If you're still working on your new year resolution to get fit, you'll need to read this.
Gym trainers are speaking out about the worst mistakes they see people repeatedly making while exercising.
How many of these are you guilty of?
Going too hard to begin with
People go too hard in the early days and end up all sore and unable to move.
"When starting out, they overdo it. People come in and try to make up for the last 15 years of sitting on the couch in one day. They lift too much and they hurt themselves," one expert said.
"Anybody that has had a bad case of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) knows how much it hurts and a newbie suffering from DOMS just put themselves out of the game for at least a week, if not forever. So go easy, lift a little, not your max."
That advice is backed up by those who shared their stories.
"Did a ton of squats in a row, and the DOMS I got from that was so bad that I stayed inside all weekend and had to skip class the next Monday because I couldn't make it down the stairs out of my building," one person said.
"I had really bad DOMS for the first week. I could hardly move my legs or raise my arms. I even had trouble driving a car because my arms hurt bad," another commented.
Not using control
"If you can't lift it with control, you shouldn't be lifting it," one person says.
"It's form over numbers. You're better off squatting the bar perfectly than a couple of 90s with crappy form.
"Stop lifting with your ego and do the right weight. A few cheat curls at the end of a set is fine, Arnold [Schwarzenegger] even recommends it, but if your whole set is cheat reps…" another commented.
Using the equipment wrong
If you want to use a machine, make sure you understand how it works first.
"Use the station for its intended purpose. Don't hang out in the squat rack and do your arm routine," one angry commenter said.
"It's okay to rest between reps, but if you're going to take a longer rest, go somewhere else so people can use the equipment," another agreed.
Not cleaning up after yourself
There's nothing more disgusting than going to use equipment only to discover a massive puddle of sweat left behind. Clean it up!
"Clear your divots. Put back your weights. Throw your trash," one advised.
Harassing people
It's a gym, not speed-dating.
"You are there to exercise. Leave the women alone," one trainer warned.
Newshub.
