5 Gym Mistakes You’re Probably Making

Just writing me a check won't  get you fit

“I showed up. What more do you want?” my client smugly announced, trying to impress me while sipping a soy latte.

“Give me a second while I reach into my desk and get your trophy,” I wanted to say.

But I didn’t, and maybe I was being a little hard on her. She did show up, yes, and “only” five minutes late. (Starbucks being the priority.)

Give me a break though, people do harder stuff every day. Brave soldiers go overseas for months. Scientists toil for years trying to find a cure for cancer. Octogenarians run triathlons. Just showing up wasn’t going to get the results my client wanted.

I might sound a little mean here, but only because
I want my clients to get better-than-amazing results. It’s my job to help them figure out how to do it. This take-no-prisoners personal trainer wanted to show her all the ways she could save time, get better results, and improve compliance with the least amount of effort.

It kills me to see people in the gym trying to lose weight, get stronger, or otherwise meet their goals, when they clearly have no idea how to make that happen.

Add reliance on mis-information, gleaned from the internet to the mix and I’m not surprised so many people end up wandering around the gym lost, wasting hours on the elliptical machine with a magazine.

If you come to my gym, you better believe I’ll hold you accountable. Let’s talk about how to correct those five big gym mistakes.

1.     Overdoing cardio. Ogling that dreamy trainer or chatting idly with your friend may get your libido going or maybe discover a new BFF, but you’re not going to get fit. Skip it and hang out later. Resistance training provides a challenging, time-efficient way to build muscle and blast fat in about the time it takes to wait for an available elliptical machine.

2.     Lacking intensity. “Go hard or go home” becomes more than a cliché. All too often I will see someone all decked out in the latest Lulu outfit, casually sipping a Red Bull, hitting on that sexy spin instructor. Stop it already. If you want to actually get fit, break a sweat and push yourself a little bit. Challenge equals change.

3.     Turning the gym into social hour. Catching up with the Kardashians may prove more fun than heavy squatting. But doing, not talking, gets you closer to your goals.

4.     No wimpy weights. Level up: You will not get Madonna’s arms lifting 2 pound dumbbells for 20 minutes a few times a week, or simply, choosing weights lighter than your purse (or gym bag). If you want something pretty and pink, go buy a new cashmere sweater but do choose a challenging weight and progress to a heavier set as soon as possible. Keep those reps on the heavy side and constantly aim to increase your weight.  You may also want to consider hiring a trainer to help you custom-design a workout that really works.

5.     Counting calories. Burning 500 calories on the elliptical machine does not entitle you to a health-halo. Exercise will give you a beautiful body, but real health benefits are almost too numerous to count such as improved coordination and movement, increased bone strength, and being able to lift your 50-pound carryon into the overhead bin.

Is that enough tough talk for you? Listen, amidst all of life’s obligations, some days just getting to the gym becomes enough, I get it. That’s the real hard work. But once you’re there, make your time count.

What mistake would YOU add to this list? Share yours below or on my Facebook page.

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Fitness expert and strength coach Jini Cicero, CSCS, teaches intermediate exercisers how to blast through plateaus to create incredible transformations. Are you ready to take your fitness to a whole new level?  Find out now!  www.Jinifit.com.  © 2015 Jinifit, Inc.

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