Going to the gym is commonly associated with improving health and beginning to have a healthier body both internally and externally. However, not everyone ends up achieving the goals they want or improving to a noticeable level. According to personal trainer José Ruiz, this happens because if you go to the gym without criteria and real knowledge, training will be of no use and those results you expect to see will not arrive.
For the trainer, the problem does not lie in the gym or in the exercise itself, but in the method that is used and in the mindset you have. He explains that after the summer it is common for many people to return to their routine with guilt, hurry and the desire to compensate for the excesses committed during the holidays, which ends up making people try to push themselves to the limit, potentially causing injuries and even quick dropouts.
Going to the gym doesn’t guarantee training well
José Ruiz notes that going to the gym every day or following routines sourced from the internet does not guarantee that you are doing things correctly and therefore performing an exercise that is beneficial for the body. In fact, he clarifies that copying workouts sourced from the internet, performing exercises that require a greater technique than you have, lifting weights without any control or training daily are techniques that can create exactly the opposite effect to what you seek, causing pain, fatigue and frustration.
In his experience leading Malagaentrena, he notes that many people believe exercise does not suit them when, in reality, the origin of the problem lies in having trained for months with poorly designed plans that did not take into account their pain, their age, their levels of stress or their hours of sleep.
The danger of training from guilt
One of the most common mistakes the expert has detected over his years of work is that many people use training as a way to punish themselves, pushing their bodies too hard with the aim of ‘burning’ everything consumed during the weekend or holidays. This ends up leading many people to do more cardio than necessary, eat less than they should and shorten rest hours, which in turn generates anxiety, fatigue and several problems related to nutrition.
Additionally, this relationship that forms between training a lot and eating little ends up producing very negative long-term results. Although at first it might seem to work if weight loss is observed, the expert assures that the lack of energy causes fatigue, loss of muscle mass, stagnation and an increase in hunger. The body needs nutrients such as proteins and carbohydrates, as well as hydration and rest, to be able to adapt and perform.
On the other hand, the environment in the gym can affect much more than one might think, as it can generate psychological pressure from comparison, fear of doing things wrong or frustration at not seeing immediate results. To avoid it, the expert suggests starting to train at home as soon as you begin to feel overwhelmed, trying shorter and more tailored sessions, and going for a walk to relax the mind.
Signs that your training isn’t helping you
If you feel that your training is taking away your health instead of helping you feel better, there are several clear signals to pay attention to. According to José Ruiz, if you always finish exercises with no strength left and notice that you don’t recover, or if you continually experience muscle and joint pains, you should start re-evaluating what you do and the routines you follow, since it is very likely you aren’t carrying out those that are tailored to you and what your body needs. Also, it’s not normal that since you started exercising you sleep worse, nor that you feel guilty if you skip a day or train just to compensate for what you have eaten. Finally, beware if you have been pushing yourself for several months without seeing any progress, or if you feel in a bad mood and tired all the time.
How to have a healthy training
In light of the idea that it is necessary to train daily and end up exhausted, José Ruiz defends the importance of progression. For most people, especially after a period of inactivity, performing two or three days of strength training per week is enough to start, combined with increasing daily movement, proper nutrition and good rest. «There is no need to train six days. There is no need to end up wrecked. There is no need to copy anyone. You need to build a routine that the body can assimilate and that the individual can maintain», he concludes.
