Common Mistakes Many Beginners Make in the Weight Room

Many people dismiss personal trainers and think they can learn proper technique from YouTube videos or other social media platforms. If you are thinking about joining the gym or you want to change your programme, using a personal trainer can have several benefits. We often see gym goers making mistakes when they lift weights and advice from a professional can resolve these issues. Most people are uneducated about proper weight training techniques and many end up hurting themselves because they do the right things in the gym. Here are three common mistakes novices and avid gym enthusiasts make when doing resistance training.

  1. Poor Form
  2. Incorrect Breathing
  3. Not Engaging the Core

Poor Posture & Technique

If you’ve ever trained with a certified coach at a fitness centre in Pattanakarn (called ฟิตเนสเซ็นเตอร์ พัฒนาการ in Thai), you’ll know that they focus heavily on your form. The reason for this is simple – it gets results, and it stops you from getting injured.

One common mistake that most novice lifters make resolves around sloppy form. If they haven’t worked with a certified fitness trainer, they tend to copy others in the gym who aren’t necessarily doing it right either. If you are clueless about technique, ask a fitness trainer or book a few sessions with a PT.

Mistakes with Breathing

Breathing correctly during weightlifting is important. If you hold your breath when you lift, you can get lightheaded and sometimes faint. If you pass out and collapse, you can easily hurt yourself when you fall to the floor. Many beginners forget or don’t know that they should exhale on exertion and inhale during the eccentric phase of the lift.

Stability

When you lift weights using a machine or dumbbells, you need to engage your core to create a stable base. This is a common mistake amongst novice exercise trainer and even more experienced gym-goers. You will often see people bench press heavy weights without first engaging their core to stabilise the lift. Your core muscles are extremely important for every exercise you do as they steady your body in preparation for the movement.

When you don’t use the correct movement patterns or breathing techniques, you run the risk of injuring yourself when training with weights. As a beginner, it is always best to ask for assistance from a gym coach or book personal training sessions to learn more about resistance training. A professional will offer the appropriate guidance.