Three Gym Mistakes You’re Probably Making (And How to Fix Them)
Georgia looking confused at social media trends targeted around ‘biggest’ mistakes made in the gym
I know how frustrating it feels when you’re putting in the effort, showing up to train, and doing everything ‘right’ - but somehow, progress just isn’t happening.
I’ve been there. More than once. And each time, I had no idea that the things I was doing - things that seemed like they should be helping - were actually holding me back.
Over the years, I’ve seen so many other athletes fall into the exact same traps. Whether it’s pushing harder in an attempt to break through a plateau, following a program that isn’t quite aligned with their goals, or sticking with training that no longer excites them, these mistakes are surprisingly common.
So if your progress feels like it's grinding to a halt, your energy and motivation have tanked, or you’re just not seeing the gains you expected, there’s a good chance one (or more) of these mistakes is getting in your way.
So let’s break them down - where I went wrong, what I learned, and how to overcome or avoid them altogether - from someone who has been there!
Mistake 1: Your Training Isn’t Specific (Enough)
When I first started training, I was just doing classes at the local CrossFit gym. And whilst the gym happened to have great programming with a good balance of structure AND variety, these classes weren’t the right vehicle to take me where I wanted to go long-term (which like any sane, CrossFit newbie is…the Games). It wasn’t until I hired a coach to programme me some extra sessions to do around classes that I started seeing really consistent and surprisingly fast progress on those areas I was working on.
Even as a beginner, just a couple of 30-minute strength sessions a week was enough to help me achieve my first pull-up! [Check out my First Pull-Up Programme if you want to do the same!]
Non-specific training isn’t just the difference between doing classes or following a programme. In fact, I see more people fall prey to non-specific training when they ARE following a workout programme, because they THINK the programme is specific, but it in reality, it just falls short.
The better you want your results to be, the more specific you need to get on your training.
For example, a high-rep resistance training plan might increase your maximal strength…but a lower-rep, higher-weight resistance training plan designed specifically for increasing maximal strength will do it a lot better, and faster! That’s right, specific training doesn’t just get better results, it gets them faster, too.
To help you out even more, I’ve put together the most common pitfalls when it comes to non-specific training - and how to avoid them:
❌ Following a Generic Programme
✅ Solution: Choose a program that is truly tailored to your specific goals - even if it’s not a completely bespoke programme written for you by a coach. Take my 12-week pull-up programme, for example - it's designed to be the perfect fit for beginners who can't yet do a pull-up and want to achieve their first one…but it wouldn't be the right fit for someone who can already do pull-ups or for someone aiming to build overall upper body muscle. The more specific your program is to your goals, the better your results will be.
Georgia Radley’s get your first pull up programme
❌ Switching Training Styles Too Often
✅ Solution: Stick to a clear training focus and commit to it long enough to see real progress. Constantly jumping between different training plans, or even different goals, can leave you spinning your wheels without significant improvements in any area. Instead, choose a goal that you want to prioritise- whether it’s building muscle, getting stronger, or improving endurance - and structure your training around it for a set period. Give your body the time it needs to adapt and improve before switching things up.
❌ Doing Random Workouts from Social Media
✅ Solution: Following your favourite fitness influencer’s latest workout isn’t going to make you look like them - so try to see them as a source of ideas and inspiration, rather than basing your daily workouts off them. While these workouts might look fun or challenging, they often lack the progression and specificity needed to achieve real, consistent results. Instead, follow a structured training plan that aligns with your goals, instead of piecing together random workouts from social media.
The Best Solution To All of These? Hire A Coach.
Hiring a coach to create a truly personalised plan tailored to your specific goals may come at a higher cost, but the value lies in having expert guidance that ensures every aspect of your training is designed with purpose. A good coach will not only provide a structured plan but provide explanations on how each workout contributes to your progress, helping you stay focused and avoid the trial-and-error approach that comes with following random workouts online. Investing in the right coach means investing in your long-term success.
If you’re not seeing the progress you want, it’s time to assess whether your training is aligned with your specific goals.
Need help figuring this out?
Click here to take the FREE T.R.A.I.N. Assessment and uncover the exact roadblocks that are keeping you from getting the results you want, PLUS receive a personalised report complete with the next steps YOU need to take to get un-stuck, in just 2 minutes! ✨
Mistake 2: Over-Training
tired after a workout, during a time where i was continually overtraining
When I wasn’t seeing results as quickly as I wanted to, I used to think the solution was to train harder and more often. It was always about doing MORE.
The truth? That approach led to fatigue, poor performance, and even setbacks. I know now that less CAN be more – especially if you’re putting your energy towards the right areas (hint: into a specific training plan!) but in this instance; more is not just more, it’s too much!
I didn’t truly appreciate how true this was until 2021: my ‘breakthrough’ year into the elite levels of CrossFit - qualifying individually for the European CrossFit SemiFinals and going on to compete at the CrossFit Games on a team.
The lead-up to qualification was one of the busiest times of my life. I was in my final year at uni, finishing assignments, on full-time physiotherapy placement, plus collecting data and writing my dissertation…all whilst trying to train as an elite athlete.
Something had to give - and that was the time I spent training. I went from 3-hour training days to 90 minutes, sometimes condensing sessions or skipping things altogether. At first, this was a huge stress for me - surely I’d get worse if I was training less? Somehow, that didn’t happen. Instead, that period of time culminated in some of the best performances of my entire CrossFit career.
Training less frequently or with shorter sessions allowed my body more time to recover – particularly with all the additional stressors that were present. It also meant that I was forced to ‘trim the fat’ and focus on just the absolute essential exercises and workouts, with no time for those ‘extras’ that might help. With better recovery, I had more energy to pour into those key areas, which in turn, brought me better results.
How to Know if You’re Over-Training:
Chronic over-training means your body doesn’t get the chance to recover from the stress of training. Your body NEEDS recovery - this is where it actually adapts to grow stronger and fitter. Over-training doesn’t just mean your muscles (and tendons, ligaments and joints, too!) don’t get chance to recover - it also impairs your nervous system function and hormone health. Here’s some key markers to look out for:
Persistent fatigue in and out of training
Lack of motivation or enjoyment.
Decreased performance in training and/or competitions.
Nagging aches, pains, or frequent injuries.
Trouble sleeping or constant muscle soreness.
Regular illness
Irregular or lost menstrual cycles - even if you’re not underweight
Over-training can sometimes be confused with under-recovering. To make sure recovery isn’t the culprit, ensure you’re covering these bases:
Recovery Tips:
The T.R.A.I.N. Assessment is designed to help you pinpoint your exact results roadblocks so that you can go from painful plateaus to peak performance - with a FREE personalised report giving you actionable steps and strategies to start skyrocketing your progress!
Prioritise sleep (aim for 7-9 hours per night).
Incorporate mobility work or active recovery days–ie, take the dog for a walk!.
Focus on proper nutrition to fuel and repair your body.
Manage and minimise stress, utilising tools such as meditation and journalling to help
If you’re not sure what’s keeping you stuck right now, I’ve got the perfect tool to help you figure it out - and it’s completely FREE.
Click here to take the FREE T.R.A.I.N. Assessment - in just 2 minutes you’ll identify the key gaps in your training, recovery, and nutrition that are holding you back from peak performance and body composition, plus unlock your FREE T.R.A.I.N. Report - full of simple, actionable steps and strategies to start getting results.
Mistake 3: Not ENJOYING Your Training
This is the mistake that can creep in, in the sneakiest way, masked by the ‘hard work pays off’ and ‘addicted to the grind’ culture. Because yes, training IS supposed to be hard. But the ENJOYMENT should outweigh the suck - even if it’s ‘type 2 fun’ (the type of fun that only feels good after…)
I had a tough time between 2022 and 2023 coming to terms with the fact that I simply was not enjoying my training anymore. Admitting this felt like I was giving up, that I was a ‘bad athlete’ and that I’d wasted all those years I’d dedicated to CrossFit.
How I Got My Enjoyment Back:
Georgia split jerking 114kgs in competition at the recent Oldbury weightlifting open, where she also qualified for the Malta International Open, representing Team England!
I stopped working with my coach at the time and started doing my own programming.
I explored different types of training and found myself drawn more and more towards weightlifting.
I embraced the idea that I am ALLOWED to pivot. Goals don’t need to be fixed if they no longer excite you or make you happy.
Since making the switch from CrossFit to weightlifting, I just didn’t look back. I didn’t need to. Because, whilst there are tough training days where things aren’t fun (Bulgarian Split Squats, I could never love you), it’s worth it for the overall enjoyment and sheer satisfaction I get from the process of getting better.
Warning Signs You’re Not Enjoying Training:
Dreading gym sessions or skipping workouts.
Feeling stuck or uninspired by your routine.
Constantly chasing motivation instead of building discipline.
Feeling pressure - like you’re doing it for someone else, and driven by ‘shoulds’ rather than actually WANTING to do it
Regularly questioning ‘what’s the point?’
When you’re enjoying yourself, you show up in the gym as your best self - the self that puts the work in. And when you put more effort in, you get better results out. When you get better results, you’re more motivated and excited to keep going…and so the positive cycle continues.
If you’ve been nodding your head as you’ve read through, relating to this lack of enjoyment or spark in training, that’s a clear sign it’s time to pivot!
Ready to Unlock Peak Performance?
If any of the mistakes I’ve spoken about in this blog post sound familiar, don’t worry - you’re not alone. Even the best athletes (myself included!) have fallen into these traps at some point. The good news? Now that you know what’s been holding you back, you have the power to change it.
The key to progress isn’t just working harder - it’s working smarter. That means following a training plan that’s specific to your goals, balancing intensity with recovery, and making sure your training is something you actually enjoy. When all of these elements align, that’s when real, lasting progress happens.
The best way to take the guesswork out of your training? Getting clear on exactly what’s missing from your approach right now. That’s where the T.R.A.I.N. Assessment comes in: a completely FREE tool I designed to reveal exactly what’s holding you back from your best results, by scoring you across the 5 key areas that are essential for progress…in just 2 minutes!
Plus, I’ll show you how to hit 100% in every area by sending you your FREE T.R.A.I.N. Report - your personalised roadmap to becoming your fittest, strongest, most confident self - without having to do more, train more, or sacrifice more.
🚀 Take the FREE T.R.A.I.N. Assessment now and get unstuck today! 🚀
