5 Common Mistakes People Make When Strength Training

Exercise changes your body, so it’s no wonder you feel enthusiastic about it. But when you get carried away and ignore certain safety guidelines, you can do more harm than good.

As you pursue your strength training goals, remember to avoid these five common mistakes.

Using improper form. With strength training, form is more important than how much weight you’re lifting. If you aren’t using your muscles correctly, you won’t develop them correctly, either. But the more important point is that you could injure yourself. So always use the correct form and consult a personal trainer if you’re not sure of the proper form for a particular exercise. It’s better to pay for one or two training sessions in the beginning of your fitness journey, than to risk the consequences of dangerous workouts later.

Lifting too much weight. If you’re just starting out with strength training, resist the urge to push yourself beyond comfortable limits. “Going to failure” (lifting until you can’t anymore) is for more advanced weightlifters. You need a minimum of six weeks of training before you push your muscles that hard, and even then, watch your form when lifting very heavy weights.

Ignoring pain or illness. Pain is a sign that something is wrong in the body. Ignoring that signal and attempting to “tough it out” increases your odds of a significant injury. As for illness, it’s okay to pursue a light workout if you’re recovering from a cold or flu. But if you’re experiencing a fever, or you’re coughing or sneezing heavily, you should stay home and spare other gym members a possibly contagious illness.

Not consuming enough calories. If you’re working out to lose weight, eating too few calories is a common mistake. If you don’t have enough energy for a workout, you could experience light headedness or even fainting. Combine carbohydrates for energy and protein for muscle building and remember that calcium helps to protect your bones from osteoporosis.

Skipping your medical checkups. You might feel okay, but a problem could be brewing under the surface, and if it isn’t detected, you could put yourself at risk by working out beyond your body’s reasonable limits.

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