I recently went out of town and had to get in a session at a commercial gym. It was tough having to watch others make mistakes that will prevent them from getting results. The people working out are still better than those sitting on the couch, but in some cases not much better. I hate to see people putting in the work and not getting results so below are a few quick tips. If you are currently a member we take care of these things, but share this those who might be struggling no matter how hard they work.

TECHNIQUE- This is by far the number one mistake I see at commercial gyms. The "exercises" they were doing were not the exercises they were trying to do. Bad technique on an exercise is going to lead to the target muscles NOT working and an injury. That is a bad combo and a waste of time.  In a commercial gym setting, with no guidance, you also see a lot of ego lifting and copying the person next to them.

EXERCISE SELECTION- I see the majority of the people  spending their time on exercises that don't get results. If you have no guidance your brain will play tricks on you. You will end up doing what is easy vs. what works. Spending the majority of your time on machines, single joint exercises, and arms is not going to do much for someone whose goal is to lose fat and gain muscle.

Compound Movements, free weights, and body weight movements work MUCH better! Exercises that work multiple muscle groups at once will also save you time in the gym. Most people just need to invest a little time up front learning to do the correct exercises, the correct way. These exercises are not just for the advanced. We have tons of modifications and variations for beginners and even those with injuries. Ignore the magazines written by steroid taking bodybuilders telling you to isolate every single muscle in the body. What works for them will not work for you!

REST PERIODS- You will not get results if you are texting in between every set. Even if you are not sending text messages to your friends you can probably benefit from going at a faster pace. Try taking 2 exercises that don't work the same muscle group and pairing them together. This is called supersets and will reduce your time In the gym, while also giving you a cardiovascular benefit. Most people  think they have to go run on a treadmill (how boring) to get in some cardio. You can get the same benefits when you program your resistance training the right way. You also stand a better chance of avoiding the overuse injuries that come along with running.

If you are guilty of making any of these mistakes in the gym then respond to this email so I can help. Maybe a quick call (757-589-7028) or free consultation at the studio can solve it and speed up your results. Even if you are not a member we have some online coaching and Program Design options available to get you on the right track!

Detric Smith, CSCS, ACSM Exercise Physiologist

www.resultsperformancetraining.com