7 of the worst gym mistakes

Sticking to the same machines

The gym can be a scary and intimidating place, so when you find a machine that you’re comfortable with it’s often tempting to use it as much as possible. However, this will hinder your progress. You might enjoy a few weeks or even months of pound shedding and muscle building, but eventually this repetition will be your downfall as your body adapts to it and starts to burn less energy. A study carried out at Curtin University found that mixing up your workouts not only helps you burn fat and develop muscle more efficiently, it also helps to ward off muscle inflammation.

7 of the worst gym mistakes

Ignoring injuries

How many times have you heard someone telling you to ‘push through the pain barrier’ in the gym? Probably all too often. A little bit of discomfort is to be expected when you’re putting your body through a high intensity workout. Sharp stabbing pains that don’t go away aren’t. If you do suffer an injury at the gym, you need to accept that the fastest route to recovery is to rest the affected area. Tearing a muscle and then putting it through the strain of lifting weights isn’t going to result in any fitness benefits, and could seriously delay your recovery.

Believing calorie counters

Seeing that calorie counter shoot up as you pound the treadmill is always a great mood boost in the gym, but can it really be trusted? Not if a study carried out at Stanford University is to be believed. While treadmills attempt to give an accurate reading for calories burned, the huge range of determining factors means this is nearly impossible. For example, the study found that using the hand rails on treadmills can reduce the amount of calories burned by up to 50 per cent without this change being reflected on the counter. If you base your meals throughout the day on this incorrect calorie count, you could gain unwanted weight.

Getting distracted

Did you know one in three people don’t even break a sweat during their gym workout? According to a survey commissioned by sports equipment company Kettler, lots of people who go to the gym are more interested in chatting to their friends, relaxing in the spa, or ogling the opposite sex. One in 20 even said they just go to watch sports on the TVs! Gyms are full of distractions, and some of them might be keeping you from maximising your workout. Allocate a timeslot after your workout to catch up with your gym buddies and relax in the spa, and make sure your workout time is completely uninterrupted.

Using incorrect technique

Using a piece of gym equipment correctly will ensure your muscles go through the full range of motion, lead to noticeable benefits and keep you and the people around you in the gym safe. Using the equipment incorrectly will have the exact opposite effect. Aside from hindering your progress, incorrect technique can actually lead to injuries and permanent damage to your muscles. Don’t use the machines in the way that seems easiest, or the way your friend showed you how to do them – check with a professional personal trainer that your technique is spot on so that you know you’re getting the maximum benefit from your workout.

Copying others

Everyone’s body is different, and what works for others might not work for you. Copying other people’s routines in the gym can be highly dangerous, especially if they’re at a higher fitness level than you. Just because that ripped guy who is in the gym every day lifts a certain weight, it doesn’t mean you’ll achieve the same results if you try to lift it. Sorry guys, but this one area where you’re particularly guilty – of the million Americans who suffered weight training injuries between 1990 and 2007, 82 per cent were men who had been lifting weights that were too heavy for them according to research published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine.

Getting the warm up wrong

How you warm up can make or break your workout before you’ve even got started. While many people simply try a bit of light cardiovascular activity to warm up, according to expert trainer Lee Archer your warm up should be specific to your workout for maximum benefits. For example, try using the rowing machine to warm up your upper body before a weights session. Even worse is not warming up at all. A study carried out at La Trobe University in Melbourne found that warming up not only prevents injuries, but also increases the maximum power a muscle can produce during exercise. 

Ref:  http://sg.sports.yahoo.com/news/7-worst-gym-mistakes-070039985.html

10 Reasons You're Not Getting Slim at the Gym

Weight loss mistakesYou've committed to working out and eating healthy, but the scale isn't budging. What gives? Your routine may actually be backfiring. Here are 10 common mistakes that prevent you from winning the battle of the bulge. 

1. You hit the gym on an empty stomach
Nothing will sabotage an efficient, productive workout like exercising when you're hungry, says celebrity trainer David Kirsch. "Exercising first thing in the morning before eating is an optimal way to burn fat stores, [but] the problem is that too often my clients training after 8 a.m. come to the gym hungry, cranky, and low-energy." Premium cars need fuel to run efficiently and so do we. Power up before you hit the gym with an easily digestible meal. Kirsch recommends eating 20 almonds, or an apple or banana with a tablespoon of almond butter. 

Related: Can Yoga Really Help You Lose Weight? 

2. You eat too many carbs before exercising 
And, yes, you need to eat, but don't consume too many carbs (good or bad) before your workout if you want to see results, says Adam Schersten, trainer at Equinox in New York City. "The added blood glucose will encourage the use of those and other sugars for your fuel source rather than the pesky fat stores." 

3. You repeat the same cardio routine 
"The body is a master of minimizing caloric expenditure," says Schersten, "and a long, evenly paced run is easy for it to adapt to." When you first begin a cardio regime, your body burns more calories and you see progress more quickly. But if you don't continually challenge yourself with new moves, your workout turns into weight maintenance instead of weight loss. "Mix it up with some intervals or tempo runs on hills to see continued results," he recommends. 

4. You don't challenge your muscles 
To get the most of your workouts, make sure the strength-training exercises you do target and overload muscles to the point of fatigue. "Go toward that burning, uncomfortable feeling in your muscles. That's how you'll get the results you want to achieve," says Tanya Becker, co-founder of Physique 57 and co-author of The Physique 57 Solution. Interval overload training produces maximum results in minimal time. 

Related: Low-Impact Exercises That Anyone Can Do

5. You use the wrong weights 
Despite all the back-and-forth discussions on heavy versus light weights, keep the weights on the lighter side if you want to trim down, says Kirsch. "Women often use weights that are too heavy. I like to stay in the 3 to 15-pound range. If you're more fitness-experienced, use weights in the 8 to 10-pound range. If you're a beginner, start in the 3-pound range." 

6. You sacrifice good form 
Bad form not only puts you at risk for injury, but it also prevents you from maximizing your workouts, says Becker. "Having good form will allow you to get deeper in the positions and help your body transform fast." If you're not sure how to do a move, ask a trainer. 

7. You perform exercises that don't work for your body type 
Just because the woman next to you is doing traditional squats, that doesn't make them right for you. "The most common mistake when women go into the gym is to watch someone else do an exercise and start doing the same one," says Kirsch. "When training intelligently, 'one size doesn't fit all.' There are exercises and weights appropriate for some body types, ages, and overall objectives and not for others," he says. Consult a trainer to develop a routine that's right for you. Some gyms even offer complimentary sessions when you join. 

8. You "waist" too much time working your core 
You don't need to do an endless amount of crunches to whittle your middle. Your best bet is to expend that energy on exercises that burn more calories. "If you're doing free weights, your core is getting worked too, because you are holding your body upright through the exercises," says Schersten. "You can burn a lot more calories targeting large muscle groups rather than smaller ones, so stick to squats and skip all those sit-ups." 

9. You fail to push yourself hard enough 
If you're leisurely reading a magazine while you're on the elliptical, chances are you're wasting your time, says Kirsch. Your workout should be uncomfortable - but not painful. A good way to gauge effort? Holding a conversation should be a challenge. If it's not, push yourself harder. 

Related: Find More Time to Exercise 

10. You don't fuel properly when you leave the gym 
It's just as important to replenish your body with proper nutrients after your workout, says Becker. "Eating processed foods will prevent you from losing weight and shedding fat. Drink plenty of water and fill up on fresh fruit and veggies." Kirsch recommends a shake that contains carbs, protein, and amino acids. Remember, your results are highly contingent on what you do when you leave the gym. Smart eating habits and healthy lifestyle choices will help you achieve the results you want. 

-By Kim Peiffer 

Ref:  http://sg.entertainment.yahoo.com/blogs/healthy-living/10-reasons-youre-not-getting-slim-gym-152100658.html