6 mistakes during strength training that make you weaker
The main mistakes during strength training (photo: Freepik)
Strength training is important for overall health, well-being, and longevity. During such training, you should avoid mistakes that will only hinder the achievement of the goal, reports Eat This, Not That.
Missing the right warm-up
Warming up may seem unnecessary, but without it, your muscles don't work efficiently. Think of warming up as a time to prepare your muscles for what they are about to do, reduce the risk of injury, and prepare your central nervous system to handle the load.
Cold muscles also don't contract as efficiently. Start with 5-10 minutes of light cardio, dynamic stretching, and movement-related exercises to prepare your muscles for workout.
Incorrect breathing technique
Improper breathing during strength training can negatively impact your performance, safety, and overall progress. Proper breathing engages the abs and stabilizes the spine to reduce injury.
Exhaling during the loading phase helps create more force during the lift. People tend to hold their breath during strenuous exercises. However, this reduces power and strength when lifting dumbbells.
Incorrect breathing can also lead to dizziness or fainting if you don't get enough oxygen. Muscles need oxygen to function properly. Without enough of it, your muscles will get tired faster, especially when you do high-repetition exercises.
Lifting dumbbells too fast
Strength is built gradually and over time. Lifting too heavy before your body is ready can lead to poor technique, stalled progress, and even injury.
Muscles, joints, and tendons need time to adapt to weight gain. Lifting weights that exceed your capabilities can lead to sprains or even more serious injuries.
Inadequate rest between exercises
Taking too little rest between sets can make you feel tired and prevent you from performing each set at full strength. It can also compromise your form and lead to injury.
In general, when training to gain muscle, you should rest between sets for 60-90 seconds. During strength training with heavy weight lifting for 1-5 repetitions, your body may need 2-5 minutes between sets, depending on the intensity of the lift.
If you rest properly between sets, your muscles have time to recover and give their best for the next set.
Failure to follow the principles of gradual loading
The body adapts to what you are constantly doing, so you need to increase the load over time.
If you keep lifting the same weight for the same repetitions, your body will stop gaining strength. Progressive overload means systematically forcing your muscles to adapt by increasing the intensity, volume, or difficulty of your training.
When muscles are stretched beyond their current capacity, they respond by becoming stronger, bigger, or more resistant.
Lack of sleep
Sufficient sleep can significantly impede strength training progress, as sleep plays a critical role in muscle recovery, hormonal balance, and overall performance.
During sleep, the body releases growth hormones and synthesizes protein, both of which are essential for muscle growth and the repair of damaged muscle tissue.
Lack of sleep tires the body, reducing physical and mental energy. This makes training more difficult and less productive. It can also lead to cognitive problems and a lack of motivation.
Earlier, we named the ideal time for strength training for maximum fat burning.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
