As our society puts more of an emphasis on health and wellness, more people than ever are getting gym memberships or buying equipment to work out in a home gym. This overall awareness of working toward a stronger and healthier lifestyle is great but a lot of people, especially beginners, make some mistakes that are slowing down their progress. Today we’ll look at 5 things rookie weightlifters don’t do, and why you should be doing them.
They Don’t Ask Questions
The number one problem facing individuals who are new to the health and fitness scene is a lack of knowledge. You could read an article a day and watch 20 hours of YouTube videos a week and never exhaust the amount of information available about weightlifting, dieting, and every other category of health and fitness. If you’re trying to get started in this lifestyle, the best thing you can do is educate yourself. Ask questions of the people around you who have been at it for years and do your own online research. Don’t go in thinking you already have all the answers.
They Don’t Set Goals
Many new weightlifters go into their gym without a clear goal in mind. They may generally want to “be stronger” or “look better”, but what does that actually look like? If you’ve ever tried to get anything done you probably know that without a clear goal in mind, it is quite difficult to know when you’ve succeeded, and weightlifting is no different. Before you start, set a goal, and once you’ve achieved that one, set a new one.
They Don’t Track Progress
Hand in hand with setting goals is tracking progress. Once you’ve determined your weightlifting goals you need to verify that you’re actually progressing towards those goals. Are you lifting 5lbs more a month? 10lbs? Progress will look different for everyone, but the important thing is that you are progressing and actually tracking the increases you’re making. If you don’t track your progress you can fall into the rut of just lifting the same weight every week and getting frustrated with the lack of improvement.
They Don’t Try New Things
One of the biggest reasons people don’t stay in the gym is burnout. Weightlifting may be fun and new at first, but after a few weeks or months, it just seems like the same thing. People who experience burnout are probably doing the same exact workout every day, and who could blame them for getting bored? That’s why it’s important to try new things regularly. The best workout plan is a plan that you can stick to. Make it fun and get a variety of workouts on your plan so you can stay consistent.
They Don’t Lift Heavy
So now you’re ready to try new things, right? Well, lifting heavy is one of those new things that needs to be on your list. Rookie weightlifters tend to shy away from heavy weights because they’re afraid of failure or injury. Failure is necessary when it comes to weightlifting. You have to be pushing yourself regularly and that means sometimes you’re going to fail. As long as you use correct form when lifting heavy, you won’t have to worry about injury. Asking a friend or fellow weightlifter to spot you when pushing yourself can also take some of the pressure off and help you get over the fear of lifting big weights. If you truly want to see progress, you’re going to have to lift heavy weight at some point.
Whether it’s in the gym or you’re working out at home, make sure to avoid these common mistakes. If you do, you’ll start seeing progress faster. You’ll be stronger, feel healthier, and look better in no time!
Have More Questions?
Give us a call or contact us online! We offer personal training if you’re looking to take your weightlifting game to the next level, and if you’re interested in building an in-home gym, we can help you with the design! You can reach us at (650) 348-1259 or you can contact us online here!
