Working out is a healthy way to keep your body fit and strong. Before thinking of starting workouts, you need to set your goals rights and know what you wish to achieve at the end. A number of individuals spend hours at the gym or out in the field, but never get to hit their goals. This might be as a result of making some simple mistakes at the gym. Here are some of the preventable mistakes that might make your efforts futile while working out.
- Lack of Intensity
The intensity of the workout greatly determines its results. For example, when you wish to lose weight, then you need to increase the distance and the weights you use. Also, you need to maximize your body weight while exercising through the use of ankle weights or a weighted vest to get optimum intensity needed for effective weight loss. Cardio vs Weight Lifting: Which Is More Effective?
- Lack of Focus
Lifting with intensity alone will not facilitate weight loss or help you achieve your workout target. Therefore, it will help you a great deal if you are mindful about the task at hand. It is necessary to stay focused when working out in order to get rid of anything that can slow you down. This means that you should stay away from watching TV, chatting, or reading while working out as they will draw away your focus.
- Poor Diet Plan
Without having a proper and healthy diet plan, your workout efforts will definitely be worthless. You need to stick to the recommended training diet ratio of 70:30 while working out. The diet should provide proper nutrition like essential fats, proteins and carbs. All these foods should be consumed in the right proportions in order for you to meet your workout goals. Fitness: Great Foods To Eat Before A Workout
- Unrealistic Goals
Setting goals should be the first thing you should do before walking into the gym. However, while doing this, you should remember that setting unrealistic and vague goals will only encourage you to quit working out without achieving your target. In the beginning, you should set smaller goals that you can easily achieve based on your fitness level.
- Not Adjusting Machines to Fit the Body
Before using any machine or equipment at the gym, it is advisable to adjust it depending on your body size and frame. Failure to do this only exposes you to higher chances of injuries as you work out. Additionally, you will be carrying out incomplete reps, which have no effect on your body.
- No Warmup Session
Doing warmups is the best way to prepare the body for workouts. However, most people skip this step because probably they think they are short of time or assume it is not important. Surprisingly, skipping warmups is the quickest way to injure yourself while working out or after working out. Therefore, it might end up slowing down your workout process. This implies that you need to elevate your heart rate first before working out. You can do this by engaging in pushups, squats, and lunges.
- Bad Neck Positions
The position of your neck is very important when working out to avoid possible injuries to your spine. In most cases, people have their neck bent upwards while exercising and this heightens chances of hurting your cervical spine. You should instead have your chin pointed downward while working out and ensure that it remains that way till the end of your exercise.
- Ego Lifting
Ego lifting also referred to as lack of proper form is very dangerous as it can permanently hurt your body while working out. Lifting of heavier weights than you are supposed to in order to match your friends or impress a cute girl in the gym does not benefit your body instead it hurts it. To avoid chances of hurting your body permanently, you should go for weights you can comfortably lift.
- Running on your Heels
It is vital to run on the balls of the feet, as opposed to your heels. This is because when you run or jog on your heels, you are exerting lots of pressure on your hips, knees, and ankles. This results in shin splints or knee pain, which will slow down the workout progress, working against your workout goals.
- Incomplete Squats
Squats are highly effective for leg exercises. However, in order to achieve maximum benefits without exposing yourself to possible injuries, you need to practice proper squatting techniques. Failure to do this, you will end up hurting your knees and this will limit the full exercise range that benefits your hips.
If you avoid making the mistakes above, you will get the best from your workout efforts and you will also avoid injuring yourself in the process. When workouts are performed incorrectly, they do not give the benefits you had hoped for. Therefore, the purpose is to exercise/workout in a controlled and slow manner by lifting within your comfort zone and going through the full motion range. Also, you need to get enough sleep, hire the correct trainer, and stop relying on a gym partner to help you achieve your goals. Check out this article for other things you shouldn’t do.
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