There’s probably as many workout programs as there are stars in the sky. Or at least it seems that way. In this article, Don’t Make These Workout Mistakes, I’ll go over some of the things you want to avoid if you’re looking for a good routine. Let’s get started!
A Little History
Back in the day, you didn’t see personal trainers like you do today. Maybe some of the chain gyms had guys on staff for that reason, but that was it. There was no internet (shocking, I know). The primary ways you could find a good routine was from magazines or training booklets. For those that don’t know, all the top guys (Arnold, Zane, Ferrigno, etc) sold little training booklets. They were advertised in the back of the bodybuilding mags. Of course, in this day and age, you can find routines everywhere. That’s great, but you need to keep a few things in mind. Let’s find out what they are!
Workout Mistake # 1 – Did You Warm Up?
Warming up is critical. It helps decrease the chance of injury, and get you ready for your heavier working sets. Many lifters simply do 2-4 light sets of their first exercise. You can also spend 5-10 minutes on a treadmill, if you want. You can do more as preferred. However, the key is to not do too much work, save your energy for your primary sets.
Workout Mistake # 2 – Get Your Form Down!
A “secret to success” is understanding what muscles the exercise is working, how to do the exercise correctly, and how to mentally connect with the working body part. It all begins with correct form. Do the exercise wrong and you not only risk injury, you can end up not even working the correct body part. Part of good form includes using a full range of motion. I see it all the time, guys that do ¼ reps, guys that use way too little weight, and perform their reps too fast. I also see lifters that go way too heavy, risking injury, limiting range of motion, and leading to sloppy form.
Rep Quality
Quality reps include locking in mentally to what you’re doing, feeling the correct muscle work, using a rep tempo of 2 seconds up and 4 seconds down. You should pause in the fully stretched position for a 3-4 count. Depending on the exercise, you can pause near the top as well. For example, when doing a biceps curl, pause just shy of lock out, at the point of max tension. Quality reps also include using enough weight. Never stop when you can do more! If you can knock 3-5 reps over your rep goal, add weight.
Workout Mistake # 3 – Not Using Progressive Overload
The simple truth is that progress is best achieved by following a routine of mostly compound exercises and consistently adding weight to the bar. Sure, you can add isolation exercises, and you can even add intensity techniques. But the key to progress is progressive overload. If you can, for example, squat 100 lbs today for 8 reps, you will be bigger and stronger if, over time, you push that up to 250 lbs for 8 reps.
Yes, it takes time, but the key is consistency. When you can do 2 extra reps over your goal rep total for 2 workouts in a row, add 10% more weight for larger muscle groups (legs, chest, back) and 5% for smaller muscle groups. When you reach your strength ceiling, probably years from now, imagine how big you could be!
Workout Mistake # 4 – Overtraining
It’s common for many lifters, especially beginners, to think they need to train 2 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is, to my mind, one of the biggest mistakes a new lifter can make. Maybe if you’re on roids you can train more, but if not, you need to understand the role of recovery. Here’s a principle (more of a law, really), you only grow when you recover. Read that a few times. If you have not recovered, you will not grow, period. That means taking 2-3 rest days, every week!
Workout Mistake # 5 – Constantly Changing Your Routine
This, of course, ties in directly with progressive overload. There are bodybuilders who preach constant variety to “confuse” the muscles and trick them into growth. Sorry, but your muscles can’t think, so trying to confuse them seems a bit foolish. Sure, you can change out some of the “lesser” exercises, but as noted, keep your primary mass builders. For example, keep squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and overhead presses. But feel free to rotate arm or shoulder exercises (other than the overhead press). Remember, consistency is a major key.
Summary
Choosing a good routine is not rocket science. Just don’t fall for the hype. Like supplements, you have to look past the hype and see the true value of a routine (or supplement). Focus on hard work and consistency on the basics. When it comes to supplements, use products that are effectively dosed and fully disclosed on the label. Before you hit the gym, make sure you have the supplements you need. That means it’s time to stop by illpumpyouup.com and stock up!!