Post by Tim Wescott on Jan 13, 2004 20:05:51 GMT -5
This is an article from Bony Joe`s Website! I hope you like it.
Mistakes in The Gym - The Key`s To No Progress
"Gee, this weight lifting stuff sounds pretty easy. I bet I can get real strong!" If weightlifting is such a simple concept, why do so many people have problems with it? They have problems because of the mistakes they make. On any given day in my college gym, I can spot most of these mistakes being made. 95% of the people in the gym have absolutely no idea what they are doing. Here are the most common mistakes that can completely derail your training:
#1 Horrible Form
Poor form leads to less tension on the muscle, and can also lead to injury when dealing with heavy weights. Although I have nothing against cheating out a final rep, many wise trainers much older and more experienced than I caution against it. I am not talking about poor form, however; I see outright horrible form. The three exercises I see being performed horribly on a regular basis are the burl, the squat, and the bench press. For the curl, the dumbest thing I see (and I see it quite often) is someone simply moving their shoulders in an arc, keeping their arms bent at all times. Absolutely NO bicep work being done. For squat, almost everybody does half squats, and that's if they're going deep. A good excuse for not doing full squats is "Oww, my knees!" That is bullsh*t. People don't do deep squats because they are harder than hell. Squat at least to parellel, and beyond is better. For the bench press, the preferred technique is what I like to call "tag-team". One guy is benching, and the guy "spotting" him is doing a bent over row. Forced reps may have their place, but not from the first rep of a set, and they definitely should not cause the spotter's face to turn beet red with effort. Work your lifts hard, through a full range of motion, and do the damn work yourself. Learn proper form and apply it.
#2 Lack of Effort
Most people don't put forth any effort into their training, plain and simple. Expect to grunt and sweat under heavy iron. Working your legs should leave you winded, and so should working your back in most cases. I recommend working to failure early on in training so that you really get an idea of what hard work is.
#3 Poor Exercise Selection
How many people in the gym squat or deadlift? Not too many. The guys loading up the plates on the big exercises are generally the biggest guys in the gym. Concentration curls, cable crossover, tricep kickbacks and the like are relatively useless. They may have a place in training occassionally, but not as the core of a workout. Big arms are much easier to build when you have a big body. Squats, deadlifts, chins, rows, bench press, standing military press, and dip. Those exercises alone can build a big body. Throw in curls and a calf raise, and you have worked the whole body very thoroughly. Include as many of the above exercises in your routine as possible.
There's also the free weight vs. exercise machines arguments. If you have access to some good equipment, by all means use it. There are many ways to get big and strong. For the typical trainer I would recommend sticking to free weights whenever possible though for a few reasons: 1. Many machines are pieces of sh*t 2. Some of the bigger compound exercise like squats and deads offer benefits that very few (if any) machines can match 3.Free weights generally seem get me more motivated than any machine- Throwing another big plate on each side for the basic movements is more challenging and satisfying than anything I can think of in the gym. Leg presses with 12 plates per side are pretty common, especially with the range of motion most people use. Benches with 4 plates, or squats and deadlifts 5-6 will really turn some heads, though. Would you give a second look to someone who used the whole stack on cable crossovers or leg extensions? 4.If you have any interest in competitive strength events, the backbone of your training should be with barbell lifts.
#4 Working only part of the body
Again, you have the dorks spending an hour doing every manner of curls in front of the mirror. Working the legs and back (two bodyparts which many "lifters" forget they have) causes the body to release anabolic hormones, which in turn causes growth all over. Wait until you are a big dude all over to devote yourself to your favorite "armblaster" routine. Building the rest of the body first makes building big arms easier.
Also, how strong are you really if you have a big bench and no legs? If you want to hit somebody or push them down with your big, bad pecs and arms you need a solid base to push from. The solid base comes from hip, back, and leg strength. Squat and Deadlift to be truly strong!!!!!!!
#5 Inconsistent workouts
Many people in the gym are "One-week wonders". They're pretty serious about training about a week or two a year. I see the same chumps in the gym right after New Year's, and a month before spring break. Get a schedule and stick with it. Training half-assed every other week won't do a thing for you. Although you should take a day off if you are excessively worn down or sick, be careful. Skipping planned workouts tends to breed laziness. I've been training for 9 years, and I am rather knowledgable and dedicated. I'd almost rather lose a kidney than miss a workout. I can trust myself not to be lazy and only skip a workout if the circumstances require it. Others with less experience or dedication may not be able to trust their intuition as thoroughly.
These are the mistakes I see most often in the gym. Don't make these mistakes. Train hard using big movements, don't neglect bodyparts, and be consistent. "Gee, that was easy!"
Mistakes in The Gym - The Key`s To No Progress
"Gee, this weight lifting stuff sounds pretty easy. I bet I can get real strong!" If weightlifting is such a simple concept, why do so many people have problems with it? They have problems because of the mistakes they make. On any given day in my college gym, I can spot most of these mistakes being made. 95% of the people in the gym have absolutely no idea what they are doing. Here are the most common mistakes that can completely derail your training:
#1 Horrible Form
Poor form leads to less tension on the muscle, and can also lead to injury when dealing with heavy weights. Although I have nothing against cheating out a final rep, many wise trainers much older and more experienced than I caution against it. I am not talking about poor form, however; I see outright horrible form. The three exercises I see being performed horribly on a regular basis are the burl, the squat, and the bench press. For the curl, the dumbest thing I see (and I see it quite often) is someone simply moving their shoulders in an arc, keeping their arms bent at all times. Absolutely NO bicep work being done. For squat, almost everybody does half squats, and that's if they're going deep. A good excuse for not doing full squats is "Oww, my knees!" That is bullsh*t. People don't do deep squats because they are harder than hell. Squat at least to parellel, and beyond is better. For the bench press, the preferred technique is what I like to call "tag-team". One guy is benching, and the guy "spotting" him is doing a bent over row. Forced reps may have their place, but not from the first rep of a set, and they definitely should not cause the spotter's face to turn beet red with effort. Work your lifts hard, through a full range of motion, and do the damn work yourself. Learn proper form and apply it.
#2 Lack of Effort
Most people don't put forth any effort into their training, plain and simple. Expect to grunt and sweat under heavy iron. Working your legs should leave you winded, and so should working your back in most cases. I recommend working to failure early on in training so that you really get an idea of what hard work is.
#3 Poor Exercise Selection
How many people in the gym squat or deadlift? Not too many. The guys loading up the plates on the big exercises are generally the biggest guys in the gym. Concentration curls, cable crossover, tricep kickbacks and the like are relatively useless. They may have a place in training occassionally, but not as the core of a workout. Big arms are much easier to build when you have a big body. Squats, deadlifts, chins, rows, bench press, standing military press, and dip. Those exercises alone can build a big body. Throw in curls and a calf raise, and you have worked the whole body very thoroughly. Include as many of the above exercises in your routine as possible.
There's also the free weight vs. exercise machines arguments. If you have access to some good equipment, by all means use it. There are many ways to get big and strong. For the typical trainer I would recommend sticking to free weights whenever possible though for a few reasons: 1. Many machines are pieces of sh*t 2. Some of the bigger compound exercise like squats and deads offer benefits that very few (if any) machines can match 3.Free weights generally seem get me more motivated than any machine- Throwing another big plate on each side for the basic movements is more challenging and satisfying than anything I can think of in the gym. Leg presses with 12 plates per side are pretty common, especially with the range of motion most people use. Benches with 4 plates, or squats and deadlifts 5-6 will really turn some heads, though. Would you give a second look to someone who used the whole stack on cable crossovers or leg extensions? 4.If you have any interest in competitive strength events, the backbone of your training should be with barbell lifts.
#4 Working only part of the body
Again, you have the dorks spending an hour doing every manner of curls in front of the mirror. Working the legs and back (two bodyparts which many "lifters" forget they have) causes the body to release anabolic hormones, which in turn causes growth all over. Wait until you are a big dude all over to devote yourself to your favorite "armblaster" routine. Building the rest of the body first makes building big arms easier.
Also, how strong are you really if you have a big bench and no legs? If you want to hit somebody or push them down with your big, bad pecs and arms you need a solid base to push from. The solid base comes from hip, back, and leg strength. Squat and Deadlift to be truly strong!!!!!!!
#5 Inconsistent workouts
Many people in the gym are "One-week wonders". They're pretty serious about training about a week or two a year. I see the same chumps in the gym right after New Year's, and a month before spring break. Get a schedule and stick with it. Training half-assed every other week won't do a thing for you. Although you should take a day off if you are excessively worn down or sick, be careful. Skipping planned workouts tends to breed laziness. I've been training for 9 years, and I am rather knowledgable and dedicated. I'd almost rather lose a kidney than miss a workout. I can trust myself not to be lazy and only skip a workout if the circumstances require it. Others with less experience or dedication may not be able to trust their intuition as thoroughly.
These are the mistakes I see most often in the gym. Don't make these mistakes. Train hard using big movements, don't neglect bodyparts, and be consistent. "Gee, that was easy!"