When it comes to working out, I am by no means an expert. I learned the basics when I became a personal trainer and Tae Bo fitness instructor, and continue to learn about exercise by reading and doing. I pride myself on knowing the basics and being able to execute them when I hit the gym floor.
That said, there are some things I see when I'm working out at the gym that just make me CRINGE! It doesn't take an expert to know when a person is just doing something plain wrong, and here is my attempt to help those people who really don't have a clue when it comes to pumping iron.
1). It's an elliptical machine, not a lounge chair. When you're on the elliptical, bike, treadmill, etc., you're there to get your sweat on, right? By resting not just your arms, but your entire upper body on the machine, you make the work easier. The point, for most people, is to work at a moderate intensity. Leaning on a machine means you're decreasing your intensity. Use the handrails to stabilize yourself, if you need to, but not to make the exercise effortless. Try sweating a little bit more and getting a little burn in those muscles. It will do you good.
2). Rest periods are not coffee breaks. You need to rest when you're working out. It gives your muscles a chance to replenish themselves with oxygen and prepare to break themselves down all over again on the next set. A rest can be just what you need to get your form right and push through the pain to achieve optimal results. The less rest you take, the more calories you're going to burn by keeping your heart rate elevated longer. There is no need to take five minutes in between sets while relaxing on a machine or bench, chatting with a fellow gym-goer. This borders on rude and would be a topic in post on gym manners--we'll leave it at that.
3). Biceps curls are not a full-body exercise. And you can insert any exercise into that statement because sometimes people just don't know what the mustard they are doing at the gym. When it comes to the curl, you're isolating your biceps by moving your arm only at the elbow joint. There should not be movement at the shoulder and your body should not be rocking back and forth. If you start involving other body parts in an isolation exercise, you defeat the purpose of the exercise and therefore make your efforts worthless. Well, maybe not worthless, but you're not going to see the results you could if you focusing the movement correctly.
4). It's called range of motion--learn it. Sounds complicated, I know. Not really. Range of motion refers to the direction and distance a joint can move between flexion and extension. Okay, maybe that still sounds complicated. Example: the range of motion for a biceps curl is the space the weight travels between your arm being fully extended (straight) and flexed (bent). In order to more fully work your muscles and get the greatest benefit of exercise, you should move your body parts through a full range of motion. And this goes for most weightlifting exercises. When you do a shoulder press, start with the weight at shoulder height and push it up until your arms are straight, but not locked. When you do a pull-up, pull from a straight-arm position at the bottom of the move. You'll full a greater burn during the exercise and eventually see better results.
5). Don't live and die by one workout routine. They say variety is the spice of life and yeah, this applies to working out, too. Your body generally starts to get used to a specific workout routine after about six weeks. What this means is that you won't see the same results you saw when you first got started with this particular routine. Try new things in your workouts. Use free weights instead of machines or run outside instead of on the treadmill. Insert a heavy weight/low rep workout into your repertoire--you'll feel the burn sooner and workout shorter... what could be better? However you choose to do it, keep your body guessing and the results will keep coming.
Like I said, I don't know everything when it comes to working out. No one does. We're all out there, doing our thing, getting our sweat on, and trying to build our best bodies. Don't undercut your efforts by performing an exercise wrong or not working out to your fullest potential. Educate yourself on the ways of the gym and you will reap the rewards.
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