13 Risky Gym Mistakes To Avoid

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It might look a bit odd that trying to optimize the state of our health through the gym can turn out to be risky. Actually it can, if we fall victim to some risky gym mistakes which we will discuss in this article.

Engaging in regular exercise or adding workout at least to your weekend routines can help boost the entire system performance especially the immune system.

Many get into the gym for various reasons. Some go to the gym to  build their muscles while some exercise just to maintain a healthy heart.

Notwithstanding, if the workout is not done properly, it can turn out to have some negative impacts in our body instead of adding energy.

Many sustain serious injuries during gym due to lack of education about the exercise. If you fail to avoid the common gym mistakes most people do at the gym then your body might be at risk.

It is quite possible to make mistakes while enjoying your gym session. Especially for beginners who have no foreknowledge of bodybuilding.

For beginners, we recommend getting a gym instructor for proper guidance in the gym.

Enough of the intro, getting into the main subject of this article, we will expose you to common but very risky gym mistakes and how  you should avoid them in your next workout session.

13 Risky Gym Mistakes To Avoid

1. Going to the Gym with tiredness
2. Smoking at the gym
3. Going to the Gym with Injury
4. Lifting too much of the heavy weight
5. Lack of rest
6. Over-working out in a session
7. Wrong Workouts technique
8. Skipping the warm-up before gym
9. Using Faulty  Equipment
10. Doing Cardio before weight lifting
11. Forgetting a bottle of Water
12. Improper gym plan.
13. Eating the wrong Food after gym

1.Going the Gym with Stress/tiredness

This happens a lot to gym enthusiasts because they do not just want to miss a workout session, therefore they risk working out with stress.

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From a medical perspective, stress on its own is dangerous to one's health. Excess stress can lead to serious medical conditions.

Infact, stress can cause medical situations like heart disease, high blood pressure and mental stress.

This is to clearly point out how dangerous stress is , left alone going to the gym with stress.

At the point of stress , what your body needs is enough rest, not gym. 

Risk Factor: When you gym with stress ,  you are overworking your heart and exposing the heart to unsafe conditions.

Working out with stress is a very risky gym mistake people do , as this can also lead to serious weakness of the body system.

What should I do ?

Going to the gym with tiredness is risky to your health. Take enough rest off the gym. 

If you are stressed, please do not go to the gym, what your system needs is rest. So rest well.

Another helpful tip here is to avoid strenuous activities that will put you in a stressed condition hours closer to your gym time.

2. Smoking at the gym

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Why on heaven's sake should you be smoking and Working out at the same time? smile , I understand.

I strongly believe that  no fitness center would permit smoking during the workout session.

Who then smokes at the gym? 

This gym mistake is a bit common during home workout, I mean those who own a private gym in their comfort.

Since they are in their comfort zone, they might be tempted to do a lot of funny things while at the gym and smoking and drinking is common.

Risk Factor: smoking is dangerous to the heart and the lungs. When you are exercising , your heart is seriously involved in the process.

Moreover, exercising with an unhealthy heart is risky.

Exposing the heart to harmful chemicals or substances while the impulse is high could cause a serious health problem.

What should I do?

The best medical advice regarding this is to stay away from smoking to maximize your fitness level.

If you are seriously addicted to smoking, you can seek the help of counselors for advice on what to do.

3.Going to the gym with injury

This is another risky gym mistake gym enthusiasts fall victim to.working out with injury

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Of course it  is common. Most strong body builders would keep on pushing and lifting even when there are injuries and pains.

Sometimes, most bodybuilders get to the gym with injuries because they do not want to leave a workout session unfinished. Whatever the case may be, working out with injury is risky.

Risk Factor: If you gym with injury, you might worsen the condition of the injury.

It might also take longer for the injury to heal if you keep on stressing the injury with regular gym sessions.

What should I do?

If you are injured during the gym or outside the gym, be patient enough to go for proper treatment and medical checkup where necessary.

Wait for the wound to be totally healed before going back to the gym.

4. Lifting Too much of the heavy weight

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Heavy weight lifting is equal to bigger muscles but this is not actually the best approach especially for beginners.

Jumping to heavy weight lifting is a risky gym mistake that can cause serious damage to the muscle.

Risk Factor: excessive lifting of a really heavy weight, can cause the body tissues to tear and also damage the muscles.

If the case is not taken, it can even cause bone dislocation.

What should I do?

What keeps you really fit and builds your muscle is not actually the heavy weight you lift, but rather consistency and doing it the right way.

Ensure to carry weight that matches your strength level. Avoid the heavy weight at least at beginners and intermediate level.

5. Lack of Rest

Most fitness lovers fail to understand that the body needs enough rest after gym.

During the process of working out, the muscles and some body tissues are really stressed out. And to regain strength, you need rest.

It is not health wise to hit the gym back to back with no rest.

Risk Factor: Exercising regularly without giving the system time to rest can lead to some health problems like high blood pressure and a stressed heart.

What should I do?

Include enough resting time in your gym plan. Go some days off from gym to regain enough strength 

Having enough rest will also help you rebuild  tissues that must have been torn during workout.

6. Overworking out in a session

Spending enough time in the gym can maximize the results in a Swift way but the muscles shouldn't be over stressed.

Working out excessively in a single session can result in stress and weakness of the muscles.

Risk Factor: When the muscle is over stressed and stretched due to excessive workout sessions, it can affect the muscles and the tissues negatively, leading to tiredness and muscle damage.

What should I do?

Manage your gym plan properly. 

Do not spend too much time in a session.

Depending on your level of fitness, 45 mins to an hour workout is okay. You can still attain the desired result if you are following the right techniques with consistency.

7.Wrong Workout Techniques

Following the wrong pattern of gym or wrong techniques can have a negative impact on our muscles.

Proper gym technique should be applied for the targeted muscle.

If you are self trained, then make sure you follow the right pattern or better still you hire a fitness coach. 

There are different techniques to building different muscles. The chest , arms , thighs and abs have their distinctive pattern of building which you need to follow.

Risk Factor: Working out with the wrong techniques might not just delay the results but can damage your muscle. 

It can also cause fractured bones.

What should I do?

First of all you need to be focused and be decisive on what you really need.

You need to be sure of the purpose of going  to the gym. What part of the body do you want to work on?.Am I looking for bigger arms or a broad chest?.

When you are done with the above decision, then  in the absence of a trainer, you can watch YouTube videos or follow any of the fitness trainers on social media to get proper gym techniques.

8. Skipping the Warm-up before gym

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Have you ever wondered why athletes, especially footballers, have to warm up before the actual game starts?.

Athletes do always engage in some minutes of warm up before the main game begins. This is because of the need to put the body, especially the heart, in a ready state for the actual game.

This makes all the muscles and the entire system ready for what is about to take place.

Risk Factor: skipping the Warm-up before gym is risky. You can receive muscle shock or muscle pull since you are taking the system unaware.

The heart can also respond in a drastic way if you just jump into a gym without warming up.

What should I do?

Engage yourself in at least 5-10 minutes of warming up before starting the main gym.

Little things you can do to prepare the heart and warm up the muscle involves exercises like leg workout, rope skipping, jumping and swinging of the arms or just 4 minutes jogging.

9 Using Faulty Equipment

This kind of gym mistake is just so super risky. It can even lead to loss of life if immediate medical attention is not given.

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Exercising with bad equipment is risky and should be avoided. Sometimes even when we know that the tools are bad, we still try to manage with the faulty equipment.

It is not proper and appropriate to risk our lives with bad equipment. If there is a fault in any of the tools, then fixing it is recommended.

Risk Factor: Faulty gym equipment can lead to serious injuries during gym. 

What should I do?

If you notice any fault in any of the gym equipment, then seek the attention of the technician or anyone who is in charge to fix it.

Most importantly, before you start using any tool, make sure you have checked the equipment properly to make sure it is in a good state.

10. Doing Cardio before weight lifting

This is why you should have a good fitness plan that will guide you on various workouts and days to perform them.

Doing Cardio exercise before weight lifting is dangerous and it's a mistake that must be avoided.

Cardio are exercises that focus on warming up and pumping the heart rates. This is often carried for the purpose of strengthening the heart and increasing blood flow.

Jogging and skipping are all cardio exercises.

Risk Factor: The heart is always involved in any kind of exercise.

Doing serious cardio exercises and going for weight lifting at the same time means overworking  the heart. 

Overworking the heart can lead to heart injuries or heart attack.

What should I do?

Develop a proper gym plan. 

Give a  separate workout day for cardio exercise.

You can do cardio in the morning and gym in the evening or the other way round.

11. Working out without a bottle of Water

You shouldn't go for a workout session without a bottle of water that will keep you hydrated.

When you are exercising, your body loses lots of water through sweat. This can be replaced by taking some amount of water when you feel dehydrated during gym.

It is not healthy to keep working out in a dehydrated state, it can cause dry throat and sudden weakness.

Being fully hydrated rekindles the strength and makes you go for more rounds.

Risk Factor: Though there is not much risk involved here, to keep your system in a well balanced state,you need to consume a moderate amount of water when you are dehydrated during gym.

What should I do?

It is very obvious, get a bottle of Water to your gym session.

12. Improper gym plan

Not having a good gym plan could turn into a total waste of time.

You need to sketch out a proper gym strategy that works out for you. Just going to the gym with some random workout may not really pull out the desired fitness level you wish to reach.

What should I do

Sketch your personal gym time table, know which workout to perform on each fitness day, depending on what you want to achieve.

13. Eating The Wrong food after gym

Bodybuilding involves a lot of process that is not just limited to physical exercise.

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What you eat as a bodybuilder or fitness enthusiast plays a vital role in your fitness journey. This implies that eating the right food especially after gym is health wise.

It is possible to consume the wrong meal after gym if you are just starting or you are not properly educated.

Foods like junk  and meals that have high cholesterol are not healthy for the heart and should be avoided after gym.

Some even engage in smoking and drinking of alcohol after gym. This is a very risky and unhealthy habit because these substances are dangerous to the heart.

READ ALSO: What is the meaning of Natty in gym

What should I do?

After gym, abstain from smoking and alcohol. Instead eat foods that are rich in protein, vitamins and carbohydrates.

Fruits like Watermelon and banana have been medically proven to provide helpful nutrients and vitamins to the body.

Also consume foods like egg , fish, milk and beans that are highly rich in protein to help in bodybuilding.

Summary

Bodybuilding or gym is an amazing lifestyle that can help you stay strong and fit irrespective of your age. 

It is a fun activity but with determination and seriousness in order to achieve the desired goal.

However, if the entire process is not carried out properly and some mistakes are not being checked, it can lead to an awful ending.

Before you start the gym or bodybuilding routine, you need to be properly guided and avoid drastic mistakes that could lead to injuries.

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