Workout and exercise mistakes

Workout and exercise mistakes

Getting and staying fit can be a challenge. Workout or exercise mistakes are very common and can be easily overlooked. Did you know that all it takes is just one injury to stop you from working out for a long time, maybe even side-lining you permanently? 

Because of the vast amounts of information available online, it may be confusing to know when and how to exercise the right way. These mistakes will not only prevent you from getting a good and effective workout but they can also lead to increased pain, risk injury, and cause undue stress. 

If you're guilty of making these mistakes, learn about how to change your behavior and minimize the risks. It’s always a good time to sit down and think about how to avoid some basic, but all too common, training mistakes. Here is my list of the top eight mistakes to avoid.

Skipping the Warm-Up: 

Often times, being extremely busy and wanting to hurry to finish a workout leads to you jumping right into it without doing a proper warm-up. This is a big no-no. The purpose of the warm-up is to get your blood warmed and circulated through the body. If you skip it, there's a greater chance that your muscles are cold and you'll risk injury. When you're pressed for time, try shortening the main workout instead of the warm-up. If necessary you can try several short workouts throughout the day. 

Starting the Workout with Stretches: 

If you start your workout before performing any initial exercise to get the blood flowing, your muscles will be cold. You should think of your muscles as rubber bands. If you stretch a cold rubber band, it may pop, but as soon as you warm it up, there is more elasticity. The same rule goes for your muscles. You can avoid injury by warming up your muscles first, then stretching them. 

Doing the Same Type of Exercise Everyday: 

It's absolutely recommended that you engage in 20-30 minutes of exercise each day, however, you should avoid doing the same type of exercise on consecutive days. When you work the same muscle groups every day it can lead to over training and muscle imbalances. Each muscle group needs adequate rest & recovery days in order to operate efficiently. 

Starving Yourself: 

Your body breaks down food and uses it as fuel to complete small daily tasks and large tasks like exercising. You need to eat before working out to fuel properly. The key is to give your body 30 minutes to digest the food and to choose food that contain complex carbohydrates (which is the body’s main source of energy) and a bit of protein. 

Working Out in Old Shoes: 

Your body needs a certain amount of support and shock absorption when you are exercising. Working out in worn-out shoes does not give you this support and can lead to leg, back and knee pain. You should replace your shoes after about 500 miles of use or prior to that if they begin to feel uncomfortable. Often times you might find sports or running shoe stores that can help you pick a great shoe for your exercise regimen. If you can find a store that offers a "gait" analysis of your running technique all the better. Doing this will ensure the sports shoe you select is tailored to support your feet in the places required.