How many hours per day are you spending at the gym and still not getting the results that you want? Do you buy every supplement in the world hoping that you will gain 3 inches in your arms in a month? Does your physique look the same as the day you joined the gym? Well dont’ feel bad you are not alone! Why is there a 65% drop off in new member attendance around week 12? There are 3 reasons for this major drop off.
1. lack of results
2. extreme burnout
3. lack of knowledge to keep the results coming.
Well..here are 12 more mistakes to avoid for the first time exerciser or the veteran gym rat. Keep in mind there are many variations or maybe you have a combination of each of these mistakes
- Muscle and Fiction. How many times have you tried a program from one of the muscle magazines and noticed zero results? Have you noticed that every fitness magazine advertises bogus claims or the common infomercial that states “If you lose more than 30# in the first 2 weeks then discontinue usage”…hmmm heck yes I take those odds. I would bet that 99.9% of these gimicks in these magazines or infomercials do not work or worse yet cause metabolism damage.. Hmmm I wonder if they want the reader to see no results?!?
- The other 23 hours of the day. I always stress to people that the other 23 hours of the day are just as important as coming to gym. If you are dedicated to the gym but you are totally neglecting your body with poor nutrition and other lifestyle habits then your results will be minimal. Commit to improving your lifestyle! Develop good habits to maximize your time spent in the gym. Strive to leave the old habits behind and develop new patterns.
- Law of diminishing returns. This common law of economics should not be forgotton. With fitness not necessarily more is better. The longer that you spend weight training the more damage that you are doing to your body. With this in mind your recovery will take longer and the production of strength and lean muscle tissue is minimal. Many of the top fitness buffs spend less than 90 minutes per day in the gym? Unfortunatley we live in an society where we think more is better.
- Skipped meals. Are you skipping meals or snacks? If so then you are missing one of most important steps of developing good habits. A catabolic body (muscle wasting) will never produce lean muscle tissue to its fullest potential. Protein and a consistant supply of nutrients coming into our body every 3-4 hours will produce an anabolic muscle environment that will burn fat and build quality muscle.
- Training to failure and then some. Training to failure is a very common practice that is often witnessed in the gym. “No pain no gain”. Don’t get me wrong i like intensity but training to failure is super stressful to our central nervous system which will slow down your ability to recover and gain strength. I have witnessed many guys actually get weaker in their lifts and develop nagging tendonitis.
- Working the same muscle groups to often. Many times we feel the need to get the muscle “pump” in order to see gains. Many trainees will work their chest and arms everyday to get the “pump” thinking this going to add those extra 3 inches in 4 weeks. Our muscles need the 48hours of rest in order to properly heal and recover. There are some general exceptations. Bodyweight movements such as pushups, pullups, and abdominal exercises can be repeated more often.
- Consuming 1100 calorie weight gainers. Many young highschool lifters do this. The marketing of these weight gainers are false. Our bodies can not digest this amount of calories at one given time. Just think you are combining 3-4 meals at once and forcing your body to absorb this. Many young lifters will drink one of these monster calorie packed shakes thinking this is the correct way to gain muscle and weight. The only thing this will do is cause extreme bowel issues and expensive toilet water:) In order to maximize your gains in the gym you need to be feeding your body every 3-4 hours with adequate protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fat.
- Bad Eating Habits. Many people struggle with setting a consistant eating schedule that is promoting fat loss. Do you skip meals, eatting to close to bedtime, or skipping your post workout meal?
- Determining A Starting Point. If you have a goal how do you know how to achieve this goal unless you know your starting point. I recommend that you have your body composition testing taken to help set your goals. Set NEW goals with a dates attached.
- No Plan- Many people walk into a fitness program with no plan or direction. One must use a designed plan that will guide you to your fitness success. I highly recommend you consult with a certified personal trainer and nutritionist. IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN THEN PLAN TO FAIL.
- No Time Management- This is probably the #1 reason why a person’s health eventually fails them and why they fail to achieve their fitness goals. I know so many people that are busy people. We all have the same 24 hours in the day…it is how we best utilize our time.
- Bad Fitness Information- Many claim to have all the correct answers to help you but this can cause you alot of confusion. I do find many co workers, friends, and family can offer you bad tips and ideas that can only hinder you from achieving your fat loss goals. I highly recommend following the guidance of a qualified fitness professional who walks the walk.
Dedicated To Your Fitness Success In 2012
Steve Auxier
Good Life Fitness/N-10sive Boot Camps
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