Don't Favor Body Parts

Balance is of the essence. If you do develop muscular imbalances, try using priority training as a remedy. Priority training is when a weak muscle group is trained with first priority.

Avoid Overtraining

Usually, beginning athletes see good results early on in their training endeavors. They then think that doubling the amount of workout time, weight, sets, or reps will contribute to even greater gains. This is a big mistake.

The muscles and joints will actually begin to get weaker, due to the effects of overtraining. It may not happen right away, but overtraining can come back to haunt you after years or even months of training. The best way to avoid overtraining is to create a limit that you will not exceed. This can be something as simple as cutting your workout to only 1 hour (recommended) instead of 2 hours, or training 4 days instead of 5 days per week.

Eat High Carb Meals After Workouts

This type of eating replenishes vital nutrients and calories lost during exercise, and ultimately leads to rapid muscle growth.

Know Your Limits

Gym safety is important. Always know your limits, especially when it comes to performing exercises where the muscles can fatigue very quickly. For example, extremely heavy weights or maybe an ending movement in which a high amount of reps are performed. I'm putting emphasis on the spotter. Don't be afraid to ask for one! You've heard it before, "Better safe than sorry! "

Try to utilize the help of a partner or friend. If a spotter is unavailable, consult with your gym staff. Nine times out of ten, gym employees are required to possess a personal trainer and CPR certification. They care about the safety of their gym members, and would be more than willing to help.

Another option is to choose someone who looks like they know what they are doing. Be careful with this option because looks can be deceiving. Not all big guys or gals know how to spot properly. The last option is to use a machine. This is probably the safest way to ensure you don't get stuck under a bar. Use judgement and make smart decisions!

Concentrate of Form Instead of the Amount of Weight Used

I often see people in the gym who use momentum to power up heavy weights. These people can be seen on benches pressing up weight with big arcs in their backs, as well as curling using swinging techniques to power the weight up. This is a big mistake! You're only cheating yourself. If you think about it . . . what good is it doing? Swinging and cheating weight up is not really putting emphasis on any one muscle group. It is however, putting a severe strain on the back muscles and increasing your risk of injury. That is why you should concentrate on precise technique while keeping a constant link between the mind and the muscle.

Stretch

Why is this important? Because being flexible prevents injury, increases range of motion, promotes relaxation, improves performance, improves posture, and reduces stress. Stretching helps prevent muscular imbalances. It also reduces the duration of muscle soreness as a result of a strenuous workout.

What is the best way to stretch?

Stretching should be done very slow, controlled, and gradual. Don't bounce! Each position should be held for about 10 - 30 seconds. Stretching should not be painful. Be sure to stretch the muscles only after they have been warmed up. If you stretch them when they are cold, you increase your chances of injury.

To avoid this, you must send warm blood to the muscle being stretched. Your best bet in getting warm blood to the muscles is to do some type of cardiovascular activity.

When should you stretch?

It is recommended to stretch before, during, and after a workout. The body warms up over the duration of a workout. This is beneficial because each time you stretch, you are able to stretch further over a period of time. The warmer your body gets, the more you are able to stretch. A little secret I learned is to stretch in between sets while I am resting. This way I'm not sitting around. Each minute in the gym is being utilized. By doing this, you're letting the body rest while increasing flexibility at the same time.

Don't Let Myths Ruin the Way You Train

I get several questions about full reps and half reps, high and low reps, heavy and light weight, and short or long workouts. There is no right or wrong answer! Every technique, no matter the type, is going to work for someone, somewhere. Don't always go by what you hear. Try different techniques for yourself and see if they work for you.

Be Patient

Trust me, I know first hand how discouraging physical gains can be if they don't come as fast as you want them to. Your goal may take some time (months, even years) to accomplish. Don't let things like high-caliber magazine and TV athletes cause you to give up and lose hope. In fitness, nothing happens right away. Your level of success is measured by how patient you are.

But how can I maximize my workout?

The five components to achieving total fitness include muscle strength, muscle endurance, body composition, cardiovascular and flexibility. You can reach all five only by combining strength and cardiovascular activities. When performed properly, however, cardio activity can also bring positive results in muscle endurance, body composition and flexibility. On the other hand, muscle strength can only be realized through regular weight training.

How do I reduce the size of my stomach?

Contrary to popular belief, crunches alone will not reduce the size of your abdomen. In addition to building muscle, ab crunches also displace fat by extending it outward. As the muscles enlarge, the fat doesn't go away. In fact, waist size will actually increase unless cardio training is introduced to burn the stored fat.

How do I burn fat from my thighs?

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as spot reduction. When body fat is burned due to increased metabolism, the energy comes from cells stored throughout the body. Because it takes about 3,500 calories to create one pound of fat, you can see that patience is the key to losing weight. A 30-minute aerobic workout for a 155-pound person typically burns between 350 and 400 calories. If no other changes are effected and you exercise three times a week, you may expect to lose about one pound of fat every three weeks. Of course, increasing the frequency and length of your workouts combined with reducing caloric intake will accelerate the reduction process.

I want to burn more body fat. What type of equipment should I use?

If you stay within your target heart rate training zone for at least 20 minutes three times weekly, the kind of equipment you select is irrelevant. Your body's metabolism neither knows nor cares what kind of equipment you prefer. All it knows is that your heart rate is up and it's time to burn fuel. So choose something fun for you! However, you should know that based on intensity level, there is a difference in calories burned for different pieces of cardiovascular equipment.

10 workout mistakes cheaters make
BY DEBORAH DOUGLAS

Following is a list of 10 common exercise mistakes:

1. Failing to stretch enough.
Make sure you stretch right after doing an aerobic activity to prevent risk of injury.

2. Lifting too much weight.
Never lift more than your muscles can handle. Gradually increase resistance to boost muscle strength.

3. Not warming up before an activity.
Muscles need time to get ready for the demands of aerobic activity. Start slowly then gradually boost intensity. "It's like your car runs more effectively after it's warmed up," Cotton says. "[Likewise], your muscles aren't prepared for the activity and it's not as effective. Your aerobic energy system works better at higher temperatures."

4. Not cooling down after a workout.
Take a minute to lower your heart rate and stretch. You'll gain more flexibility for your next activity.

5. Exercising too intensely.
Griffin admits this is her problem: "I get impatient. I figure if I work really hard, really fast, it's a good workout. I know I have to slow down." ACE says you'll get a more effective workout if you try to sustain moderate activity for longer periods than exercising intensely for only a few minutes.

6. Not drinking enough water.
Pekol learned about staying well hydrated two years ago when she developed a health problem exacerbated by not drinking enough water: "I always have water on hand throughout the day."

But the rest of us? Many exercisers wait until thirst hits to drink water, and by that time, you're on your way to dehydration. And when you're outside, Cotton says, you leave yourself vulnerable to heat stroke. Keep a water bottle close by all the time.

"Your body works more effectively when it's properly hydrated," Cotton says.

7. Leaning on the equipment.
People like Stewart, who 'fesses up to some heavy leaning while using a variety of fitness machines, only hurt themselves by misusing the equipment this way.

ACE says it can eventually wear on your wrists and back. Instead, lower your intensity to a point where you can maintain good posture. Rest your hands on the rails for balance.

8. Not exercising intensely enough.
Several times a week for about 20 to 30 minutes, work up a light sweat and get your heart rate up to your training zone.

9. Jerking while you lift weights.
What you're doing is using the momentum to lift, not your muscles, Cotton says. This leads to strain and injury, leaving your back muscles vulnerable. Pekol is working on controlling this: "I try to be more conscious of my movements.
There's a mirror in my health club that I look in, and my instructor is helpful in pointing out when I'm going too fast. I think it's working. I definitely see better muscle tone. Now if I can just keep my promise to work out as much as I say I will..."

10. Eating/drinking energy and sports bars during short workouts.
Remember: High-energy is code for high-calorie. If you're not working out for two or more hours a day, you don't need 'em.