IT’S rush hour month at the gym, with everyone desperate to fulfil their New Year’s resolution of getting in shape.
While exercise can be hugely positive, for those starting out at the gym, they may face problems they did not anticipate, including muscle soreness, injury and lack of motivation.
One person who sees this first-hand is Personal Trainer for David Lloyd Clubs, Jack Claxton.
He says: “The gym in January is both the most exciting place to be and also the most scary.
“People are full of energy and motivation in the New Year, so it’s an amazing atmosphere, but unfortunately, many new members turn up in January with such determination to achieve results that they make all the classic mistakes that, in the long run, actually hold them back.”
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From not completing a warm-up to going too big too soon, here PT Jack reveals the 10 biggest mistakes he’s witnessed this month so far - and how to make sure you are not making them.
1. TOO HEAVY, TOO FAST
A huge mistake I have seen new gym goers make this month is heading straight for the weights rack and picking out dumbbells that are way too heavy for their ability.
There is so much noise around strength training right now, for both men and women, which is great if you know where to start or have support from an expert.
But if you are a complete beginner it’s a different story.
I’ve witnessed new members picking up weights that I wouldn’t dream of lifting myself, let alone hand over to a new stater.
This is bad because it not along increases your risk of injury, it will also likely put you off of exercise because you will find it too difficult and likely painful, to perform moves with weights that are too intimidating.
2. NO WARM-UP
The biggest mistake I’ve seen this month is new gym goers skipping the warm-up.
Instead of spending a few minutes warming up the body with a gentle jog, some dynamic stretches and a little muscle activation, they come to the gym floor and jump straight into a high-intensity workout.
This can result in injury as the body is not ready to exercise, but it can also result in you finding the workout really hard as you haven’t worked up to perform the big exercise you are planning.
A surefire way to put you off coming back.
I’m a fitness pro & everyone makes the same mistake when trying to lose weight
3. COPY CATS
On the gym floor, you’re often working out in close proximity to others so it’s natural to watch what other people are up to and to be curious about the way they are training.
To me, this is fine, and actually encourages you to try new things if you are losing motivation.
A big mistake I see new members making is coming to the gym to spend their entire session working out on just one piece of equipment, usually the treadmill
Jack Claxton
But a huge mistake I’ve seen people making this month is trying to directly copy others who are at a different stage of their fitness journey.
I’ve seen women who are brand new to the gym trying to perform heavy-weight squats like the woman next to them.
I’ve also seen men on treadmills trying to up their speed to keep up with the guy next to them, and then failing and feeling downbeat.
Remember, your workout is YOUR workout, don’t worry about keeping up with anyone else.
4. NOT ENOUGH REST
Resting in between exercises is incredibly important as it gives your muscles time to recover in between sets.
I’ve seen a lot of new members trying to rush through their workout plans too quickly, not taking enough time off in between exercises and then struggling to complete their reps and sets.
My big advice is to take at least 30 seconds between sets if you are new to the gym and even more if you feel you need it.
The great thing about the gym is that there are lots of different pieces of equipment on offer to help you achieve your fitness goals.
5. STICKING TO TREADMILL
A big mistake I see new members making is coming to the gym to spend their entire session working out on just one piece of equipment. Usually the treadmill, bike or cross trainer.
While all exercise is good, this can be a mistake for a few reasons.
One is that you will only work a few muscle groups using these pieces of equipment and won’t get the benefit of working out your full body.
The second is that you will likely get bored quickly making you musical less likely to continue going to the gym long term.
Mix it up by trying new things, and also ask staff for help an advice if you need it.
6. NOT ENOUGH WATER
It’s a simple one, but I see lots of new members forgetting the most important thing, and that’s a bottle of water.
It’s so important to stay hydrated when exercising, and while I do see some people drinking straight from the water fountain, a lot go a whole hours workout without any intake of fluids.
Always remember to pack yours.
7. NO COOL-DOWN
Although the cool-down isn’t as important as the warm-up, it is still a mistake to skip it.
Lots of new members have been coming to the gym this month, working out to an extreme intensity then rushing off home without any cool down or stretching, then coming back the next day and doing the same.
I see lots of new gym goers stepping on the scales... Muscle weighs a lot more than fat, so while you might be losing fat and toning your muscles, the scales will not be able to reflect this.
Jack
Doing this will quickly tighten your muscles and could cause injury, while also making it much more likely for you to experience muscle pain following each workout.
Take three to five minutes to perform some gentle stretches and let the heart rate come down slowly before rushing home.
8. WAITING FOR EQUIPMENT
January is a busy time at the gym, which means at times a piece of equipment may already be in use by another member.
Some people may choose to wait by the equipment until someone else has finished. This is a big mistake because it is wasting valuable exercise time when there are lots of alternative options.
It also puts pressure on the person using the equipment if you stand there staring at them, so it’s much more polite to find a temporary alternative and then come back to use it later.
Why not Google alternatives, for example ‘leg press alternatives with dumbbells’. There is usually Wifi in every gym.
9. TEXTING
While there is always some time for rest at the gym, I see a lot of new members sitting, scrolling on their phones or texting while at the gym.
This always makes their rest time a lot longer than it needs to be and prevents others from being able to use the equipment.
If you can, avoid using your phone too much, and you’ll soon realise how much more you can achieve.
10. OBSESSING OVER NUMBERS
Lots of new members come to the gym to achieve weight loss, which is usually an incredibly healthy lifestyle choice.
However, I see lots of new gym goers stepping on the scales on day one, then weighing themselves every day and looking downbeat when they are not seeing huge reductions.
It is a big mistake to only focus on the scales to monitor your success in fitness.
First of all because your weight naturally fluctuates daily, so the numbers are not always accurate.
Secondly, the scales can’t show you the improvement in your health and fitness, only your weight.
And thirdly, when you start to exercise you will lose body fat and gain muscle. Muscle weighs a lot more than fat, so while you might be losing fat and toning your muscles, the scales will not be able to reflect this.
Focus on how amazing you feel after a workout, or take progress pictures weekly so you can physically see the difference instead.
