I'm a skinny 22 year old hitting the gym for the first time. What are some common mistakes I should avoid?

redway041826 · 2017-09-19T19:05:35+00:00

Not eating enough

coloredzebra · 2017-09-19T19:32:13+00:00

As other member's have stated:

Sacrificing Form for ego. (Perfect form > lifting heavy, with proper form you will be able to lift heavy, yet can't lift heavy without proper form, and not to mention, progression...)
Not eating enough, not eating properly. (yes you will gain fat)
Consistency (slacking off/half-assing)(results are shown over months, not overnight.)
Overtraining. (Listen to your body, if you're not feeling up to par, give it another rest day. As well, if following a lifting program after 12+ weeks, a Deload/Rest week is suggested, trust me, I have injured myself by overtraining.)

[deleted] · 2017-09-19T19:10:27+00:00

Lifting too much/doing it wrong. Thinking people are judging you. Expecting instant results.

900_year_old_vampire · 2017-09-19T19:20:31+00:00

sacrificing good form just to put heavier weights up. obviously the goal is to lift heavy weights and get bigger, but that doesnt mean you should be barely squatting just so you can have an extra 50lbs on the bar, or swinging your arms around using momentum to cheat when you do curls just so you can use the 40lb dumbells instead of the 35s. believe me, there isnt 1 single soul in that gym that gives 2 fucks whether you are benching 225 or 135. nobody there cares about you or what you look like or what you are doing. good form. the strength and size will come in time

mula_talks · 2017-09-19T19:46:19+00:00

Skipping leg day.

Rollo_Mayhem3 · 2017-09-19T21:51:12+00:00

common mistakes include

trying to lift too much too soon. not getting proper rest between workouts. not consuming enough food and protein to grow (at 22, you will grow fast just eat). being consistent.. stick with it for at least 3 months not giving your workouts enough intensity. not drinking enough water.. resting too much between sets. jerking weights, jerking your body for the extra rep, bouncing barbell for bench off your chest.

KerouacRoadTrip · 2017-09-19T22:21:35+00:00

Bench lifting with improper form and too much weight can lead to shoulder impingment (chronic pain that takes a long time heal). Study how you should be lifting before attempting.

BestSC86 · 2017-09-19T21:57:46+00:00

Diet....

Contracting the muscles is more important than lifting 1000x lbs.

Learn to move the weights around the correct way with lighter weight and feeling the muscles actual contracting\pumping before progressing to heavier and heavier weights.

Diet.

leftajar · 2017-09-19T22:53:29+00:00

Count calories religiously. Your appetite is LYING to you, and you feel like you're eating more than you actually are.

Learn to love your blender. Whey protein, almond butter, and bananas are your basic ingredients of a mass-gainer smoothie. At the end of each day, figure out how many grams you are short in each macronutrient, and make a smoothie to cover it. Toss in some kale for digestion.

This is the win.

TheRecycledMale · 2017-09-19T22:56:11+00:00

Avoid? Believing lifting/working out is a short term thing. It is life choice - so please, take a long term view. Don't look for quick fixes or short cuts. Don't injure yourself. What you eat is more important than what you lift. And you're lifting so you can enjoy the next 80 years of you life.

LordThunderbolt · 2017-09-19T23:23:51+00:00

Not getting on a structured program
Not training legs because "I do running and the eliptical for that" or "I won't look well proportioned if I train legs" or "Big legs are feminine".
Not eating quality foods that are favorable for muscle growth.
Not eating nearly enough as you should, thinking you are.
Thinking gains will come in 3 months instead of 3 years.
Focusing too much on supplements and not enough on diet.
Not logging bodyweight, strength, and size progress.
Switching programs often because you want to "shock" the muscles, or it got boring and not because you've been stalling and haven't made progress on it even after eating more calories and resting better.
Not committing to a program long enough (Aim for at least a year).
Wanting to stay diced and shredded while packing on 10+lbs of solid natty muscle in a short period of time.
Bulking and cutting in too short periods.
Not viewing the bigger picture and long term aspect of lifitng, expecting to become Zyzz X Dan Green in 6 months.
Not being consistent with diet and training.
Not learning and practicing good form in all the lifts.
Wanting to be hip and cool by getting on popular programs just to say you are on them and not because you actually NEED a routine change.
Jumping on steroids within 8 months of first training because you want the gains NOW.
Hiring a coolie-cutter average PT from a commercial gym.
Crossfit

Peter_B_Long · 2017-09-19T23:32:35+00:00

I've been lifting for like 5 years. If I were you, I would definitely go into bodybuilding.com and look for a workout program for bulking. Arnold Scharzenegger and Jim Stoppani's Shortcut to Size are some good ones. Watch all of the videos. They will teach you about nutrition and also watch the "how to" videos for each and every one of the workouts. If you're doing a workout wrong, you're pretty much wasting your time.

If you're just starting out and seriously need to gain weight, I suggest just eating whenever you're hungry. If you have extreme difficulty gaining weight, then just go ahead and eat whatever you want. The point is to get your body used to eating more and once you do, that is when you can focus more on diet and nutrition.

growinglats · 2017-09-20T02:55:55+00:00

Take care of your rotator cuffs with some cable exercises.

A lot of people I know have torn their RCs. It sucks and you won't be able to do a lot of lifts for a long time

BusterVadge · 2017-09-20T12:08:53+00:00

Don't overdo it. Consistency WITH FORM beats intensity every time.

Love8Death · 2017-09-19T20:54:41+00:00

Pick a routine and stick to it.

desno · 2017-09-19T22:26:03+00:00

not eating enough

lifting too much too quickly

not using proper form

not having a planned workout routine

not stretching enough

focusing too much on chest and arms, avoiding leg and back workouts.

not being consistent in frequently doing these workouts

bumbuff · 2017-09-19T23:18:10+00:00

If it's your first time hit it hard...but correctly. You'll see your fastest gains in the first 6 months

shadyindividual · 2017-09-20T00:42:07+00:00

Form over everything.

Ratroo · 2017-09-22T03:27:04+00:00

Want big arms? Gotta have a big chest and shoulders. You what those gotta have a big back. You must have big legs to get a big back and to get those you have to squat.

Make sure you hit you hams/back muscles 2x as much as you hit your chest and glamour muscles.

Take the time to learn basic anatomy and physiology.

1g protein/ lb of body weight 2g Carbs/ lb of body weight

Carbs in the morning. Pre and post workout nutrition is key. Should be carb heavy.

Find a mass gainer like Serious Mass, have that twice a day. You will gain weight. Be consistent. You can do this.

DiggerClam · 2017-09-19T22:18:42+00:00

Don't do weighted barbell hip thrusts like faggots are doing these days.

Title	I'm a skinny 22 year old hitting the gym for the first time. What are some common mistakes I should avoid?
Author	[deleted]
Upvotes	9
Comments	24
Date	September 19, 2017 7:03 PM UTC (8 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/7159la/im_a_skinny_22_year_old_hitting_the_gym_for_the/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/im-a-skinny-22-year-old-hitting-the-gym-for-the.114662 https://theredarchive.com/post/114662

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