Work your way up to heavy weights

A big mistake that I see a lot of gym members make is going straight to the heaviest weight they can lift for the prescribed number of reps from the very first set. They dont warm up to the heavy sets properly.This can be a big issue for two reasons. Firstly it doesnt allow your muscles to switch on properly in order to be ready for the heavier weight. Secondly, lighter weight work up sets allow you to build good technique into your movements, which will help in not only preventing injury, but also building strength.Elite Olympic weight lifters are some of the strongest people in the world, and yet even they still start each and every exercise by lifting the bar only, and begin slowly working up from there.

I notice a big difference when I get impatient and rush my warm up sets. Sometimes I am not able to lift as heavy as normal when I go to the heavy weights too fast. Sometimes I feel like my technique is compromised or that the right muscles arent activating. Other times Ill start to feel niggles that let me know I rushed the heavy weights.Proper warm up sets are especially with your shoulders. This is such a complex muscle group, its so important to properly warm up to your heavy lifts.