If you aren’t gaining muscle from hitting the gym, this article is for you! Check these 10 fitness tips for a better work out!
Are you spending time in the gym working out, trying to look fit and toned and to gain muscle but aren’t seeing the results you desire? This problem is a common one for many people. It’s easy to get frustrated from lack of results when you think you’re doing everything you should to improve your strength and physique. If you are aiming to gain muscle, whether to get leaner and toned, or to get ripped and huge, make sure you’re not making some of these fitness mistakes that can really hinder progress!
Spending Too Much Time Warming Up
While proper warm ups are important, some people have a tendency to spend too much of their gym time warming up and cooling down outside of what is needed. Don’t forget to get in, get focused, and lift heavy.
Spending Too Much Time In Between Sets
This is a big one many of us fall into for various reasons. Taking extra time to get water, talk to people, look at our phones, or for other such distractions can cause us to go too long between sets, which can equal less muscle gain.
Not Lifting Heavy
Women who don’t want to get bulky have a tendency to not lift heavy. This is a myth, lifting heavy will not make women huge! It’s important if you want to look lean, toned, fit and have muscle (no one wants to be skinny fat!) to lift heavy weights.
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Not Having a Program
If you wander into the gym and make-it-up-as-you-go without structure and agenda, you’re likely wasting a lot of time. You simply won’t get the efficient results you would likely achieve if you had a program. Following a program helps you cut out time wondering what to do next, and gives you a guideline of specifically how to reach your goals!
Giving Up Too Quickly
For some people, if immediate results aren’t seen, they change their program. Program hopping is not recommended. Results don’t happen overnight; it’s important to stick to your program and give it the time and focus it requires to get the results you want!
Spending Too Much Time Doing Cardio
Cardio is important for health and for burning calories and keeping us conditioned. But, cardio will not help you gain muscle. If too much cardio is done, it can actually cause you to burn already-existing muscle! Especially when the goal is to gain muscle and get toned, focus your time lifting heavy rather than doing cardio.
You Aren’t Fueling For Muscle Gain
Even if you do everything perfectly in the gym, if you aren’t eating correctly, you’re negating much of the time you just spent in the gym. If you aren’t getting sufficient high quality protein and proper amounts of nutrients to allow your body to build muscle with the protein, you’re not going to be able to build and grow muscle very efficiently.
Not Mastering the Basics
Make sure you’ve mastered the basic movements in the weight room before trying to get too advanced too quickly. Learn to lift weight correctly, with the basic movement patterns properly performed, such as the squat, chest press, deadlift, etc.
Practicing Bad Form
While we want to look and feel strong by lifting as much weight as we can, never sacrifice form for more weight. This not only will not help you reach your goals, it can lead to stiffness, aches, pain, and even injury. It’s best to use an appropriate amount of weight that the target muscle can actually handle, rather than have to compensate by using other muscles.
Not Getting Enough Rest
Not getting enough rest, either from not allowing for enough rest days or by not getting adequate sleep, can both derail your strength gains. The body needs rest and sleep to take the nutrients you feed it and actually build muscle tissue. If you’re deficient in rest, your muscles (and results) will suffer.
Do any of you fall victim to any of these common fitness mistakes? If you do, the time to change is now!
