Becoming a serious weight lifter can be hard and is not for
everyone. But there are a couple things
that every new person coming to the gym should be aware of. Here is a list of some of the biggest
mistakes newbies make while in the gym.
1 - Don't Lift Without A Trainer
You would think this one is obvious. I can't tell you how
many times I have seen this happen and the victim gets injured and ends up
quitting weight lifting forever. There is a right and wrong way to do every
exercise and you won't learn the right way without someone teaching you. It is
as simple as that. Regardless of how many magazines you have read or how many
videos you have watched in the past, have a trainer show you what to do and
then have him or her watch you to make sure you are performing the exercise
correctly.
2 - Don't Be Afraid To Ask Questions
You are not to be expected to know all there is to know
about the weight room in one day, one week, or ever as a matter of fact. Everyone
is learning and the only way you can learn is to ask someone. You should ask
your trainer, but if for some reason you can't then ask someone who is in
between sets. Most folks will take a minute or two to help out a newbie because
they remember being newbies themselves. If you still feel uncomfortable, then
when you get home, log on to Bodybuilding.com and look it up or ask folks on
BodySpace. You will get your answer for sure.
3 - Don't Try To Impress The Big Guys
I know how intimidating it is to be in a weight room and the
next potential World's Strongest Man is over there lifting every plate in the
gym. You feel like you want to prove you belong and you try to set a world
record. The only record you set is the response time of the local EMTs. You
name the person and he or she had to start somewhere. So do you. It is ok to
start with a light weight to make sure you have the form down and know what
muscles you are supposed to feel working. Eventually you will get to where you
are lifting the heavy iron, but it takes time. That actually leads into the
next tip.
4 - Don't Waste Time On The Opposite Sex
Let's be serious. We all started this endeavor for many
reasons. One reason is common among all of us. We want to hook up with some
smoking hot girl or some ripped up dude and there is no shame in admitting it.
The fact is though, although we all want to meet our future love interest in
the gym, there is work to be done. You are not going to build up that body to
impress people if you don't work at it. For now, avoid staring and trying to
get the attention of the hottie and focus on the task at hand.
5 - Don't Be Impatient
I don't want to burst your bubble or your ego, but this
isn't going to happen overnight. That is just a fact of life in bodybuilding and
fitness. Have you ever heard the expression "good things come to those who
wait"? Well, it kind of applies here. Although you should work at
achieving your goals, being patient and knowing that it comes with time will
keep you from getting frustrated and that will keep you motivated to train in
order to eventually meet those goals. Deal with curling the 15's or 20's for
now and with time and effort, you will get to the bigger dumbbells. Patience is
definitely a virtue in this game.
6 - Don't Be The Intense Guy
I am sure you see him and if you don't, you sure will hear
him. In every gym there is the one guy who feels the need to scream his head
off and yell with every rep like his life depends on him accomplishing it. The
fact is most people look at him like he is a few plates short himself. You can
put in hard work and give effort without being the star of a fitness horror
movie. The grunting and screaming isn't necessary to make yourself appear
strong, intense, or "hardcore". Save yourself a lot of humiliation
and don't do this.
