Don’t feel bad if you’re new to the gym and aren’t sure how to have a good lifting session. Even gym veterans make mistakes and not just small ones. They make some big mistakes that lead to a plateau or may even prevent progress. The best thing to do is check in on yourself from time to time. By doing this, you can make sure that you’re not making one of these common mistakes.

1. Not changing your resistance. We need muscle to burn fat, so we need to continually build muscle to aid us in our weight loss goals. The best way to build muscle is to add or increase the weight you are lifting. You should try to increase your weight resistance by 2% to 10%.

1. Stop waiting on gym equipment. If you go to the gym during a peak time, you will most likely find yourself waiting on your favorite equipment or machine. However, no matter how busy the gym is, you should never have to stop your routine to wait on equipment. Have a backup plan in mind before you head into the gym. If the squat rack is taken, then do squats with dumbbells instead.

1. Not working on your lower body. If you want to see big results, you need to use your bigger muscles. One of the largest muscle groups in your body is in your legs. Your endocrine system secretes different hormones, which are vital to muscle development and help speed up your metabolism. By working your lower body, you actually increase your endocrine system’s response. One way to facilitate this increase is to incorporate some lower body exercises like squats, lunges, and deadlifts.

1. Doing cardio before you lift. Yes, cardio is very important to any workout plan, but if you do it at the wrong time, it can really affect the outcome of your workouts. Doing cardio before you lift weights can result in severe fatigue, which could actually lead to injury due to improper form. Add cardio in after your weight session is complete.