With millions of people looking to lose weight or develop a physique like a Greek god or goddess, it is no surprise that many of them exercise vigorously. However, sometimes they make mistakes while working out that cost them dearly. To ensure you don’t make the same errors, here’s a look at the top 10 exercise mistakes people make:
Mistake #1 – Planning Wrong
Before you start working out, you need to define an end goal. Do you want to build muscles or just tone your physique? Then, based on your goal, you need to create a plan.
If you don’t have a plan in place, chances are you will fail.
Mistake #2 – Sticking to the Same Exercises
If you stick to only one kind of exercise, you will get bored sooner or later and then you will think about giving up. But it’s not only about the boredom or consistency. Variety in your workouts will ensure better results, regardless of your end goal.
Mistake #3 – No Stretch & Flex
Stretching and flexing is extremely important when working out, as it reduces the risk of injury and discomfort when you are working out to your limit. Not incorporating these in your exercise routine will be a huge mistake.
Mistake #4 – No Warm-Up or Cool Down
Warming up and cooling down are often skipped by people as they believe they can handle the pressure on their muscles. What they don’t realize is skipping warm-ups and cool downs can lead to serious muscle injury or tissue damage. A proper warm-up ensures proper blood circulation while cooling down brings your body to a state of calmness after an intense workout.
Mistake #5 – Not Increasing the Intensity Level
One of the biggest exercise mistakes you can make is not increasing the intensity of the workout. Repetitions are important but they don’t work unless you constantly increase the level of intensity and challenge your body to keep up.
Mistake #6 – Not Following the Proper Form & Technique
Many people fail to follow the proper form and technique when working out and this is definitely a huge exercise mistake. You can easily find online video tutorials for free to learn the proper form and technique for any workout.
Mistake #7 – Not Being Active Outside the Gym
One of the most common exercise mistakes people make is not being more active outside the gym. Yes, you are working out hard, but the results won’t show if you spend the rest of the day behind your desk at work or on the couch watching TV. You need to be more active outside the gym.
Mistake #8 – Not Getting Proper Rest
Make no mistake, without proper rest your body will reach its breaking point. It is important that you get proper rest after working out to ensure your muscles are rejuvenated. Otherwise, you won’t be able to keep up with your exercise routine for too long.
Mistake #9 – Skipping Weight Training
This applies mainly to women who want to lose weight and choose to ignore weight training because they don’t want to get bulky but want a sculpted body. Weight training is essential for muscle growth and shouldn’t be ignored as it also helps build endurance.
Mistake #10 – Not Changing Your Diet
Last but not least, you need to eat healthier to see the effects of your exercise. If junk food makes up a large part of your diet, your workouts will only help you maintain weight, nothing else.
So, these are 10 exercise mistakes you should keep in mind to make the most of your workout sessions.
