8 Classic Training & Bodybuilding Mistakes You Must Avoid!

Throughout my years of doing research, working on my weight and bodybuilding, I've come across some classic mistakes. I've made some of them myself along the way. Others I discovered by reading and doing yet more research. Here are some of the worst mistakes that you can easily correct if you're doing them in your own workouts:


Mistake #1: Not Having a Clear Goal
Before you can get where you're going, you have to know where you want to be. That "roadmap" or "blueprint" will then define the steps you need to get there, from choosing the foods and supplements you ingest to the type of workouts you employ. So, first of all, put your goals in writing. I suggest a "workout journal" with your goal on the first page, or at the top of every page.

Then, right after it, include the action steps you'll be using to reach your goal. These steps include your daily meal schedules, percentage of protein/carbs, etc., any supplements/vitamins you'll be taking, along with a detailed workout schedule for each day of the week.

Then, follow it and record your efforts and your results. When you see results, that keeps your motivation high and helps you to stick with your plan. And, remember, as you make progress, you can and should adjust your action steps accordingly to reflect your progress.

Mistake #2: Focusing Too Much on Your Strengths, Not Your Weaknesses
This one is so easy to fall into--the pattern of seeing better results in some areas and not others, and continuing to focus on the good parts. I have to admit, I enjoy working on some parts of my body more than others. Because I love my upper body and arms, it's a bit easier to get motivated and work hard on those areas.

My stomach, on the other hand, is not my favourite target area and so I tend to neglect it at times. To correct this, I actually target my weakest area, write down my goals and action steps, and then implement them each week.

Mistake #3: Focusing on Quantity Rather than Quality
Before you start adding reps to any particular area, first make sure that your technique is correct and that you're getting the proper benefit from your workout.

For example, try to move weights as fast as possible on the positive (lift) phase of each rep, which produces more tension and better results. You'll know you're doing it correctly if you feel tension in the target muscle(s) but there's no discomfort or pain in the related joint(s). Another good indicator that you're lifting correctly is when your movements feel consistent from rep to rep, as though you're a "machine."

Then, once you're using the proper technique, you can gradually add in minimal increases in total reps down the road. Remember, being less fatigued (which I'll discuss more in the next mistake) is actually a good thing because you're better able to call upon your fast-twitch muscle fibres, and that gives you the best potential for gaining size and strength.

Mistake #4: Using Pain and Fatigue as Measures of Success
I know, we've all heard the adage "no pain, no gain." And, to a certain extent, that's true. But too much fatigue and pain should be an indicator that something is wrong with your workout.

The best workouts focus on achieving results, not measuring the after-effects (pain and fatigue). In order to achieve the best results, your body needs to recover and repair. Too much fatigue, and pain that lasts for more than a day or two, should be a serious indication that something is wrong and you should seek medical attention.

Just remember this adage when working out: "slow and steady, slow and steady," and the results will follow.

Mistake #5: Using Too Much Weight
This mistake is another variation of quantity over quality, and I've seen this many times in the gym. In this case, the quantity is the amount of weight you're working with.

Here's a great example. A guy that was obviously new at bodybuilding asked me to spot him on the bench one day. Now, I love helping other people, but this guy weighed maybe 175 and he was trying to press more than he weighed. I had to do half the work for him, in fact.

So, what's the point of that I ask you? If you need a spotter and the spotter ends up doing half the work for you, then you're really not accomplishing anything. Yes, the amount of weight you're working with may make you feel good, but it's not really an accurate measure of your achievements, nor is it a productive workout if it's beyond your body's capabilities.

A much better technique is to use weights that allow for brisk-to-fast positive lifts within the range of reps (5-10) that you're using in your workout. Thus, you actually get more done and have a better quality workout while using less weight. If you're struggling to get 2-3 reps done with your first set of reps, then you're using too much weight for your body to handle.

Mistake #6: Lack of Diversity and Continuity
This may seem like a contradiction, so let me explain. In order to be effective, your workout requires both diversity and continuity. Diversity is important for a number of reasons. As I mentioned earlier, focusing too much on your strengths and not enough on your weaknesses leads to an imbalance in your body. Some muscles and areas will be far ahead of others. Plus, unless you add some variety to your workout, you will either lessen the challenge, or overwork some areas of your body.

Continuity, on the other hand, is also important to getting bigger and stronger, and the key to an effective workout regimen is striking the proper balance between diversity and continuity. So, too much diversity (i.e., changing every workout) does not give you enough continuity to become bigger and stronger and make progress in any particular area.

The answer? Try changing things up every 3-4 weeks. Change maybe half your exercises, particularly the isolation exercises that focus on a single target muscle/area. You can also change your focus to either maximal strength or muscle hypertrophy (size), depending upon your particular workout regimen and goals.

Mistake #7: Too Much or Too Little Aerobic Exercise
Again, this is a matter of striking the proper balance. Too often bodybuilders fall victim to the "no cardio" approach to weight training because they don't want to lose any size. But the fact of the matter is that by adding a moderate cardio-aerobic routine into your workout, your appetite will actually increase, your recovery time can improve, and you'll improve your cardiovascular health, which are all essential to lifting heavy weights and gaining muscle and size.

On the other hand, too much cardio-aerobic exercise can be bad as well and can cause your body to lose muscle. That's because muscle weighs more than fat, and if your body is going to feed on anything, it's going to be muscle. So, adding a bit of cardio training is good, and variety in the type of aerobic exercise--such as jogging or riding a bike--is also a positive element in any successful workout.

Mistake #8: Lacking the Proper Diet
As I've said before, a "diet" is just a plan for the foods you intend to consume. The mistake a lot of people make is not having the proper balance required for your particular goals.

The body requires protein and carbohydrates, and carbs can be especially good if used post-workout because they spike insulin levels and push glycogen into your muscles.

So, I suggest a great, balanced diet for bodybuilding with about 40% of good, clean protein (the building blocks of all tissue; choose turkey, chicken, lean red meats and tuna), another 40% carbohydrates (the body's main source of energy; on a bodybuilding diet, choose complex, slow-releasing sources, such as brown rice, grits, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, green beans, broccoli), and, finally, about 20% good fats (used by the body to manufacture hormones, for brain function and lubricating the body's joints; choose mainly mono-unsaturated and polyunsaturated sources, such as extra-virgin olive oil and flaxseed oil).

Depending upon your specific goals (mainly losing body fat, or mainly gaining muscle and bulk), you can then adjust your calorie intake up or down.

By: Gareth Ap

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