WARNING!! Always seek the advice of a Medical Doctor before starting, or making changes in your diet or exercise program.
On any given day, you can walk into any gym and find
well-intentioned, but frustrated members. No matter what
exercise program they try, they can't seem to achieve their
goals. Some have gotten positive results for awhile, but
have flatlined and just can't seem to get off a plateau. If
you are serious enough to dedicate your valuable time to
improve your health and appearance, then make it count and
get the maximum return from the time you are investing. If
you avoid the following common mistakes, you will have a
much better chance of building the physique you desire.
- Too Much Time Between Sets - Most people socialize far too
much in the gym. If you want to socialize at the gym, do it
after you finish your workout. Make your lips the last
muscle group you train. Unless you are a powerlifter, you
should never let the muscle group fully recover between
sets. A good rule of thumb for minor exercises (ex. bicep
curls, calf raises, tricep extensions) is 60 seconds of
rest between sets. For major exercises like squats, 90-120
seconds may be necessary.
- Trying To Reduce Fat In A Certain Area - I know men who do
endless sit-ups to burn the fat in their abdominal area to
get that six pack of abs and get rid of those love handles.
I receive e-mail from women who want to get rid of unwanted
fat in their legs, rear-end and arms, and think the
solution is increased weight training for that particular
body part. You can not spot reduce bodyfat. To get positive
results, you need to reduce your bodyfat throughout your
entire body. You can not pick and choose. To reach your
goals you need a balanced program of weight training,
proper diet and cardiovascular exercise. As you decrease
your overall bodyfat percentage, your problem areas will
improve.
- To Gain Size And Muscularity, You Must Stick With Free
Weights - This is a common misconception. Barbells and
dumbbells are a staple for increasing muscularity, but by
all means complement them with machines. Machines and cable
exercises allow you to specifically concentrate on certain
areas of a muscle group, and significantly decrease your
risk of injury.
- Rushing Through A Set - A classic example that comes to
mind is the young novice trying to show off on the bench
press. With no form, rhyme or reason, he bounces the weight
off his chest fast and furiously. Other than increasing
your chances of injury, this serves no purpose. By slowing
down the pace and concentrating on muscle contraction and
form, you will get the maximum return from your weight
training and significantly decrease your chances of injury.
- Doing The Same Old Routine - One of the main reasons people
plateau is they do not shake things up a little. By doing
the same thing day after day, your muscles adapt to the
routine and you will stop making gains. Mix things up by
adding in new exercises, switching exercise order, and
varying the amount of weight and the number of repetitions
in a set. Changing your routine will shock your muscle
groups and help prevent stagnation.
- More Is Better - For a large muscle group like your chest,
you may do 12 sets to muscle failure. If you train your
triceps after chest, they are already pre-fatigued from
your chest exercises. All you really need is 6-9 sets to
properly finish off your triceps. Two or three exercises,
three sets each is plenty. Anything more is over training
which increases your chances of injury and slows your
progress.
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Dr. Osgoodby was a finalist in the "EAS Body for Life"
Contest. Stop by his web page at http://bestbodyever.com to
see his before and after pictures and subscribe to his
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