3 ERRORS which are KILLING your progress
Not being afraid to say you’re doing it to look good
I’ll start with the most important of all points here, and one you really don’t hear that often.
"Pick a goal and stick to it"
It’s unreal the amount of guys and gals I see in the gym doing all kinds of ridiculous routines that have no bearing on the actual overall goal they are working towards, which 99% of the time is to look better.
There’s absolutely no shame in acknowledging that the sole reason you go to the gym is to look more attractive.
Not admitting this is like saying you frequent ‘Beavers Gentleman’s Club’ for the agreeable decor and engaging conversation (as true as that may be).
It’s literally the vast majority of peoples’ goal and the single goal that keeps 95% of gyms and supplement companies in the business.
I’m not saying that all beginners should start with this goal, I’m just saying that whatever your goal, admit it to yourself, make it a priority, and stick to it.
Whether you want to get bigger, add strength, compete in the Crossfit Games, become a powerlifter, or just get genitally acquainted with the sexy Bosnian girl on reception, it’s important you have a goal.
Without a goal you are simply exercising for the sake of exercising.
I see endless guys doing ‘all-round fitness’ routines where they do a load of cardio one day, Olympic lifting the next, followed by a hungover Saturday of pure bicep curls.
Life is short enough, so use your time wisely, and get on with a solid routine that’s going to make you look like a GREAT!
Too much weight or... not enough
This point is something I’ll admit I used to be very guilty of myself – hurling 100kg on the bar for squats five months into training.
I’m surprised I didn’t put myself in a wheelchair.
Do not attempt ridiculous weight without first focusing on consistent repetition of the movement itself.
Practice is a very important thing when it comes to weight training, and it’ll make you much stronger in the long run, as well as less likely to injure yourself or create muscle imbalances.
Form is SO important.
I’m not saying put jack all weight on the bar and do 500 reps per set, but don’t go overboard to impress the local gym crew.
Just train with integrity, and train properly.
Take it slow.
4 Signs You Need to Increase Your Resistance
Not lifting heavy enough is another reason why you won't be seeing the results you want.
Strength training is about building and maintaining a certain level of strength. You might not be lifting enough weight during one or many of your exercises if:
The current weight you are lifting isn’t a challenge.
You could go forever?
You have never increased the weight you lift.
The progress has come to a stop.
Recognise if you are experiencing any of the four signs above, taking time to pay attention to the level of difficulty and challenge of each of your exercises during your workouts. If you experience any of these signs (or if it sounds like I have been watching you workout based on what you read), then it is time to increase the resistance!
Technique/Form
I see it so often that I barely notice it anymore. Spend time in any regular gym and you're guaranteed to see it too. Horrible, many times even laughable, form when performing certain weight training exercises. Squats that have the range of motion of a calf raise. Biceps curls that look like some insane combination of a reverse grip upright row and a good morning. Bench presses where the spotter is getting more of a workout than the person doing the actual bench pressing. From something as advanced as a squat to something as basic as a push-up. Name any exercise and you'll find thousands of people performing it with bad form.
The way I see it, there are 3 types of bad form. The dangerous kind that can (and most likely will) cause an injury, the kind that lessens or completely voids the effectiveness of an exercise, or the kind that is a combination of both. All types should be avoided completely.
You could have the best routine, with the best exercises, with an exceptional focus on progression, and it will all do very little if bad form is preventing you from getting everything out of it that you should be.
Whether it's just a lack of understanding of how to do an exercise properly or just an ego thing, it doesn't really matter. If your form isn't good, your results will reflect that.
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Have a great week,
Brandon