6 Ways You’re Holding Yourself Back at the Gym

By Chandler

Posted December 22, 2017

In General, StoneAgeFuel

So you’re committed to the gym. Awesome.

But are you truly getting everything out of your sessions so you’re maximizing your performance and health gains?

If any of the following sounds like you, then you might have some work to do:

6. Percentage Confusion

Today’s strength session involves 5 sets of 5 reps at 80% of your 3RM.

You stare at the board for a second, pretend like you’re calculating something, but really you’re not sure what to do. You think you can remember your 1RM back squat, but then again that number might be your front squat max.

You get partway through the sessions and realize your guess must have been way off because these back squats are feeling pretty light.

5 #Besties

You started at the gym with a friend, and two years later you’re attached to the hip gym buddies.

You only like going if she’s going to the same class (I hate to say it, but I really only see this with women), you share a rack every day, you do the same gymnastics progressions even though one of you is ready to graduate to the next level, and you pair up every time there’s a partner workout. You even share PRs!

“What’s our PR, Jane?”

“135 lb. We did that last week, remember?”

Don’t be afraid to lift more than your bestie, ladies! There’s no such thing as “our PR.”

4. What Rest Day?

It’s a clean and jerk 1RM test day. You haven’t taken a day off in 2 weeks and are super pissed off when the best lift you can muster is 20 lb. below your all-time PR.

3. Chronically Tardy

You often stroll in two minutes after the hour and then hit the bathroom for another five minutes.

‘Meh, it’s just the warm-up I’m missing. I’ll be here for the good stuff,’ you think.

2. Gym over Kitchen

You work your balls off at the gym, but you’re still struggling in the kitchen. Meal prep is daunting, so you find yourself eating out every day and warming up processed foods on a daily basis.