5 Mistakes Made In the Gym and How to Avoid Them

So you step into the gym, you are well rested and feeling pretty good. Time to lift some weights you say to yourself.

However, are you making a few critical mistakes that are hindering your performance?

I'm going to show you how to avoid 5 very common mistakes made in the gym.

1. Lifting too much Weight

I know, we've all been guilty of it at some time or another. Picking up those 45's when we should be grabbing 10 lbs less. Only grab weight you can control and and do 6+ quality reps with a full range of motion. When grabbing to heavy a weight  you also run the risk of injuring yourself. Stick to weights you know you can lift.

Proper breathing can help immensely. Never hold your breath. Focus on your breathing with each rep. If you have ever finished a set, gotten up and been light headed it's because your not breathing properly. *I've puked because of this*. Always remember to exhale on exertion. For example, if you are bench pressing, bringing the bar down you will inhale, when you push the weight back up you will exhale. Simple huh?

You often see people putting their feet up on the bench while bench pressing. Other times you will see people putting their legs in the air. If you ask them why they offten respond "to keep my back straight". This is a myth and I would recommend you always keep your feet planted on the floor for support and balance. The spine is naturally curved. Keep your butt and your shoulders on the bench, it's ok if your lower back is not touching. If you've seen a powerlifter bench press before you'll know what kinda arch they have. Maintain good technique to avoid injuries.

Certain exercises will be tempting to lock out at the top of a motion to take the pressure off the muscles, for example, the leg press. Try to resist this urge as much as you can. Not only will keeping your legs slightly bent at the top help you work your muscles better but you will be saving your joint at the same time. This also goes for the bench press. Do not lock out your arms. Bring the weights to the top but do not lock out, it will give your chest a better workout, I garentee it.  

Momentum is not your friend in the gym, I'm sorry. All those exercises where you tend to put your whole body into it, like dumbbell curls, have got to go. Think about it, if momentum is doing all the work, you are not really hitting the muscle efficiently. Slow the motion down. As a rule of thumb you want each rep to be 3 seconds up, 3 seconds down. You may have to use a bit lighter weight, as you will soon find out this make your workout that much harder; however, more effective.

Take these 5 common mistakes people make into consideration, you might be guilty of a few. But the good news is it's not too late to change. Be aware of everything you're doing in the gym and make changes when necessary, it will pay off.