The 10 Most Common Gym Mistakes and How to Fix them

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Stephen Dixon
6 years ago
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The 10 Most Common Gym Mistakes and How to Fix them Thinking about the health-conscious decision to go to the gym because you know it s good for you. Congratulations! You ve taken the initial step!

2 The 10 Most Common Gym Mistakes and How to Fix them Thinking about the health-conscious decision to go to the gym because you know it s good for you. Congratulations! You ve taken the initial step! But even good intentions can have negative impacts if you re not doing it the right way. Don t get caught making these crucial mistakes at the gym- here's how to fix them and make sure you get the most out of your workout: 10. Eating too much before exercising Your body is a mean, calorie-burning (and building) machine. It has two distinct modes, fuelbuilding (what it will do with the food you consume after the process of digestion) or fuelburning (what you need to power through a workout). More often than not, your body will have enough of its own energy reserves that you don t need to load up with energy bars beforehand. Exercising on a full stomach can confuse your body and give you a stomach ache. Digestion varies for everybody and can take about 30 to 90 minutes depending on the type and amount of food consumed. You want to have something before (like a fastdigesting snack) 15 to 30 minutes before working out, but don t overdo it.

9. Static stretching before working out Yes, you want to be warmed up before working out, but static stretching (holding a singlestretch) will not warm you up and could even wear you out or worse,

3 9. Static stretching before working out Yes, you want to be warmed up before working out, but static stretching (holding a singlestretch) will not warm you up and could even wear you out or worse, injure you. You want to warm up dynamically, meaning you move your body through a sequence of movements to get the blood flowing to the muscles you will be engaging. High-knees, booty kicks, walking lunges, and bodyweight squats all get your heart beating faster and your blood pumping to the muscles that will need it. Save the traditional stretching for the end of an exercise to cool down and relax the muscles you just worked out. 8. Incorrect form when squatting or lunging Squats and lunges are great because they are the most universal of leg exercises at activating and engaging the large muscle groups of the body. But when done wrong, they can lead to knee pain and injury. Knees should never go over the toes and the heels should never come off the ground. Focus on keeping a 90 angle at all the bends in the body (at the ankle, knee, and from the hips), grounding your weight and pushing through the heels. 7. Not using the right weight/resistance when training Resistance training (training the muscles with weight) is a great way to build strength, increase metabolism and weight loss, and improve body composition. However, not using the right weight or resistance when exercising could lead to injury or diminished returns. If you don t use enough resistance to challenge yourself, you won t stress your muscles enough to become stronger. If you use too much weight, you will compromise your form and likely injure yourself by overdoing it. You should pick a level of resistance that feels safe, putting a little overload on your muscles so that you can feel them working and resisting but not strained to the point of overexertion or pain.

6. Doing cardio the wrong way There s plenty of ways to get your heart pumping during a workout. From cardio machines, to classes, to circuit training.

If you re on a machine, make sure that you are getting the full motion through the legs without holding a death grip with your arms.

4 6. Doing cardio the wrong way There s plenty of ways to get your heart pumping during a workout. From cardio machines, to classes, to circuit training. Whatever way you do it, make sure you are doing it right for you. Are you too steady for too long? Is your heart rate at a level that it will be challenged? If you re on a machine, make sure that you are getting the full motion through the legs without holding a death grip with your arms. Don t find yourself guilty of locking out your arms or holding on for dear life on the stair climber, treadmill, or elliptical- this can raise your blood pressure in a negative way and decrease the effectiveness of your workout. 5. Rushing through exercises We re all in a rush for one reason or another these days and granted, there will be those times when you have to just make your workout fits in with a busy schedule. Even if you re not constrained by time don t just hurry through it to get it done. Quality is better than quantity. An intervalstyle workout can help you power through when you re on a tight schedule. If you try to hurry and rush through it, you re likely to be more focused on time than your efforts and can end up injuring yourself. Keeping the intensity high and attention focused, you will get the most out of your workout and feel more accomplished than hurried.

4. Bringing your phone along Your workout is your time for YOU. Working your facial or your metatarsal muscles on your phone doesn t count when it comes to working out.

5 4. Bringing your phone along Your workout is your time for YOU. Working your facial or your metatarsal muscles on your phone doesn t count when it comes to working out. The distraction of your phone, a message, or a call can shift your focus and distract your efforts from your exercise. And it is a distraction to others working out around you. Take the time to disconnect from your device and resync with yourself to give you your full attention and effort for your workout. 3. Forgetting to bring your music Music can be the good distraction you need to amplify your workout. It can pump you up, make you move, and empower your workout. It gives you more control over your environment and helps you block out other distractions that may keep you from focusing on what really matters when you re at the gym: your workout. This is an easy mistake to learn from because once you forget, you will never forget it again! 2. Staying in your Comfort Zone There are no couches or recliners at the gym for a reason, it is not the place you go to just be yourselfit s the place you go to push yourself and to be better. This means trying something new including a new exercise or a new routine. This is the only way you ll get better. The better you get, the more comfortable you ll be at the gym as long as you keep pushing your comfort zone.

1. Not Having a Goal or a Plan If you don t know what you re doing or working towards, how will you know if you re doing it right or achieving anything it at all?

Identify a SMART goal, one that is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.

We hope that you ve enjoyed and will benefit from the tips in this ebook.

6 1. Not Having a Goal or a Plan If you don t know what you re doing or working towards, how will you know if you re doing it right or achieving anything it at all? Not having a goal when working out is like like wandering aimlessly in the desert and you re likely to sink faster than you would in quicksand. Identify a SMART goal, one that is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. You will better know what you want to do and how to go about doing it to see the results you are working towards. At Body Renew, we re all about helping you get to be the best YOU you can. We hope that you ve enjoyed and will benefit from the tips in this ebook. To make the most of your workout, you will get the best out of it by putting in solid effort, hard work, and the right mindset. If you ever want a more customized approach or some personal attention, sign up for a free Jump Start training session with one of our personal trainers to help you design a workout program that is fit for YOU. Old Seward Old Seward Hwy Anchorage, AK Midtown 202 E. Northern Lights Blvd Anchorage, AK Wasilla 1325 E. Palmer-Wasilla Hwy Wasilla, AK Eagle River Old Glenn Hwy Eagle River, AK

Little #NOSBoss Program (Beginner)

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