Weight Training Mistakes

Improper form will lead to improper development of the part you’re training, strain secondary muscles and joints, and - worst of all - result in injury.

As a general rule of thumb for most standing upper body exercises remember the following:

1) Feet should be shoulder width apart – You need a good foundation that is stable.

2) Knees with a slight bend – Don’t lock out your knees

3) Scoop the Hips – Roll your pelvis slightly forward so the small of your back is straight. This will now make your upper and lower body ‘one unit’ and help prevent rocking (cheating).

4) Shoulders should be back in a ‘set position’- To do this do the following: (a) Hands by your side (b) raise your shoulders (c) squeeze your shoulder blades together (d) put your shoulders down. The use of the ‘Set position’ will help remove the use of the shoulder muscles (cheating) when doing arm exercises.

5) Eyes forward – Look forward not down at your hands. This will help keep your spine in proper alignment and reduce cheating.

WEIGHT:

‘To lift more, lift less more often.’ If you normally do 6 to 10 repetitions in a set, lower the amount of weight so that you can do 10 to 15 repetitions. Many times we focus on building mass, but forget to build muscle endurance/strength, the various stabilization muscles, and supporting tendons and ligaments.

You can only lift as much as your weakest link. Remember to use strict form. To really shock the system, try doing body weight exercises to failure instead of using weights for 3 to 6 weeks.

EAT:

Try eating 5 to 6 small meals a day rather than 3 large meals a day. In most cases you don’t need ‘food supplements’, unless you don’t have time to make decent meals. When you make your meals make sure they are balanced.

Here’s the bottom line: too much of any one type of food is a bad thing (i.e. Protein Diet, etc.). Try and limit your ‘empty calories’. If you’re trying to build mass, don’t you want the ‘biggest bang’ for your calorie? So foods like candy and alcohol (while enjoyable) should be kept to a minimum.

SLEEP/REST:

‘If you rest, they will build it.’ We live in such a busy world we forget to make time for proper rest and sleep. Sleeping and rest is a critical ingredient in building muscle mass. Without rest and sleep your body won’t have the opportunity to repair itself and adapt to the imposed loads you put it under during training.

Depending on the type of weight training program you are on, try and get at least a few days rest from training a week. Remember to get sufficient amount of ‘quality’ sleep. That’s uninterrupted sleep, typically 7 to 9 hours a night. If you want to add to the ‘quality’ of your sleep, get a night mask. This helps to prevent light from entering your eyes, disrupting the depth of your sleep.

ROUTINE:

Change your workout routine every 3 to 4 weeks. Your body adapts more quickly when you are a veteran fitness enthusiast. This can be something as simple as changing the time when you do your workout, the order you do your workout in, or the exercises you do.

Above all, remember to listen to your body and enjoy your workout!