No Limits Fitness: 5 things we do at the gym to waste time when we should be working out

Today is one of those blogs that's likely to get me in trouble.

Awesome.

We all are busy. We all want "results". We all want to look better and be stronger. So why do we continue to waste time at the gym doing things that don't help us?

I know why.

It's because the things that we could be doing that actually WORK are hard and who really wants to work that hard? We live in a society where we are programmed to think that there is an easy way to do everything. I am here to tell you that when it comes to getting in shape and looking hot there is no easy way.

You might as well stop reading now if you want an easy way.

So many people complain that they go to the gym and don't get results. Or they go to the gym and "workout for 2 hours" and still don't fit into a size zero.

Sometimes people don't go to the gym and all because they don't have time.

That's a lie. You have time. You just don't feel like putting the effort needed. Let's call a spade a spade.

So what are the biggest time wasters at the gym?

1. Cardio. Go into any gym in America and what will you see? 1000's treadmills, elliptical trainers and stationary bikes. You will see people slogging away of these machines for 20+ minutes each and everyday. If people get sweaty doesn't that mean they are getting results? No. Sadly it does not.

More and more empirical evidence is coming out saying that "cardio" isn't nearly as much a benefit and people think it is. Treadmills and Stairmasters are OK but the stationary bikes and elliptical trainers are horrible for your joints and work against what you are trying to do. Long easy bouts of cardio are time stealers. If you want to save time and get better results all at the same time you will stop doing "cardio" for 20+ minutes.

I will explain later how you can use these machines more efficiently.

2. Abs. I told you I was going to get in trouble with this article! I just took away the two favorite things to do for the majority of people that go to the gym everyday. Oh the humanity...

If you are still reading TRUST ME. I will explain that to do instead at the end. Stick with me!

Why do people go to the gym and do "abs"? Honestly, it's a mystery to me. The only explanation that I can think of is that many people think that the secret to hot and sexy abs in that next move they saw on the cover of that glossy magazine in like a the store. People may also think that abs will magically appear after a set number of crunches...

Sorry folks. No magic bullet. Doing ab exercises is a complete waste of time. Why? Truth is that you can't work off the fat that is on top of your six pack. You can lower your body fat percentage but trying to target one specific area and magically lower it's fat just doesn't work.

Besides, the ab muscles don't have a huge range of motion so your heart rate doesn't go up very much thus you don't burn a lot of calories and burning calories is how you lower body fat.

3. Bicep curls. Why do people do bicep curls? Oh, and tricep kickbacks and the like. I would also throw wrist exercises into the mix as a waste of time as well. What did big biceps do for you?

I don't do bicep curls. EVER.

Doing bicep curls is a waste of time for the sole reason that there are others ways that actually get you biceps and get you fit at the same time. I know, your heart rate is going to have to go up which a lot of us are trying to avoid. If you are doing bicep curls to get fit then you need to stop. You are wasting your time.

4. Calf raises. This goes along with the bicep curls. Thank about it like this. Stay with me. Let's say each exercise you did was worth a point value. 1 to 100. The goal is your hour is to get as many points as possible. Calf raises are a 2. Bicep curls a 2. Crunches are a 3.

Bare with me and I till you the big point value exercises.

5. Abduction and adduction machines. My God these machines are stupid. Just like crunches, people.... OK, let's be real, WOMEN think that they are going to get rid of inner thigh fat by doing the inner thigh machine.

If you have ever watched the Family Feud then you know the sound as well. WRONG.

The real travesty is that trainers actually encourage people to use these machines. If I were to buy a gym the first thing I would do would be to haul those stupid machines out the door and to the curb.

Here is the deal with these single joint exercises. The may work the specific muscle... but for what reason. So it can get big? So you can grow one muscle at a time? The body is not made this way. Your heart rate stays low and you tend to get a "lifters gut".

You work out like this and you don't get results so you quit.

I just told you 5 things that you do at the gym that are a waste of time.

Do you want to know how to do it right? Do you want to know how to workout at the gym so that you get results?

Here are the 5 steps that you need to do:

1. Focus on your workout and not the TV, the music, the hot chick in front or you or the guy with the guns staring at himself in the mirror.

2. Focus on compound joint movements that make you VERY tired. For example: burpees, swings, squat to press, thrusters, jumping jacks, dips, push-ups, pull-ups etc.

3. Do a variety of things including INTERVALS on the cardio machines. Try doing a half mile as fast as you can on the treadmill then doing 10 burpees, 10 squats and 10 swings. Do that 3 times.

4. Focus on the movements and not the muscles. This is important. Move your body as a unit. Don't try to "build muscle". Focus on getting fit.

5. Be tired. Be EXHAUSTED. If you are not crawling out of the gym then you need to work a little harder next time.

Things like burpees get the high point values that we talked about early. If you do 1000 crunches it will take you like...an hour. Do 25 burpees in 3 or 4 minutes. Which is more efficient?

If the normal routine that all the wellness coaches tell us to do worked then there would be a whole lot more fit people in the world. Sorry, my friends. These tired routines don't work.

We need to think different when we go to the gym. We need to step up out effort to get better results. We need to be more efficient at the gym by not doing the easy things that just don't work and learn to put forth the effort to do the hard things that do work.

If I were you I would re-read this blog post right here: http://yourbestfitnesscoach.blogspot.com/2014/07/willing.html

You need to be willing to give something up to get the body that you want.

You need to be willing to learn to do what makes you uncomfortable.

You need to be willing to be a little different. You get what you don't have you need to be willing to do what you haven't done. Period.

If you are interested to know some of the routines that I am doing as I prepare for the "2015 CrossFit Games" then check out my new blog: http://ricksnoexcusesblog.blogspot.com/

I would also suggest that you follow me on Instagram. I post my daily workouts there as well.... and lot's of goofy stuff as well. Find me at @rickcopley.

If you got value out of this post please share around social media. You might change someones life today.

To you success!