If you can manage to set aside the time you need in the gym, treat it like the precious commodity it is. Don't waste your time with these top 7 items most people get trapped doing.
1 - Don't work out too much! Sounds contradictory? It's not. I know of people who spend 90 minutes on cardio, then another hour on weights and who knows how much time researching the latest supplements. You're body can only benefit from a certain amount of exercise. Go over that amount and it's all wasted.
2 - No more long rest periods between exercises. Usually this happens when you see a friend and you spend 10 minutes chatting about fitness. Talking about getting fit isn't going to help you get fit. Don't take as many breaks and instead schedule some time over coffee when you're both of you are away from the gym.
3) Plan, Plan, Plan. If you walk into the gym with no idea of what you're going to do, I can promise you there will be a lot of time wasted. Figure out what you're going to do before you even step foot into the gym.
4) Have a plan B. Unless you have the gym to yourself, there's a good chance someone is going to be using the piece of equipment you need at some point. Make sure you know another way of working out that particular muscle. That way you can keep your plan in motion and not have to wait around.
5. Not working hard enough- Intensity is one of the biggest factors to achieving results. If you are training in the 12-15 rep range, it should be a challenge to do 14 or 15 reps. If you can do close to 20 reps then you need to increase your weight. As you improve, never allow yourself to get to the point where you're doing more than 14 reps of each exercise.
6 - No "cheat reps". If you're like me, you've had a few cheat reps when you're starting to run out of steam. It happens and you don't want to beat yourself up over it. But, you do need to realize it's not helping you. You're almost better off just not doing those reps. Fewer reps with perfect form is always better than more reps dong incorrectly.
7 - Get a check-up from a professional. If a regular meeting with a personal trainer isn't in your budget, consider having a check up ever 90 days to make sure you're maximizing your time in the gym. A professional trainer will know how to get you through that plateau and on to bigger gains.
I'm sure you didn't relate to all seven items. You may only relate to one of them. If that's the case, fix that one time and gain back some time for other areas in your life. If you could relate to them, focus on a few at a time and lean out your gym time while you lean out your body. - 15266
1 - Don't work out too much! Sounds contradictory? It's not. I know of people who spend 90 minutes on cardio, then another hour on weights and who knows how much time researching the latest supplements. You're body can only benefit from a certain amount of exercise. Go over that amount and it's all wasted.
2 - No more long rest periods between exercises. Usually this happens when you see a friend and you spend 10 minutes chatting about fitness. Talking about getting fit isn't going to help you get fit. Don't take as many breaks and instead schedule some time over coffee when you're both of you are away from the gym.
3) Plan, Plan, Plan. If you walk into the gym with no idea of what you're going to do, I can promise you there will be a lot of time wasted. Figure out what you're going to do before you even step foot into the gym.
4) Have a plan B. Unless you have the gym to yourself, there's a good chance someone is going to be using the piece of equipment you need at some point. Make sure you know another way of working out that particular muscle. That way you can keep your plan in motion and not have to wait around.
5. Not working hard enough- Intensity is one of the biggest factors to achieving results. If you are training in the 12-15 rep range, it should be a challenge to do 14 or 15 reps. If you can do close to 20 reps then you need to increase your weight. As you improve, never allow yourself to get to the point where you're doing more than 14 reps of each exercise.
6 - No "cheat reps". If you're like me, you've had a few cheat reps when you're starting to run out of steam. It happens and you don't want to beat yourself up over it. But, you do need to realize it's not helping you. You're almost better off just not doing those reps. Fewer reps with perfect form is always better than more reps dong incorrectly.
7 - Get a check-up from a professional. If a regular meeting with a personal trainer isn't in your budget, consider having a check up ever 90 days to make sure you're maximizing your time in the gym. A professional trainer will know how to get you through that plateau and on to bigger gains.
I'm sure you didn't relate to all seven items. You may only relate to one of them. If that's the case, fix that one time and gain back some time for other areas in your life. If you could relate to them, focus on a few at a time and lean out your gym time while you lean out your body. - 15266
About the Author:
Victoria Jamison is the owner of Fit Supermom and has a passion for helping people with their weight loss program. She specializes in cardio fitness, diet nutrition and weight training.
