by Adam Knight

Created on: July 01, 2008   Last Updated: January 13, 2012

To garner maximum strength gains effectively there are a number of common mistakes that I'm going to help you avoid.

Going In Cold - I see it all the time in the weight pit. A couple of beefy dudes in a rush wanting to get their workout done and over with, so they jump right in to their heavy weights, throw them around for a bit and then bail. Nine times out of ten, they've wasted their efforts. That one time? They've hurt themselves. Usually seriously.

To gain the most benefit out of any workout your muscles need to be properly warmed up and prepared for the efforts you expect them to fulfill. Going into a heavy set with cold muscles increases the chance of tearing a ligament or even the muscle itself. No matter the exercise, take the time to stretch for a minimum of thirty to sixty seconds. Once done that do a couple of warm up sets with a light weight to get your blood flowing and your body ready to move in the motion it needs to go.

Now that you're warmed up, load the bar and lift away.

Going It Alone - I can't remember the number of times I've had to save some poor guy at the gym for pushing heavy weights without a spotter, who suddenly found them self stuck, or even dropping the weights. Yes, it's true that lifting between eighty-five and ninety per cent of your one rep maximum for three to five reps is the best way to increase strength and size. But you cannot do that kind of lifting without a spotter. It just isn't smart or safe for anyone.

Think about it. If you are trying to push your body past its natural limitations, you cannot do this safely by yourself. If no one is willing to train with you on a regular basis, ask around the gym. Someone else will be there to help; we all appreciate a good spot folks. A good spotter will allow you to complete forced reps and huge negative burns even if you're already exhausted, those lifts can make the difference between big gains and long plateaus. Just remember to return the favor in the future when you're asked to spot.

Going On Instinct - Here is where we talk about form. Your body instinctually wants to use every muscle available to lift your weights because this will lessen the amount of effort required. Unfortunately this will make your strength training less effective.

Now there are millions of articles and specialists who have gone on at length about this topic so I don't intend to go into huge detail on this point. But be honest with yourself when you're lifting. Your ultimate goal is to be stronger,

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