When I first started training I was clueless. I didn’t know anyone that worked out, I didn’t have the cash for personal training sessions and the only information I had access to was in bodybuilding magazines. Now days new lifters have the internet. The internet is the best resource for bodybuilding and weight training information. Not only can you read expert articles for free, you can interact with experienced trainers on forums.
That being said, there’s no reason why beginner lifters should make the same mistakes I did. The information is there, all you have to do is a little searching. So today I’m going to list 5 common mistakes newbies make and why they’re mistakes. Enjoy!
5 common mistakes make by new lifters:
1. Training for more than one hour
In traditional endurance based sports like running, football and athletics the more you train the better your become. This is not the case for muscle building. Less is more. In order to grow you need rest, and lots of it. New lifters should be lifting no more than 4 days per week with sessions shorter than 1 hour. Get into the gym and train at 110%! If it takes you more than 1 hour to complete your workout you’re not working hard enough!
2. Not training the full body
So many guys start out by just training chest and triceps. Everyone wants big arms and a big chest! But what you don’t realize is that just training those muscle groups will leave your body looking out of proportion. If you’ve every seen a lifter who’s been training chest harder than the rest of their body over an extended period you’ll know what I’m talking about. Another reason that you should train your whole body (especially legs) is that huge movements like squats stress the body in ways that other lifts simply can’t. This leads to increased testosterone levels the body releasing more growth hormone. If you’ve ever heard the saying: “the best exercise for you biceps is squats”, that’s what they’re talking about.
3. Too much training, not enough nutrition
Unless they have experienced friends to mentor them, most newbies start training without even considering changing their diet. Diet is about 70% of muscle building and if your diet is not up top scratch you will not grow, simple as that. You need to be getting enough protein, carbs and essential fats on a daily basis to grow.
4. Poor form
It’s not the amount of weight you lift, it’s the way you lift it! Lifting weights is about muscle stretch, contraction and control. The aim is to stress the muscle, not swing huge amounts of weight around. All movements should be slow and controlled, using the muscle to move the weight, not momentum.
5. Relying too much on supplements
Supplements alone won’t make you huge. You need a good combination of training, diet and supplementation to get big. When many people don’t achieve their goals they’re quick to blame the supplements. The truth is that it’s probably the training and diet that are the reason. Supplements are just that, they’re supplements – you should use them to supplement your good diet. Good supplements for beginners include protein, creatine, glutamine and essential fats.
Know any more beginner mistakes? Post them in the comments below: