Forgetting the Basics...

With a plethora of YouTube videos, exercise books and fitness DVDs all around, it's easy to fall prey to a "newer is better" mentality. Cool gadgets and intense-sounding routines with never-before-seen exercise secrets can be seductive, but they pale in comparison to old standbys like squats, deadlifts, bench presses and pull-ups.

There are many variations of these lifts that you can apply to help counter the boredom that can arise from doing the same exercises all the time. But remember the 80/20 rule: 80 percent of your results are going to come from 20 percent of the exercises you use. Make sure the basics are your 20 percent foundation.