train with more moderation in your repetition range.
4) Training too light
If you’re training 20 repetitions per set, you are short changing the development of any new levels of significant muscle mass. You can’t get bigger when you’re not training heavy. You cam develop a heck of a pump, but that and five dollars will get you a cup of coffee, if you follow the drift. Keep your repetition ranges in the 6 to 15 area, and you’ll grow new muscle. Go above that, and you’re pumping more than anything else.
5) Training with a buddy
Training partners are great – if they’re serious and mature. Don’t goof off with your friends at the gym.
6) Training alone
At the same time, training alone can leave you at risk with hundreds of pounds over your head, secured only with very unsure and sweaty palms. Use a buddy on the heavy lifts!
The bottom line if that moderation is the key when it comes to lifting weights. Train the correct amount of time, with adequate weight and intensity, and use a common sense training partner. It’s that simple! Keep it simple, try your best, and you’ll see growth!
