Five Common Strength Training Mistakes

Time is precious and no one wants to waste time in the gym. What most of us do want is to have an effective workout in as little time as possible, and have results that show. I've chosen to discuss five of the most common mistakes that I see people make while strength training. These mistakes can not only be time consuming, but can hinder your progress. After reading about these five common mistakes, you can decide if your workouts are as effective as they could be.

Mistake #1: Not working all muscle groups. It is important to work each muscle group in order to have even development of strength, muscle endurance and muscle size. The muscle groups I most often see neglected are the back muscles. A strong and healthy back can better enable you to stay active. Review your workouts and make sure that you are including all muscle groups.

Mistake #2: Focusing too much on the small muscle groups and not enough on the large muscle groups. The large muscle groups, such as the quadriceps, chest muscles and back muscles, can take more volume of work than the smaller muscle groups, such as biceps, triceps, and rear shoulders. In addition, some exercises for the large muscle groups also incorporate small muscles. For example, bench press primarily targets the chest muscles, but also hits the triceps and front shoulders. Shoulder presses also work the triceps. So, if your workout includes bench presses and shoulder presses it would not be necessary for you to do an exercise just for the triceps. Always be sure to keep track of all the muscle groups that the exercises you choose work.