7 Gym Mistakes You Need to Avoid If You Want to See Gains

There are so many mistakes someone can make before, during, and after working out that it is hard to think you know everything. For example, some people forget to do a warm-up before exercising, something that could lead to injuries. Also, it is important to know what shoes to wear depending on which exercises you’re doing. The bottom line is that the gym is a place that you first have to study before you decide to join it.

Bright Side would like you to be aware of some common gym mistakes that a lot of people make that keep them from receiving the gains they would like.

1. Applying the wrong foot pressure for squats

While squatting, there are 3 points on your foot that you want to apply the most pressure to. It’s the point right before your big toe, the point right before your little toe, and your heel. If it’s hard for you to understand if you are applying the right pressure on these points, you can just take your shoes off. This will give you the ability to feel the pressure a lot easier, from the ground straight to your feet.

2. Wearing the wrong shoes on leg day

The best shoes you can wear for lifting weights are, of course, weightlifting shoes, like the ones professional athletes wear. However, a flat sole shoe will do if you don’t have them, or you can’t spend extra money to get them. Also, barefoot weightlifting has become very popular lately, with its fans saying that it helps with stability and balance.

On the other hand, you don’t want to keep your running shoes on while weightlifting. They are great for walking and running, but the gel or air-based sole won’t help maintain a balanced footing.

3. Having the wrong bench grip

There are 6 different ways you can perform a bench grip, but one of them is simply wrong and dangerous. This is when your thumb is placed underneath the barbell on the same side as your fingers. This makes it a lot easier for it to slide and fall on your face or your chest and injure you. And while it has some benefits, it is advised that you not use it.

However, you should feel free to get a good grip on the barbell and decide whether you want it to be close, medium, or wide. It depends on what part of your arms you want to concentrate on the most. The other 2 grips that you can try are the reverse grip and the neutral grip, which are usually used on the Swiss bar.

4. Doing pull ups the wrong way

One big mistake you can make during this exercise is to let your shoulders roll forward and your chin go above the handle. What can happen here is a shoulder rotator injury, since there is too much strain on that area. Instead of that, you can put your chest forward and try to reach the handle with it. This will keep your shoulders back and give a nice curve to your back, while your chin stays at the level of the handle.

5. Having the wrong posture while planking

Planking is an exercise you either love or hate, but most exercise programs include. One of the mistakes you can make is to keep your buttocks lifted and your belly hanging low. This is usually accompanied by the person lifting their head and looking up instead of looking down.

So, it’s important to keep your head down and maintain a straight posture. Don’t arch your back, either, as this will put too much strain on your spine. Just tuck in your buttocks a little and squeeze your glutes.

6. You’re not getting the best out of lateral raises

If you think that your body and arms need to be perfectly straight, then you are 100% wrong. Your elbows should be flexed between 20-30 degrees, and you shouldn’t lift the weights higher than your shoulders. Your knees should also be flexible and your torso slightly tilted. You should avoid lifting the weights over your shoulders and close to your head, since that will do more harm than good.

Another useful tip would be to pause for a bit when you reach the top of the movement. This small detail will help you shift the focus from the trapezius muscles in your upper back to your shoulders.

7. You’re doing push-ups the wrong way

This exercise is quite popular and almost everyone, whether they train or not, knows about it. However, there are ways that you can mess it up and even cause injury. The most common mistake is keeping your arms too far from the rest of your body, which can cause stress to your muscles and joints. The best placement for your elbows is at a 45-degree angle from your torso.

Are you guilty of any of the mistakes mentioned above? Have you ever suffered an injury because you used the wrong technique?