5 mistakes people make when lifting weights at home

One of the most important aspects of any workout, but especially weight lifting, is practicing good form for each exercise you do. But that can be difficult to master when you don't have someone watching you and showing you what to do.

It's always a good idea to work with a trainer in some capacity, at least at first, even if it's on a video or Zoom chat, so you get a baseline of what to expect in your workout. But if that's out of your price range, or you just want to get started now, let this be your guide.

Why should you lift weights at home?

Weight training builds muscle which, apart from appearances, can help promote a healthy metabolism and support sustainable fat loss and/or weight loss efforts" "Weight training also improves bone density which is important for women especially, who are at an increased risk of osteoporosis with age."

If one of your goals is to lose weight and boost your metabolism, strength training is the way to go. But if that's not your goal, weight lifting offers a ton of other benefits like improving posture, flexibility, mobility and sleep, and helps reduce stress and improve energy too.

Another benefit of lifting weights at home is the intimidation factor is significantly lower for newbies. For some people, entering the weight room at a crowded gym is intimidating enough to make them want to quit or avoid getting started in the first place.

You can take the time you need to learn the moves and build confidence in what you're learning." It's also convenient to have an at home routine, and you can squeeze it in on your own terms without traveling or abiding by the gym's schedule.

Now, let's explore five common beginner weight-lifting mistakes and how to fix them.

1. Using incorrect form

Learning correct form is one of the most important parts of your weight-lifting routine, since not using correct form and technique, can lead to injury.

How to fix it

Spend time early on studying deadlift, squat and press videos, including the chest press and shoulder press, or hire a coach who can give you feedback, whether in person or virtually.

If you don't want to hire a trainer, you can also record yourself doing each workout move with your form to watch after. If you're not in the market for a trainer, I suggest propping up your phone and recording yourself, You can compare your own form to a video demonstrating the proper form, and then readjust as needed.

2. Skipping the warm up

It's tempting to jump straight into a workout, but with weight training, it's especially important to take the time to warm up properly.

How to fix it

You can start with foam rolling, or a dynamic yoga flow to warm up your body. I like to start with some core and glute work before my workout.

3. Using the same weights for months at a time

The key to getting strong and seeing the results you want with weight training is to progressively challenge yourself. In other words, don't let your workout feel too easy.

To continue to make progress, you must increase the demands (the resistance) on your body by increasing the weights every four to six weeks, or whenever you can. You want to be able to perform all of the reps of a given exercise with good form, with the two final reps feeling challenging.

How to fix it

If the reps you do start to feel easy, then you know that's a sign to move up a few pounds. The good news is, the research shows you can make a lot of progress here if you are new to weight training.

If you have the budget, this is the time to invest in a new set of dumbbells or a kettlebell. But if you're not ready to spend the money, you can use household items that you already have.

4. Overtraining or using weights that are too heavy

On the flip side of not progressing your weights often or challenging yourself is overdoing it.

It can be easy to fall into a trap of thinking you need to lift the heaviest weight possible to see progress, however this can backfire leading to injury or overtraining.

How to fix it

If you can't finish a set without taking a break or severely modifying your form, that's a sign to drop the weight lower, until you find the right amount of challenge. Proper form at a lower weight will train you better than a heavier weight with improper form in the long run.

5. Not following a program

There's nothing wrong with following YouTube or Instagram workout videos to help you get started, but you will get the best results if you have some sort of workout plan or strategy in place.

You'll save a lot of time and energy investing or finding a proven program.

How to fix it

You can search online for workout programs that focus on your goals, like programs to help you lose weight, or simply build muscle. You can also download apps with guided videos, or some plans have the workouts laid out for you in a PDF or printable calendar you can follow.

Need some help, advice or guidance? ….. Let's jump on a quick call sometime and see if I can share some useful insights with you.

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