Speeding Through Reps
Some people believe that the faster you workout the faster you’ll see results. In the case of strength training this is a big mistake. The slower you lift and lower the weight the harder your muscles work and the more muscle you build (remember that the more muscle you have the more calories you burn). The best way to slow down is to count 2 seconds while lifting and 2 seconds while lowering. If you want to get even better results try counting 2 second while lifting and 4 seconds while lowering. Don’t be surprised if the weight you thought was so easy to lift when you were speeding through your workout suddenly seems much heavier. It was the momentum of the speed that made lifting that weight so easy and now your muscles actually have to do all the work. Lower the weight if necessary until you build up strength then increase it when you feel ready.

Improper Form
Strength training requires that you lift a weight slowly and through the full range of motion in order to work the muscle correctly. Jerking the weight up or using other body parts to help lift the weight does nothing for you except waste your time and set you up for big time injuries. If you’re one of the many who has learned to lift weights from watching others or from a well meaning friend do yourself a favor and buy a book, spend some time watching demo videos, or hire a trainer to learn how to lift weights correctly. The better your form the better results you get.

Neglecting Intensity
Doing 4 sets of 12 regularly with a weight that is only somewhat challenging keeps you fit but it doesn’t get you in the best shape you could be. When your goal is to get strong and lean you have to push yourself much harder. This means lifting heavier in order to build muscle and change your body composition. Maintain your reps between 8-12 but lift enough weight so that the last 4 reps are really challenging. If you want to increase stamina maintain your reps between 10-15 with a weight that is challenging on the last 4 reps. The harder you push yourself the faster you’ll accomplish your goal.

Focusing Only On Cardio
Focusing all your time and energy on cardio may seem like a good idea but believe it or not strength training is more important than cardio when it comes to getting lean and losing weight. While you may burn anywhere from 200-400 calories per cardio workout the effect wears off within an hour after you’re done. With strength training every pound of muscle that you build burns an additional 50 calories a day even while you’re sleeping. Putting on 5 pounds of muscle in a month means that you’ll be burning an additional 250 calories a day even at rest and your body will burn fat at a blistering pace. You should also beware of doing too much cardio when you are strength training because it can burn up some of your hard earned muscle mass.

Neglecting Body Parts
Women tend to train mostly legs, abs, and arms. The problem with this is that you’re creating imbalances that lead to injuries. In addition neglecting your upper body makes your lower body appear bigger. In order to look good you have to train your upper body just as hard. Training chest builds mass, increases size and improves sagging. Training back compliments strong abs, while training shoulders improves the appearance of your arms. Don’t neglect body parts for fear of bulking up. Men have to work incredibly hard to look ripped and they have 20-30 times more of the hormones needed to do that.

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