Discover the 5 common workout mistakes at the gym that could be hindering your progress

Amidst the chilly weather outside and the fresh prospects the New Year offers, it’s challenging to envision anyone lacking access to a gym. People of all ages are often spotted vigorously exercising on treadmills. Undoubtedly, winter workouts are vital for sustaining a healthy weight and fending off colds. Yet, it’s frequently touted that summer is the prime season for transformation due to increased calorie burn and sweating. However, the truth is, transformation hinges on your workout regimen and diet; with solid fundamentals, the time of year becomes inconsequential.

Gym mistakes that hinder weight loss progress

If you’re feeling stuck with your weight loss journey and aren’t seeing progress, steer clear of these five gym mistakes.

Over-reliance on the treadmill

Treadmill exercise is a popular weight-loss exercise for beginners and older people. You can easily spot people in the gym who come in, run for 40 to 50 minutes, and then leave. Without a doubt, cardio workouts help with calorie burn, but doing too much can be harmful to your health. There is a limit to doing cardio, such as if you want to lose weight, it is always recommended to start with 20 minutes and then do some weight training and cool down with 10 minutes of treadmill walk. Doing all at once causes your body to go into a depletion mode, which results in muscle mass. Remember that metabolism is essential for transformation, and loss of muscle mass means a decrease in metabolism. So, keep your treadmill running to a minimum and play smart.

Using Only Machines

While machine workouts are beneficial for beginners, transitioning to free weights like dumbbells and barbells as you advance is crucial. Machines don’t allow for progressive overload, essential for strength gains. Additionally, with machines, you typically isolate one muscle at a time, whereas compound lifts engage multiple muscles simultaneously, leading to greater calorie burn.

Neglecting compound lifts

While it’s tempting to focus solely on building impressive biceps and chest, developing an overall aesthetic physique requires prioritizing compound movements. Despite the time investment needed to teach beginners these lifts, omitting them can be detrimental. Starting with compound lifts is crucial as your body is at its prime, facilitating learning from mistakes and progress. The beauty of compound lifts lies in their ability to naturally engage smaller muscle groups like the biceps, triceps, and calves, alleviating the need for separate isolation exercises.

Lifting weights that are either too light or too heavy

Lifting heavy weights carries the primary advantage of increasing the risk of injuries. Conversely, lightweight is primarily suitable for warming up or for beginners to learn movement, as it does not promote muscular growth. Regardless of whether your goal is weight loss or muscle building, opting for a weight that is around 70% of your capacity is recommended. If you can complete 12 to 15 repetitions with that weight, it’s an indicator that the weight is suitable for you. However, if you can only manage between two and four repetitions, it’s considered excessively heavy, while anything above 20 repetitions is considered very light.

Extended rest periods

There’s a common misconception regarding rest periods between sets, with suggestions ranging from two to five minutes. In reality, if weight loss is your goal, it’s essential to perform exercises quickly with no more than 30 seconds of rest. Conversely, if muscle building is your aim, rest periods should not exceed two minutes. Additionally, it’s beneficial to listen to your body and adjust rest times accordingly. Ideally, you should start the next exercise before your heart rate returns to normal.