Beginning Your Fitness Journey: Avoid These 5 Common Weight Training Mistakes

Starting your fitness journey can feel overwhelming. Not only do you have to face a crowded gym full of complex-looking equipment, but you also need to figure out how to use it all and decide which exercises to include in your routine.

The best first step when beginning at the gym is to hire a professional. Just like you’d hire a mechanic to fix your car or a barber to cut your hair, you should hire a trainer to teach you how to exercise. These professionals are experts in their field and can guide you on what to do—and what to avoid. If you aren't hiring a trainer, here are five common beginner weight training mistakes and how to avoid them:

Mistake One: Not Following a Program

Think of weight training like building a house. You wouldn’t just stack bricks randomly and hope for the best—you’d follow a blueprint. The same principle applies to weight training.

When you head to the gym, always have a structured program. If you can’t hire a trainer to create one for you, you can make a simple plan yourself. Write down 4–6 exercises, along with the sets and reps for each. Bring this plan to the gym and track how much weight you lift for every set.

Without a structured plan, your progress will be limited. Each workout, aim to push yourself a bit harder than the last—either by increasing the weight, doing more reps, or both.

Mistake Two: Using a Body-Part Split Routine

A body-part split routine might look like this:

• Monday: Chest day

• Tuesday: Back day

• Wednesday: Rest

• Thursday: Leg day

• Friday: Arms and shoulders

• Saturday/Sunday: Rest

For beginners (and most people, really), this approach isn’t ideal. To maximize progress, you should train each muscle group at least twice per week.

Think back to school. When you were learning math, science, and other subjects, you didn’t study one topic all day, once a week. Instead, you practiced each subject regularly. The same principle applies to weight training. Doing 15 sets of squats in one day is much less effective for learning and development than doing 4-5 sets, 2–3 times per week.

A full-body workout or an upper-body/lower-body split is ideal for beginners. For example, if you train full-body three times per week, you’ll have more opportunities to practice key movements and progress faster. It’s completely okay (and recommended!) to repeat the same exercises multiple times a week.

Mistake Three: Using Too Many Exercises

Let’s revisit the school analogy: What’s easier to learn—5 subjects or 15? Naturally, focusing on fewer subjects allows for deeper understanding and better retention. The same applies to exercises in the gym.

When starting out, pick 2–3 exercises per muscle group and master them. Focus on improving your technique and getting stronger with these movements. Trying to learn 10 different back exercises at once will only overwhelm you.

By simplifying your routine, you’ll build a strong foundation in technique and strength, avoiding unnecessary confusion and intimidation.

Mistake Four: Training at the Wrong Intensity

Intensity in weight training can be measured using a scale called RPE (Rating of Perceived Exertion):

• RPE 1–3: Very easy, could have done many more reps.

• RPE 4–5: Easy, slightly tiring but still many reps left in the tank.

• RPE 6–7: Moderately difficult, with a few reps left in reserve.

• RPE 8–9: Challenging, only 1–2 reps left before form breaks down.

• RPE 10: Maximum effort, no additional reps possible.

When starting, aim for RPE 6–8. Here’s why:

1. Technique: At RPE 9–10, form often breaks down, which isn’t ideal when learning new movements. Moderate intensity allows you to focus on good technique.

2. Strength and muscle growth: Building strength requires pushing your sets close to failure (RPE 10), but beginners can progress effectively without maxing out every set.

3. Recovery: High-intensity sets (RPE 9–10) can lead to excessive soreness, which isn’t necessary for beginners to see progress.

   
   

Mistake Five: Treating Every Workout Like a Circuit

It can be tempting to turn your workouts into circuits or rest only 30 seconds between sets, but this approach is a mistake.

Instead, pick one exercise, focus on completing a quality set with good technique, and rest 1–2 minutes before your next set. Adequate rest allows you to maintain proper form and push yourself appropriately in each set.

Remember, the goal of weight training isn’t to make you sweat or exhaust you—it’s to perform quality sets that challenge your muscles and lead to growth. Skimping on rest can hinder your progress and increase the risk of injury.

Conclusion

Starting your fitness journey doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll set yourself up for success.

If you’re still feeling unsure about where to begin, reach out! Send us a message to schedule a free call, and we’ll help you start on the right path.

Kurtis Proksch