Here are some quick fixes to major gym problems that are faced!
So there are times in life when problems occur and you have to think on your feet, and the gym is a prime example of this.
Below are typical problems gym rats will potentially face, but fear not as I have a fix for each issue.
Follow my guide and you will always have a solution up your sleeve.
1. Problem: Wrong Footwear
If you find you have turned up at the gym with the wrong footer, i.e. sneakers with an air bubble or elevated sole, and planned to do deadlifts that day.
Fix 1
Kick off those shoes and deadlift or squat in your socks. An elevated heel will push the body forward more and going shoeless allows the body to be in the most neutral position.
Fix 2
Alway pack a pair of chucks into your bag just in case. As chucks are good for deadlifting as they have a flat sole.
2. Problem: No Pre Workout
You open your cupboard to find you have just run out of pre workout and forgot to order some more.
Fix 1
Drink a cup of coffee, all pre workouts contain caffeine. 1 cup of coffee contains 95mg of caffeine.
It may even be worth having some unflavoured beta alanine to hand, as you can even throw a smell scoop into your coffee, And the benefit of beta alanine is that it increases muscle carnosine levels, and carnosine in turn buffers the onset of fatigue.
3. Problem: Muscle Tweak
You feel a small tweak in one of your muscles during your workout.
Fix 1
Ideally, sacrifice that one session and stop working out, and live to fight another day. As continuing could put you out of action for a lot longer.
Fix 2
Always have some sort of muscle rub in your gym bag, and if the tweak is not that severe, then apply the muscle rub to the area in question and continue with caution. Also be sure to stretch and foam roll the area in question before continuing.
4. Problem: No Clips
So you want to bench or squat or deadlift and for the life of you, you cannot find any spare clips in the gym.
Fix 1
Convert your barbell exercise into a landmine one, this can be used for: landmine chest press, landmine squat, landmine lunges, landmine deadlift and single arm or T bar row.
Fix 2
If you really cannot continue without clips then change the workout plan for that day, and convert to a dumbbell day and supplement with machines accordingly.
5. Problem: Equipment Taken
So you walk into the gym mentally prepared to squat or bench press but find that piece of equipment is talen and doesn’t seem to be free anytime soon. Do you just wait…?
Fix 1
If it is available then use the smith machine, perfect for either squat or deadlift.
Fix 2
Like one of my previous suggestions, if the rack and bench are not free but an olympic bar is then why not utilise the landmine to either do a landmine chest press or landmine squat instead.
6. Problem: Forgot Headphones
So you walk into the gym and you realise you forgot your headphones. The only real fix here is that you suck it up and continue without them or you go back home and get them!
7. Forgot lifting belt
You put your hand into your gym bag and find that your lifting belt isn’t there, you took it out and left it on your kitchen counter. But today is a heavy deadlift day, what should you do?
Fix 1
Rethink today’s workout and either change to a body part where a belt isn’t required as much, so something smaller like shoulders or biceps and triceps.
Fix 2
Or, if you are dead set on deadlifting today, if you are using an olympic bar, brace your core more and reduce the weight to ensure the back really is kept tight. Alternatively utilise the smith machine where there will be less stress on the back.
8. No Squat bar pad
So you liek to use the squat bar pad to protect your neck, but it seems to have disappeared off of the gym floor.
Fix 1
Use a towel, or your hoodie around the bar to cushion your neck.
Fix 2
Use nothing and start acclimating yourself to using the bar, this will allow you to become more comfortable not using the pad and also increase your stability.
9. Problem: No Platform for elevation
So you want to do straight leg deadlifts, but there is no stepper or platform to elevate yourself on to allow really deep SLD’s.
Fix 1
Use olympic plates and stack accordingly, make sure they are stacked evenly and in line with each other so there is no wobble and that it is sturdy.
10. No Free Bench
So you want a bench but there are none free and the wait time for one seems endless.
Fix 1
If you wanted to do a dumbbell press then why not grab a mat and do it as a floor press, your elbows will hit the floor on the descent but it also allows the elbows to use the floor to bounce off of, so it is like having a spotter.
Fix 2
Change it up and utilise machines for that day or change up the plan or body part for that day.
In a busy gym environment it is good to stay fairly flexible and be able to think on your feet, especially if you train at peak times.
So there you have it guys, I have hopefully covered all those little gym problems you may encounter.
So until next time, keep pumping!
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