Mistakes you Make in the Gym

1. Not Pacing- Would you start a 5k run with a sprint? Probably not… Before you start a workout, try to make a game plan on how to approach the workout while maintaining the correct stimulus. Start out slower/easier than you think and you can increase the pace as you work your way through the workout. Dissect the time domains and adjust your “plan of attack” based on how long the workout is. Short (1-5 minutes) can be a big push, moderate (5-10 minutes), start out slower and push towards the end, long (anything over 10 minutes) find a steady pace, and increase your intensity as you get closer to the end.

2. Only Performing “WODs”- Workout after workout won’t get you the results you want. Although Metcons can be fun, you don’t want to skip the strength, stretching, and accessory work. By building lean body mass, you will increase your metabolic rate and burn more calories throughout the day. Building muscle, completing accessory work, and gaining mobility (through full ranges of motion) will help keep you safe and prevent injuries, while also getting you closer to the high skill movements and bigger loads.

3. Only lifting HEAVY weights- Different rep ranges have different purposes in training and it is important to incorporate all of them. Although lifting heavy is fun, slowing movements down and working on technique will benefit you more in the long run. You will master skills, maintain full ranges of motion, and increase strength by slowing movements down and working on tempo or technique.

4. Crushing yourself EVERY DAY- You should NOT be lying on the ground, suffering after every workout. The way to improve your conditioning and aerobic capacity is to work at a pace that you can sustain and repeat. You should have an idea of what your threshold is and know when to push it and when to maintain it. A coach can help you better understand what this means but we do not want you “redlining” every workout.

5. Not Taking Rest Days- Skipping your rest days can actually limit your progress. Your body needs time to adapt, recover, and rebuild, so taking a day or two a week off will help your body recover and prevent burn out or over-training. On these days, performing yoga or going for a walk can help increase blood flow and reduce muscle soreness.

6. Skipping the Basics- If you haven’t mastered the basics, you’ll never master the skill. Before we start working on push jerks, we want to have the proper range of motion, strength, and mobility to correctly perform a strict press. Same with things like kipping pull-ups, back squats, and push-ups. If you cannot correctly perform an air squat, we should not be attempting loaded squats. We want to master the basics and perform movements through a FULL range of motion before we add weight or advance the skill. This will keep you safe and allow you to progress with AWESOME form!!

7. No Consistency- Consistency is THE key to success. If you want to lose weight, get stronger, master high skill movement, look better, and feel better, you have to be consistent. That means working on a skill or strength several times a week for 6-12 months (minimum). Muscle takes time to build, you will NOT see results overnight and you may not see progress for a few weeks or months. Same with weight loss, you have to develop habits and consistency to see and maintain results. It is a lifelong journey that is well worth the benefits. Start to develop habits now and you will slowly see progress as you maintain consistency and progress forward.