By Diana Gerstacker
TheActiveTimes.com

To the average person walking through the gym, everything might look just fine. You'll spot people on cardio machines, others lifting weights and some people wandering around -- and nothing will really seem out of place.

To a certified personal trainer with years of experience, however, a typical walk through a gym will reveal people making lots of mistakes. From poor posture and incorrect form to faux pas like leaving weights around and not cleaning your benches, there are no shortage of mistakes that can be found in any given gym -- and they’re all avoidable.

That's why we turned to certified personal trainers and gym owners to find out about the most common mistakes they see every day. These fitness professionals highlighted several key issues -- and it’s worth mentioning that hiring a personal trainer could help rectify many of them. Before your next trip to the gym, check out these 15 common mistakes to avoid injury and embarrassment.

Common Mistakes Personal Trainers See In Gym

 

Focusing Solely on Cardio

"Let me say that cardio is an extremely important component of our exercise routines. It burns calories, boosts our mood and strengthens our most important muscle: the heart. But too many people spend the majority of their workout time performing relatively low-level cardiovascular exercise," said Tom Holland, a world-renowned exercise physiologist and author of several books on fitness.

 

Focusing Solely on Cardio

"This results in just a few hundred calories burned at the end of their workout. Instead, I recommend doing a mix of cardio and weights. Strength training builds valuable lean muscle which leads to a higher resting metabolic rate, meaning more calories burned 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

 

There’s No Plan

"When members walk through our doors the first thing I ask (after saying hello) is what's your plan. Typically their response is 'I don't know, I'll figure it out as I go'," said Ainslie MacEachran, a certified personal trainer and professional cycling coach based in Fort Collins, Colo. "Most people don't have a plan ...

 

There’s No Plan

... [but] every workout should have a plan. Your workouts will be more effective and time efficient if you have a purpose when you come in."

 

Not Fueling Right

"At most, I might see a client four or five hours in a week -- and how many hours are there in the week? 168. I've got you here for only a fraction of the available hours. If you don't do your part in the kitchen it’s going to be slow going at best," MacEachran said. "You can't outrun the nutrition ...

 

Not Fueling Right

... piece. So, pull it together in the kitchen/lifestyle department and you'll get better and more rapid results."

 

Lifting More than You Can Handle

"Numerous guys are guilty of this one -- they always sacrifice form and the effectiveness of the exercise to lift more weight," Emig said. "I'm much more impressed by someone who ...

 

Lifting More than You Can Handle

... lifts with perfect technique. Lifting too much weight [with poor technique] will eventually lead to injuries."

 

Distracted Training

"When you step on that gym floor, have a purpose, a plan and energy to execute the workout -- it's as important as just showing up," said Ramona Braganza, a celebrity fitness trainer with clients like Halle Berry and Jessica Alba. "Goal setting, training appropriately, documenting ...

 

Distracted Training

... your progress with a program, and fueling and hydrating properly before and during a workout will get you results."

 

Not Enough Intensity

"If you find you can talk easily, don't break a sweat or can stay on that treadmill, eliptical [or other machine] for over an hour watching TV or reading a magazine, then you are not training hard enough," Braganza said. "[It's] better to ...

 

Not Enough Intensity

... workout shorter but with more intensity."

 

Focusing on Immediate Results

"Too many people focus solely on calories burned or that immediate payoff of feeling like they 'got their butt kicked.' Chasing soreness or being tired for the sake or getting sore or tired is a mistake," said Ryan Munsey, the owner of House Of Strength Gym and host of Optimal ...

 

Focusing on Immediate Results

... Performance podcast. "The focus should be on getting better, being able to do more (more weight, more reps, more work in the same or less time) from week-to-week and month-to-month. This is how you ensure long-term progress and avoid plateaus."

previous next

For complete list of Most Common Mistakes Personal Trainers See In The Gym, go to TheActiveTimes.com.

More From The Active Times:
-- Trainers Share the Worst Fitness Advice They've Ever Heard
-- Things You Should Do After Every Workout
-- Blast Fat Fast: 13 Workouts that Get you Quick Results
-- Kick-Butt Workouts You Can Do in 30 Minutes or Less