As most of our clients know I don’t believe in generic training programs or diet plans. In fact, I find Canada’s Health Food Guidelines to be completely outdated and the BMI to be fairly useless. I believe as individuals we should be treated as such and therefore it’s important to create a fitness formula that is customized to fit each person’s specific goals and designed for the lifestyle in which they live. With that said I do understand that there are some general guidelines to be followed when it comes to diet and nutrition as well as training for weight loss or hypertrophy. However when a client decides to work with me I usually throw the majority of these “guidelines” out the window and start from scratch.

It’s important for me to learn my client’s body and how it reacts to different foods as well as different training styles before I design a personalized program for them. I need to understand their lifestyle and how much time they are willing to commit to their health. What would be the point of me designing a 6 day training split for someone who only has the time and desire to go to the gym 3 times a week? The same goes for diet. Why would I incorporate a food that I know my client absolutely hates into their meal plan just because the particular food is “good for them”? This is a sure fire way to set someone up for failure. Therefore I won’t and I don’t do it.

Last week I wrote an article pertaining to your diet. So this week let’s talk about your training program. Are you training too much? Are you training too little? Do you have any clue as to what you are doing when you are in the gym or do you just wing it?

Listed below are three common workout mistakes that I see on a regular basis from people who put in the time and effort yet see very little if any results in return.

Over Training

Believe it or not some people spend too much time in the gym. These individuals can usually be found training for up to 2-3 hours per workout session. What they are doing I have no idea. Remember, working out with weights in not a marathon. For myself personally there is no chance that I would be able to spend more then an hour training. In fact, most of my clients are usually shocked to learn that my own workouts never last any longer then 45 minutes. However I am efficient with my time and my programs have proven to be highly effective for me. By the time I’m finished my workout my shirt is drenched in sweat, I can barely lift my arms or my legs (depending on which muscle group I am working) and I find myself gasping for air. In other words – I’m literally done!

Solution – To maximize the benefits of achieving results with your physique you need to keep your workouts short and sweet. Always approach each workout with the highest level of intensity possible. Try to maintain this level of intensity for a 45-60 minute time period and then get the hell out of the gym. Don’t waste time with endless sets and reps. Hit your exercises hard and hit them heavy. Use proper technique and always be aware of your form. Quite simply if you are able to train for longer then 60 minutes then you are probably not training hard enough.

Under Training

Under Training is more common then one might think. This type of training happens when people have high expectations yet don’t want to put in the time and work to achieve the results that they desire. I’m sorry but unless you have super human genetics and are taking copious amounts of anabolic steroids you are not going to look like Mr. Olympia if you are only training 3x/week in the gym. Building the ultimate physique takes years of hard work and consistency. Just as I said with diet, when it comes to training consistency really is key. Ofcourse you can take a day off from the gym every so often and have an occasional cheat meal. However when a day turns into a week and that cheat meal turns into a cheat day the results you desire become further out of reach.

Solution – Be realistic with yourself. If you can only commit to training 3x/week then that’s fine. In fact, that’s great! Most people can’t even commit to getting off the couch and going for a walk. Keep in mind though what you put in is what you will get out of your training. For most people training 3-4x/week should build a nice solid foundation. This type of training frequency should help you keep your blood pressure levels in check, your body fat percentage relatively low and you might even gain a few pounds of solid lean muscle. However if you are not or have stopped achieving the results you desire then perhaps it’s time for you to add another workout day into your program and increase your training volume. This like anything ofcourse will come down to the concept of how bad do you really want it though.

Not Training

Finally, we arrive at the people who are at the gym physically but are usually completely checked out mentally. These are the people who are the conversationalists of the gym, the selfie takers and the cellphone texters. They usually spend more time on their cellphones or striking up a conversation with other gym regulars then they do actually working out. To make matters worse, when these people finally decide to do a set every few minutes you can tell that they are only giving that set 50-60% of their own maximum effort.

For the most part I like to think of myself as a pretty nice guy. If I see someone I know at the gym I will usually give them a quick hello but I will never stop to see how their day is going or what’s new in their life. It’s not that I don’t care however I come to the gym to train, not to socialize. As soon as my workout starts it’s time to get down to business. If I want to know how the person is doing or what’s new in their life, I’ll call them up on the phone or make time to meet them for a cup of coffee after my workout is finished.

Solution – You don’t have to be rude or act annoyed with others while you are training. A quick hello or a smile can go a long way. If someone you see at the gym on a regular basis does try to start up a conversation with you just simply tell them that you are short on time and need to focus on your workout. Most people will understand and admire that you take your training seriously and will leave you be. Another great strategy is the use of headphones. I learned this trick from a few of my female clients years ago. They were tired of being hit on at the gym by a few creepers so they just simply kept their earphones on and avoided eye contact with anyone while they completed their sets. This tactic will usually deter most people from coming up to you as they can already tell that you are focused and therefore do not wish to be distracted.

So there you have it. The three most common training mistakes that I see in the gym that in my opinion are stopping people from achieving optimal results with their own physiques. If you’ve stopped progressing with your own workouts then perhaps it’s time you sit back and analyze as to what you might be doing wrong.

Take my advice or don’t take my advice, at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter. I can only pass along what has worked for myself and has worked for others over the years. What you choose to do with this information is completely up to you.

Bu just remember – If it doesn’t challenge you, then it doesn’t change you.

Yours in Good Health,

Nick Cosgrove