Joining a gym and watching your diet are the two main things everyone knows that need to be done in order to get into shape. When a beginner joins a gym, they are often left confused and are overwhelmed. That happens as they do not really understand what needs to be done, or what others are doing, or what they exactly should be doing?

Here are some rookie gym mistakes that you can avoid:

1. Only Using Machines

While machines are really good for beginners and I have emphasized this in my previous article as well, doing exclusively machine work should not be the goal. You should also learn to lift with free weights and get better at it as:

a. It has a higher motor recruitment,

b. It strengthens your stabilizer muscles and

c. It is better suited in certain situations and has a carryover effect.

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2. Doing Too Many Isolation Exercises

So many times I have seen beginners doing just isolation exercises like tricep pushdowns or bicep curls or overhead tricep extensions and the likes, dedicating their entire sessions to just arm work and isolation exercises almost all the time.  Not that isolation work is bad, but just doing isolation exercises will only take you so far. Compounds or multi-joint movements are the strength builders along with building skill. They recruit more muscles during the movement and have a carryover effect by strengthening you in daily movement patterns. Do not ignore the compounds and give them an equal chance.

3. Using just lighter weights

The claim of lighter weights for cutting is dumb. So this may be the reason you lift light.  Another reason would be that you are scared of injuring yourself as you do not have the skill or the strength to lift heavy. Understandable! Here is where you apply the principle of progressive overload. Not even the strongest dude in the gym started lifting as heavy as he may be doing now on his very first day.  You start light but you build up. And this is absolutely needed if you want to grow your muscle size and get stronger.

4. Not Carry The Gym Essentials

What are the essentials you absolutely need?

A bottle of water, a deodorant, a towel, clean socks and shoes.

These are the things that are 100% needed inside the gym. The bottle to avoid dehydration as it can lead to fatigue or even losses of energy. Clean socks and shoes as nobody would want a pair of stinky feet exercising around them. The deo as things can get messy once you start sweating and the towel to take off the sweat off the bench or piece of equipment you may be using.

Not carrying any of these and leaving benches sweaty and areas smelly can leave you on top of the hate list at the gym. And you should respect everyone else's hygiene as the gym is for everyone.

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5. Not Asking For Help

Though it is not cool to be told what to do and how to do things, the gym is a different type of place altogether. A simple mistake or an unwanted jerk here or there and you would be resting with your foot in a plaster for weeks. Though personal training may not always be an affordable option for you, asking someone who seems to know what they are doing for help every now and then should not hurt your ego.  You are at the gym to get in shape and to become stronger. If someone can assist you to do that, there is no harm in it.  

Author bio:

Pratik Thakkar is the co-founder and director of GetSetGo Fitness, an online fitness company. He is regarded as someone who will make it easy for you to understand the process by putting things in the right context and providing science-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding. You can reach out to him at pratik@getsetgo.fitness and follow him on Instagram and Facebook.