#2: From Bro to Pro

Let’s not beat around the bush here, a lot of people don’t have the slightest clue about what they’re doing in the gym.

At first glance, it does seem like a scary and intimidating environment but once you get familiar with the space and the people you’re sharing it with you’ll feel right at home.

But what should you do once you start? One of the most common mistakes is the lack of direction, not training with purpose but rather going through the motions until tired enough to call it a day.

The role of a fitness instructor is also of a guide to young and inexperienced people, to make sure their self improvement journey start on the right path. But staying on that path is where mostly everyone fails.

Consistency is key, as they say, and it needs to be built everyday, step-by-step.

So let’s go through the most common mistakes and vicious crimes committed against the gym community, and find ways to fix them:

• The mirror can be your best friend or your worst enemy so don’t be scared of it  but not let it take control of how you train in the gym. Focus on getting stronger and more athletic, gains will naturally follow;
• Only compete against yourself, don’t let your ego dictate how much weight you put on the bar. It’s better to lift less on your on with strict form than swinging the weight around and getting injured in the process. No one’s gonna be impressed by that;
• Control the weights, especially on the eccentric part of the movement, don’t let the weight control you. Learn how to squeeze every inch of growth for as many reps as you can manage with scrict form, this will make you stronger and will emphasise the hypertrophic effect of the exercise;
• Strike a balance between variety and consistency. Choose a solid range of exercises and perform them constantly to promote progressive overload and when you plateau, look into changing the workout split or the exercise selection. A simple change might have a big on your next session;
• Don’t overdo it. You don’t have to lift heavy weights every day, appreciate the value of time off to allow the body to recover, make sure your workouts stay within certain limits in terms of time, exercise selection and rep range.

This simple cues could help you improve your entire outlook on weightlifting, cementing your understanding of the sport and promoting better performances.
But remember, the most important part of it all is: always have fun!