Top Ten Strength Training Mistakes to Avoid

Nobody likes putting in the effort only to not notice results over time. It can be demotivating and, at times, even dangerous. As I interact with and work with new clients, I uncover certain mistakes people make over and over who have never worked with a coach before. While some of these strength training mistakes are more impeding than others, it’s worth brushing up on all of them to make sure you’re in the green.

#1: Not sticking with a program

Following a program will get better results than working out intuitively. Intuitive workouts may feel free-spirited, but the lack of structure may neglect certain muscle groups. Proper programming will ensure you target all major muscle groups, including legs, chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, and core. Whether you are doing a full body routine, a pull/legs/push split, or an individual body part split, all the muscle groups get the love they deserve. Additionally, quality programs will have the proper total volume, arrangement, and other nuances that professional coaches keep in mind while creating programs.

It’s important to stick to a set program for 6-10 weeks to incorporate progressive overload. Progressive overload involves gradually increasing the intensity with time to promote the development of muscle mass and strength. Getting bored and constantly seeking change could set you back here.

#2: Not tracking reps and weights used

To improve your strength, you need to keep progressing. This can be done by increasing volume, intensity, reps, and/or weight. If you never track your weight and reps, you won’t know what your goals are for each set. Going in blind without a goal will yield mediocre results. In addition to optimizing your progression, tracking your weight and reps will also save time, as you will know exactly which weight to use for each exercise without the guesswork.

Tracking weight for dumbbells is easy and straightforward. A 15-pound dumbbell is 15 pounds, cut and dry. Dumbbells are among my favorite pieces of equipment for home gyms and RVers. They are effective and simple.

But what about tracking loop-style resistance bands? They are definitely more of a challenge to track, with the intention to progress. One advantage of loop bands is their variable resistance. Shifting your grip by even a quarter of an inch can make your resistance easier or harder. This can make things muddled on your tracking notebook. If you do a set of bicep curls with the medium band with a lot of slack, and another set with the medium band at extra-tight tension, the intensity is night and day. So it’s really up to you here to rely heavily on your perceived level of exertion, and really push yourself on your intensity each set.

#3: Using poor form

This strength training mistake is an important one for staying safe, lowering your risk of injury, allowing you to move efficiently, increasing your performance, and enabling you to have full range of motion. You may have some exercises where your range of motion is limited, and that’s okay. Stay consistent and practice these exercises; over time, you may notice an improvement in your range of motion.

There are a few general guidelines to always keep in mind with your form. Always carry good posture with your shoulders back and your chest up tall. Don’t hunch your shoulders or hold tension in your neck. Keep your core engaged, and remember to breathe!

#4: Not lifting with intensity

Safety and form are always the first priority. Once you have your form mastered for an exercise, start paying attention to your weight load (or resistance level). Both men and women often underestimate how strong they really are. However, women tend to underestimate more than men. Some women shudder at the thought of using two twenty-pound dumbbells, but they don’t think twice about bending down to pick up a 50-pound child…

There are so many physical and mental benefits to strength training. To optimize benefits, you must lift every set to near failure. Whether you’re lifting low reps with heavy weight or high reps with moderate weight, you must bring the intensity.

#5: Using the same weight for all exercises in the program

Lifting each set to near failure while maintaining proper form is a constant goal in strength training. I often see people who are brand-new to lifting try to use the same set of dumbbells or the same level of resistance bands for every exercise in the program. Don’t do this! Your muscles vary tremendously in size and strength. Muscle groups like your legs, glutes, and back are strong, and you can generally use heavier weights here. Smaller muscles such as the shoulders and triceps shouldn’t be expected to move as heavy a weight. You need to treat every exercise independently and use the appropriate level of resistance for that exercise. This is another reason why it’s important to track your results.

#6: Not having a wide variety of weight increments

To properly load each muscle during its selected exercise, you need a good variety of weight increments to work with. For dumbbells, I recommend having light weights up to extra-heavy weights. Your exact numbers will vary based on your strength and fitness level. But generally, dumbbells ranging from 5 pounds to 50 pounds in five-pound increments will do the trick. Eventually, you may outgrow the 50’s, too.

Space, weight, and budget are usually considerations when traveling in RVs or building your home gym. For this reason, adjustable dumbbells are a great option for saving both footprint space and overall weight. Adjustable dumbbells are generally available in sets that go up to 25 or 50 pounds (exact weights vary by brand). If you’re going to invest in a set of adjustable, go with the heavy set that does 50 pounds. The last thing you want to do is spend hundreds of dollars and then outgrow it quicker than expected. 41″ loop band kits typically come with five different band strengths: extra light, light, medium, heavy, and extra heavy. I personally use all 5 strengths and also enjoy stacking some together for even more resistance options.

#7: Not timing rest periods

If you are a newbie weight lifter, rest periods may feel counterintuitive. The world of cardio has us brainwashed to think that you must always be constantly moving, sweating, breathing hard, and have a high heart rate to be effectively working out. Remember, intensity is key with strength training. Rest periods are critical for recovery in-between sets, so that you can bring that intensity with every set. The style of program and your specific goals will dictate how long your programmed rest periods are.

• For muscular endurance, the best rest period is 30-60 seconds between sets.
• For muscle growth (hypertrophy), the best rest period is 60-120 seconds between sets
• For strength and power, the best rest period is 2-5 minutes between sets.

Using a timer is always best for timing out your rest periods. If you try to guess with it, you may come in way under or way over time, or both. During your rest periods, stay focused and concentrate on your workout. I like to use this time to track my results for that set and get set up for the next set. Avoid scrolling your phone, watching TV, sneaking in house chores, or anything else that may cause distractions.

#8: Stopping at the max rep range

Just like lifting too light can minimize your results, so can stopping short on reps. Your strength training program will likely prescribe a target rep range. You want to select weights where your last few reps are extremely challenging to perform, with your total number of reps for that set falling in that rep range. Using 8-12 as an example, if you can’t do 8 reps, your weight is too heavy. If you can do 12 reps consistently, your weight is too light.

This is one of the most common mistakes on our top ten list. So many times, I see people write down 12 reps for every single set, on every single exercise. In their mind, they are doing their best and hitting the top expected number. But there is no magic in performing 12 reps. The magic is in challenging your muscles to the point of near failure. Your last couple of reps should be extremely difficult to perform without compromising form. You should be making ugly faces, grunting, and working hard! If you are loggin 12’s on every set on every exercise, that is a good indicator that you could bring more intensity.

#9: Letting soreness dictate the effectiveness

When you start a lifting program as a beginner, you will likely get very sore the first week. It can be surprising how sore you may get. Your body enters a shock phase that may last 2 to 3 weeks. As your body adapts and gets stronger, the soreness will go away. When the soreness goes away, that doesn’t mean you aren’t getting a good workout. It means your body is doing what it should be doing as it adjusts and improves.

Having a change in your programming will cause some initial soreness again. But likely, not as intense as when you very first start out. Of course, there will be workouts where you bring the intensity more and push yourself harder. And you will feel that as a result.

Don’t get discouraged if you lose that “crippling” soreness. Too much soreness can be a bad thing and indicate poor recovery. Lack of sleep, dehydration, and poor nutrition can all lead to poor recovery.

#10: Expecting physique changes through exercise alone

So you’re doing everything “right” in the gym. You’re consistent, running complete programs, bringing the intensity, tracking results, and improving on strength, but your body isn’t changing. Strength training is extremely powerful for overall mental and physical health, as well as healthy aging.

If fat loss and body composition changes are your top priorities, it’s important that you really dial in on your nutrition. While fitness supports and can accelerate fat loss, nutrition is the number one dictator. Overconsumption of calories in general is a huge problem in America, as well as eating too many ultra-processed foods. Most people are overeating carbohydrates and fats and undereating quality protein.

My approach to nutrition is implementing small changes that are sustainable. You want to enjoy your lifestyle, so that you can maintain it for the rest of your life. Avoid crash diets, diet culture, and packaged food, and seek out whole foods that are nutritionally dense and make you feel your best.