A lot of people want to improve how they look and feel, and one of the main ways to achieve this is through physical workouts. While working out can be fun and enjoyable on its own, especially if done with friends, there are certain risks everybody should be aware of.
From sore muscles to broken bones, a lot of unpleasant things can happen in a gym or wherever you are doing your exercises. In this article, you will see six common workout mistakes that are too common, but also very easy to spot and avoid.
Not Warming Up
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not warming up before your workout. Warming up helps to increase your heart rate and blood flow, preparing your body for the more intense exercises to come. It’s important to warm up all of your muscles, including your neck and shoulders. This is best done with a few cardio exercises and some light stretching.
When warming up for a specific workout, say a group of muscles, you might want to use some equipment that is meant for that. New exercise equipment is great for this as it should work flawlessly and is attractive to the eye, so people are more likely to use it. Remember, though, that a warm-up should not be exhausting and it should not last more than 10 minutes.
Without a proper warm-up, the body is not prepared for the exercises to come and bad form is easily achieved, which can lead to injury. It should be remembered that only stretching before a workout should not replace a full warm-up as you should never stretch cold muscles and joints.
Not Stretching After a Workout
Another common mistake made by many people is not stretching after their workout. This is especially important if you have just completed a cardio session, as your muscles will be warm and more pliable. Stretching helps to improve flexibility, which can help you achieve better form during your workouts and also help to prevent injuries.
It’s best to hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds and repeat each stretch 2-3 times. Don’t forget to stretch your neck and shoulders too!
Not Fueling Your Body with Enough Protein and Energy
If you’re not fueling your body with enough protein and energy, you’ll quickly find yourself feeling tired and drained. It’s important to eat a balanced diet that includes plenty of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. This will give you the energy needed to power through your workouts.
Make sure that your snacks are high in protein, such as cheese cubes cut into small pieces or Greek yogurt tubes. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water throughout the day too!
Protein is important because it helps to rebuild and repair the muscles after a workout. It’s important for cardiovascular health, which means it helps your heart too! Some of the amino acids inside the proteins are essential to the human organism too, and without them, you could start to get seriously sick! Fortunately for vegetarians, meat is not the only source of protein (although it is still the most popular!), as they can choose to eat more plant-based proteins.
Unrealistic Goals
When starting a new workout program, it’s important to set realistic goals. If your goals are too hard or unrealistic, you’re likely to become frustrated and give up. Start by setting small goals that you can easily achieve and then gradually increase the difficulty as you get stronger. Keeping a notebook where you put your achievements, such as maximum weight lifted or distance crossed, is one sure of seeing what is realistic for you.
Don’t forget that everyone is different and some people might need more time to reach their goals than others. Listen to your body and take breaks when needed. Do not make the mistake of believing everything you see on the internet – a lot of bodies or workouts that are posted are photoshopped, or just staged for that one occasion.
Learn to Listen to Your Body
One of the most important things you can do during your workouts is to learn to listen to your body. This means paying attention to how you’re feeling and not pushing yourself too hard. If you’re feeling tired or sore, take a break. You don’t want to push yourself so hard that you get injured. The most common injuries are sprains, strains, and tears, all of which can be easily avoided by understanding what the body has to say. Dull pain is bad, and that should already be a warning sign to stop, but a sharp pain usually means that the damage is already done.
Remember that each person’s body is different and what works for one person might not work for another. Be patient and experiment until you find a routine that works best for you.
Short Workouts
Another common mistake people make is working out for too short of a time. While it’s important to take breaks when needed, you also need to make sure that your workouts are long enough to be effective.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise, 5 days a week. This can be split up into shorter workouts if needed, but you should try to make sure that you’re working out for a total of at least 30 minutes each time.
This doesn’t mean that you have to spend 30 minutes on the treadmill – there are plenty of other exercises that can be done in that amount of time. Try alternating between cardio and strength training, or add in a few minutes of stretching at the end.
The human brain can be your best friend or your worst enemy when it comes to working out. If you’re not thinking about how the brain operates and what type of mindset it’s in, then you could end up sabotaging yourself from a more productive workout routine. In this blog post, you’ve seen six ways that people typically think they are doing right but actually make their workouts harder than necessary because of these common mistakes. Give them some thought and see which one applies to you most often – do any ring true? If so, this article will help get you on track with an easier workout experience!