5 Common Mistakes New Lifters Make (And How to Avoid Them)

Starting your lifting journey is exciting—but also a little overwhelming. You’re ready to get strong, feel confident, and maybe even out-squat your friends. But if you’re just getting started, it’s easy to fall into habits that stall progress, increase injury risk, or just make lifting a lot less fun than it should be.

At GND Strength Society, we’ve worked with hundreds of new lifters, and we see the same mistakes pop up again and again. The good news? With the right guidance, you can avoid them—and build a lifting foundation that’s stronger, safer, and more rewarding.

Let’s break them down in detail—and show you the science-backed strategies to do it better.

1. Lifting Too Heavy, Too Soon

The mistake: You feel fired up, so you throw weight on the bar and chase PRs every week. But soon your form breaks down, your knees cave in on squats, your lower back takes over on deadlifts, and you wonder why you’re plateauing or getting nagging aches and pains.

The science: Research shows that novice lifters benefit most from submaximal loads—roughly 60–75% of their estimated one-rep max—where they can focus on proper movement patterns, motor control, and technique (Schoenfeld, 2010). Heavy lifting too early often outpaces your body’s ability to stabilize joints, maintain coordination, and reinforce muscle-tendon resilience. Worse, beginners experience rapid neurological adaptations (the nervous system learns to “recruit” muscles better), which can create a deceptive sense of strength without true tissue adaptation.

The fix:

• Start with weight you can lift for 6–12 reps with excellent form.

• Focus on full range of motion, controlled eccentric phases (lowering), and solid bracing.

• Prioritize movement quality over load—think “own the weight” rather than “survive the set.”

• Progress gradually, aiming for small weekly increases (2.5–5 lbs).

At GND’s Beginners Barbell Club, we teach foundational movement patterns before layering on intensity, so you can train hard with confidence and reduce injury risk.

2. Program Hopping Every Week

The mistake: You bounce between programs—5x5 this week, high-rep circuits the next, then maxing out just for fun. The result? You’re spinning your wheels, seeing little progress, and never fully committing to a goal.

The science: The principle of progressive overload—gradually increasing the stress placed on your body—is the cornerstone of strength development (Zatsiorsky & Kraemer, 2006). Consistency allows your muscles, tendons, nervous system, and even bones to adapt. Constantly switching programs disrupts this adaptation cycle, and beginners in particular need structured, repetitive exposure to build fundamental patterns and strength (Peterson et al., 2005).

The fix:

• Commit to a single, well-structured program for at least 4–6 weeks.

• Look for a program with progressive volume or intensity increases week to week.

• Track your numbers in a notebook or app—what gets measured gets improved.

• Avoid “shiny object syndrome” (yes, TikTok can wait) and trust the process.
  
  
  

  At GND, every member of our Barbell Club gets a customized monthly program written by certified coaches, so you always know exactly what to do—and when to progress.

3. Skipping the Basics

The mistake: You’re eager to try the cool stuff—snatches, sumo deadlifts, chains, deficit work—but you haven’t mastered a clean bodyweight squat or solid barbell deadlift. Without a solid foundation, advanced lifts are like building a house on sand.

The science: Compound movements like squats, deadlifts, presses, and rows have been shown to activate the most muscle mass, stimulate greater anabolic hormone responses (like testosterone and growth hormone), and build movement competence (Schoenfeld, 2010; Hackett et al., 2013). Skipping these for fancy accessories leads to muscular imbalances, wasted gym time, and sometimes burnout.

The fix:

• Build your training week around the big lifts: squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, and pull variations.

• Prioritize technique before load. Ask: Am I moving efficiently? Am I braced? Am I stable?

• Use accessory exercises (lunges, rows, glute bridges, etc.) to strengthen weak links—not to replace the main lifts.
  
  At GND, our in-person sessions focus on refining foundational lifts, using expert coaching and real-time feedback so you build a bulletproof base.

4. Ignoring Recovery

The mistake: You crush workouts—but you’re sleeping 4–5 hours, skipping meals, and wondering why you’re sore, tired, or stalling.

The science: Recovery is when adaptation happens. Without sufficient sleep, nutrition, and rest, your body can’t repair microtears in muscle fibers, replenish glycogen, or restore nervous system function. Studies show that lack of sleep reduces muscle recovery, impairs strength, and increases injury risk (Skein et al., 2011). Adequate protein intake (~1.6–2.2 g/kg of bodyweight) is critical for muscle protein synthesis (Morton et al., 2018), and hydration plays a key role in performance and recovery.

The fix:

• Get 7–9 hours of sleep per night.

• Eat protein with every meal and aim for total daily protein targets.

• Drink water consistently throughout the day.

• Take at least 1–2 rest days per week, especially early on.

• Consider using tools like foam rolling, stretching, or walking for active recovery.

At GND, we provide 24/7 gym access so you can train when you feel your best—and balance hard work with smart recovery.

5. Training Alone Without Guidance

The mistake: You try to figure it all out solo—googling form tips, guessing at progressions, and wondering if you’re doing anything right.

The science: Having a coach or training community improves accountability, technical feedback, and motivation. Research shows that supervised training leads to greater strength gains, improved adherence, and reduced injury rates compared to unsupervised training (Mazzetti et al., 2000; Coutts et al., 2004). Community support also increases enjoyment and helps lifters stay consistent over time.

The fix:

• Train with a coach or experienced training partner.

• Join a community or small group where you can ask questions and get feedback.

• Record your lifts and review your technique—or better yet, have a coach review them.
  
  
  
  

That’s exactly why we built the Beginners Barbell Club at GND—to give you coaching, feedback, and a team in your corner.

Ready to Train Smarter, Not Just Harder?

If you’re new to lifting—or want to get back to it the right way—the GND Beginners Barbell Club was designed for you.

Here’s what you get:
✅ 24/7 access to GND Strength Society
✅ A structured monthly strength program tailored to your level
✅ One small group session each week with expert coaching
✅ A supportive, inclusive community that will cheer you on
✅ A no-BS, ego-free training environment where you can thrive

Spots are limited—this is your chance to lift with confidence, build real strength, and join one of the most inclusive and empowering lifting spaces in Chicago.