Common Mistakes To Avoid While Strength Training

Did you know that strength training is not just for bodybuilders? It is a highly influential part of the workout to tone up the body, even for beginners. However, mistakes can cause severe injuries and cause more harm than good.

Lifting weight should not only be associated with bulking up. It is just as necessary for those who are trying to stay fit, get lean or muscle gain. Including strength training exercises in your workout routine has multiple health benefits like stronger bones, better flexibility and decreased risk of arthritis.

1. Common Mistakes To Avoid During Strength Training

2. The Final Say

3. FAQs

Common Mistakes To Avoid During Strength Training

Incorrect posture or to lift more than your capacity can increase the risk of injuries and muscle strain. Sometimes even seasoned fitness enthusiasts end up hurting themselves. It is natural to make mistakes but essential to look out for letting them.

Everyone should avoid some general training mistakes. We have listed a few of them.

1. Lifting Too Heavy

Pushing your limits to lift heavier weights gradually is vital, but starting with heavy weights can increase the risk of injury. Lifting more weight than your capacity will also compromise your posture, and you might target the wrong group of muscles. Start with evaluating your fitness level and see how much weight you can lift correctly without getting tired quickly.

2. Overtraining

While your excitement about starting a workout is appreciable, overtraining will slow your progress. Your body needs time to build muscles, so try to contain your enthusiasm and start slow.

3. Unplanned Training

Planning is the very first step of any workout regimen. Chalking out your goals and plans with specificity is very important. Starting from how much time you would dedicate in a week to train your muscles to which group of muscles you would target in a day, everything needs to be planned.

You can also decide in advance the kind of exercise you will do. Discussing and planning with a certified and experienced fitness expert is always advisable.

4. Not Targeting The Right Group Of Muscles

Every weight-lifting exercise you perform helps target a specific muscle group. It will activate different muscles even if you shift slightly or modify the workout at your convenience.

Before engaging in particular exercises, understand which group of muscles it is meant for and the dos and don'ts of the same.

5. Performing Too Many Reps

You might wish to add muscle and gain some weight quickly. You are mistaken if you believe that doing more repetitions would help that. You are simply overworking yourself and increasing your chances of getting injured. Make sure you train in hypertrophy to gain muscles and follow the advice.

6. Working Out During An Illness Or Injury

Adequate rest is essential during sickness or injury. It will help your body consume the energy to recover. Attempting to muscle gain using this energy would make matters worse.

Working out while you are ill will leave you feeling weaker and more tired without giving you the expected benefits. Similarly, it is advised to take proper rest post-injury for faster recovery.

You Can Also Read: How To Gain Muscle?

7. Inadequate Amount Of Rest Between Workouts

Rest is one of the best ways for your muscles to recover by themselves. According to the studies, the muscles in our body need about 24 to 48 hours to recover after a workout.

How much rest is required depends on the kind and intensity of the workout and the diet. By working out, you are stimulating growth in your body, but this growth can occur only when you take enough rest post-workout.

8. Not Warming Up

Most injuries occur due to not warming up or warming up inadequately. Warm-ups are essential since you need to get your heart rate up and allow blood to reach the muscles before performing heavy exercises. In addition, dynamic stretching can help prevent further injuries.

9. Stagnancy

Mixing sessions up can help you get stronger. That does not mean you should be, for instance, swapping out back squatting for leg extensions. It just means that you should work out to stimulate the muscles differently.

For instance, adding variation to your squats by using resistance bands would allow you to increase the strength curve of the squat. For example, the easier part of squatting could be looping the band around the barbell and the bottom of the squat rack. Breaking the parallel on your way up would increase the tension and make it heavier and more complex.

The Final Say

Strength training and weight lifting are not limited to bodybuilders. It is an excellent exercise to strengthen muscles, feel stronger and tone your body. Strength training comes with certain risks, but these are easily avoidable. Seeking a fitness professional is always a wise idea. Be mindful of the things we discussed today, and you are right on track, so get lifting!

FAQs

1. How can I get into strength training and weight lifting?

Consider starting with the help of a certified personal trainer if you have never lifted weights before. They will teach you the proper exercise form and set up a strength training program tailored to your needs.

2. Do I need to consume supplements and protein powder as a beginner?

No, it is not necessary to take supplements as a beginner. Instead, you can complete your protein intake from natural sources and your diet.

3. What do I do as first aid if I pull a muscle or get injured during strength training?

Follow the RICE method to prevent your injury from worsening, i.e. rest, ice, compression and elevation.

4. Will I see faster results if I lift heavier or perform extra reps?

You do not have to lift hefty weights to boost strength and gain muscle. The weight you lift does not matter if you complete your advised reps with the right weight.

5. Why should I seek help from a fitness professional when I can find relevant information online?

One of the primary reasons to have a personal trainer is that they educate you on all aspects of health, fitness and exercise. You can find the relevant information online, but to learn how to exercise with the correct form initially, you need a professional’s help.

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