How to Avoid Common Workout Mistakes

Exercise is more than just a way to shed some fat or prepare for an upcoming marathon. Exercise benefits your physical appearance and overall health.

However, there are certain things about exercise that everyone should remember. If not done properly, exercise can backfire. Below are some common mistakes people make when they work out.

Mistake#1: Focusing on a Single Muscle Group or Body Area

Do you dream of having washboard abs and eliminating that beer belly? While these goals are specific, concentrating on your abs by doing 100 crunches may be counterproductive. Regardless of what muscle group you’re targeting, you need to lose fat in order to obtain muscle definition. Spot-specific exercises like crunches and sit-ups are not enough to improve your fat metabolism.

You should incorporate high-intensity interval exercises and core exercises in your routine. These exercises help burn fat, improve muscle definition all over your body, and promote aerobic fitness.

A well-rounded exercise program includes not only core training and high-intensity exercises, but also strength training, aerobics, and active stretching.

Mistake #2: Limiting Sleep for the Sake of Your Workout

Although experts recommend working out first thing in the morning, sacrificing sleep for it is not the answer. It is crucial not to lose sleep, as this is your body’s way of recharging itself. Loss of sleep can impair your weight management efforts and raise your risk for various health problems.

Some people think that they can allot more time for exercise by cutting down on sleep. However, if you integrate high-intensity exercises into your routine, you don’t have to exercise for hours at a time.

According to studies, people who do high-intensity exercises reap more benefits than those who focus on slow, long-distance forms of physical activity.

Mistake #3: Exerting Too Much or Too Little Effort in Strength Training

When strength training, some people go to the extreme. Some push themselves too hard, while others use weights that are too light. To benefit from strength training, make sure that your body is challenged, but just enough for your current level of fitness.

It will make no difference whether your weights are heavy or not. As long as you achieve muscle failure and fatigue after a few repetitions, your routine is effective.

Also remember that you need to increase the intensity of your workout to keep your body challenged.

Mistake #4: Over-Exercising

Sometimes, the “no pain, no gain” mentality and exercising too intensely or frequently can backfire. Part of a well-rounded exercise routine is recovery – you need to allow your body to recuperate. Also, you should not do high-intensity exercises more than twice a week.

One thing that many individuals keep forgetting is when you increase intensity, you can decrease frequency. Give yourself sufficient time to recover. Pushing yourself too hard can lead to injury.

Other Ways to Stay Healthy and Attractive

Good health is achieved from the inside out. Aside from exercising, there are other ways to promote optimal health and physical appearance, such as:

1. Avoid toxins –The key is to keep toxins out, as they speed up the aging process. Processed foods, refined carbohydrates, sugar, and grains are sources of these toxins.
2. Avoid alcohol and smoking – These vices are other sources of toxins and free radical damage.
3. Get some sun – Not only does sun exposure help optimize your vitamin D levels, but it also gives your skin a natural tan.
4. Ditch drugs for natural alternatives – Instead of using drugs to support your health, try using natural supplements instead. Some experts recommend taking saw palmetto with pumpkin seed or lycopene.

About the Author

Adrienne R. writes health and fitness articles. At present, she is researching how multivitamin benefits one’s health. She uses online sources, such as the Mercola natural health newsletter, to get up-to-date information about health and fitness.