Congratulations! You’ve have begun your fitness journey. Being a beginner at anything can be a daunting experience. This post will help you avoid the top 10 mistakes according to me which people generally make when they are new to fitness (an experienced person can also be guilty of a few). I was also guilty of some of them which led me to write this as the first post of the blog.
1. Doing exercises with incorrect form
Every exercise has a form associated with it which is the correct way to perform that exercise. When you are performing any new exercise it is extremely important that you learn the correct way to do the exercise. Not performing the exercises with a proper form can make the exercise almost useless and may even lead to serious injuries.
To learn the correct form of exercises by yourself, you can watch YouTube videos (Some of the channels that I follow are ATHLEAN-X, ScottHermanFitness, and Buff Dudes) and then record yourself while doing the exercise and correct your flaws. But the best way to learn the proper form of an exercise would be to ask an experienced person in the gym to show you how it needs to be done (generally getting a personal trainer helps a lot).
Doing the exercise correctly also includes performing the full range of motion of the exercise. Each rep (repetition) you do should be a quality rep!
2. Thinking that exercise is moving weight from one point to the other
Doing an exercise is not just moving the weight from point A to point B. Each exercise is performed to work certain muscles in our body. You should understand which muscles are worked upon by which exercise to maximize the benefits of doing the exercise. Also, understanding it helps you perform the exercise with a better form as you can feel the stress in those muscles. This is known as the mind-muscle connection – where you can feel the work being done by the targetted muscles. Mind-muscle connection is a very important aspect that beginners seem to avoid.
e.g. When you perform lat pull down, it primarily focuses on the lats but the movement of a bringing down the bar can be performed in many ways that aren’t working the lats if not done properly.
3. Ego lifting
When you enter the gym, you should leave your ego at the door.
If you are a beginner, then definitely your body is not capable of doing exercises using too heavy weights as the exercises are new for your muscles. Ego lifting is when you try to do an exercise with a weight you can’t even control or can’t do the exercise properly. So use only those weights with which you can maintain a correct form and work your muscles. The key is to not go too heavy or too light.
If you try to lift weights which you can’t handle then it may cause serious injuries which I had to learn the hard way. Another thing which may happen is you are not performing the full range of motion the exercise should be executed for. You may think that you are lifting a heavy weight but if your form isn’t good, you might be either taking the aid of other muscles (which are not required) or using momentum. All these hinder the growth of muscles.
4. Avoiding difficult exercises
When an exercise is difficult to execute most people tend to avoid it. The best example is “leg day”. A lot of people are scared of doing leg workouts as these are difficult and a lot more exhaustive than chests or arms or back workouts. But if your goal is to achieve a fit body then there is no muscle group you can ignore.
If there is some exercise which you find difficult to perform, watch videos and then try the exercise or ask someone to monitor you or support you but don’t ever quit. If you hate doing some good exercise, then you should do it more often and get better at it.
Exercises are not meant to be easy – if you don’t feel the pain, there will be no gains. Success is never achieved in the comfort zone. Only when you step out of your comfort zone, you can progress in whatever you are doing.
5. Being too self-conscious
When you are in the gym, you don’t have to be self-conscious. Many beginners seem to be too uncomfortable and they avoid the exercises which they either can’t perform well or if they are using lighter weights.
If you aren’t able to perform some exercise well, take help from the experienced people at the gym. Most times they will be willing to help you and show you the ropes. In 2 years, it has never happened that I have asked someone for some help and he has denied it. There is no problem in not knowing some stuff and admitting it rather than doing it wrong and hurting yourself.
If you don’t perform some exercise just because you are using lighter weights than others, it is completely wrong. Do not ever compare yourself with any other individual in the gym. At some point, they were also using lighter weights. Unless you perform the exercise you won’t get strong and to lift heavier weights, you need to build strength. No one around cares how heavy you are lifting because they are there to do their workout and not look at you.
6. Avoiding Nutrition
This is the biggest mistake made by beginners. Without proper nutrition, you won’t see any results of your workout. You can do all the workout you want but unless you watch what you put in your mouth, you won’t see any results. Initially, you need to cut all the crappy food that you consume which is fried stuff, sweets, cookies, cakes, etc. (you know them!). Initially, it will be very difficult but you gotta control the urges to see the results.
Proper nutrition is not just cutting out junk food but it is also the one where you consume the adequate amount of macro-nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) according to your goals and the adequate amount of micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals).
We seem to consume a good amount of carbs and fats in our daily food. However, in our daily foods, the protein content isn’t adequate. When you are working out your body needs more protein along with other nutrients to develop your muscles. Whether you have to lose fat or gain muscle, protein is essential in either case. Therefore you should be consuming a protein-rich diet if you are working out (the suggested range in 0.8-1 gram of protein per pound of your weight).
7. Taking unnecessary supplements
There are a lot of supplements available in the market but if you are a beginner, I would suggest you to not use them even if they sound very promising. Once you get experience, you can choose the supplements according to your needs after doing some research. Many times trainers in the gym suggest you to consume various supplements like weight gainers or fat burners for faster results (many times they do it as they get profit if you purchase from them).
I believe that instead of just focusing on fast results you should enjoy the journey of developing your body naturally even if it is a bit slower. I am not saying that all supplements are bad but in the initial stages, you are better off without them. The word supplement means to add an extra amount to something. Just as it suggests you shouldn’t depend on them.
e.g Protein powder. I consume it but I do not completely depend on it. Of my total protein intake, the amount of protein I obtain from the powder is just about 15%. The rest is through natural sources like eggs, milk and cottage cheese.
P.S: NEVER EVER EVEN THINK OF TAKING STEROIDS.
8. Not taking enough rest
Rest is important when it comes to being fit as the better rested you are, the better your body will function.
Adequate sleep of about 7-8 hours is extremely important for a healthy body. Getting an adequate amount of sleep helps you with recovery and the repair and building the muscles used while working out. Not sleeping enough affects your workouts adversely and you will observe a reduced strength and will get fatigued faster.
By rest, I am not just referring to the sleep you get at night but also to the amount of rest between your workout sessions. For seeing the best results, you should not work the same muscle group on consecutive days. There should be a gap of at least 48 hours between two workout sessions if you are working the same muscle group. Working out with sore muscles is also not recommended as it may lead to injury. Instead, you should let them recover. Not everything in excess is a good thing. Sometimes you may also overtrain your muscles and hinder their growth.
9. Being impatient
“Impatience for victory guarantees defeat” – Louis XIV
Getting your body in great shape requires time and beginners seem to be extremely impatient when it comes to seeing results. It will never happen that you will see crazy results in just a few weeks. Muscle building and losing fat are slow processes. You need to be patient when it comes to seeing results.
Consistency is the key to see your body transform. Not only you have to be consistent with the workout but also with your nutrition. If you are not seeing results at all then check your diet (this might be the most probable reason) or your workout plan but don’t give up. Also, don’t try any shortcuts because they don’t exist and may lead to disaster.
Being fit and aesthetic should not be just your goal. It should be your lifestyle.
10. Not carrying water with you
Always carry a bottle of water with you when you go to the gym. While working out, you lose a lot of water in the form of sweat. So consuming water during workouts will prevent dehydration. You get fatigued too quickly if you aren’t consuming enough water. Also as a side note, do not drink too much water during your workout session because that may cause nausea.
Tip: In your gym bag you should have the following items:
- Water bottle
- A good pair of sneakers
- Towel
- Headphones (listening to the music you like can up your intensity)
G.R.B Fitness 