Real talk: You’re only human, and making mistakes is a natural part of life – you live and learn from it. Your time at the gym is absolutely no exception. We spoke with Mike Bohl, MD, MPH, ALMmember of our medical expert board and certified personal trainer and nutrition coach, who breaks down five common fitness mistakes women make that destroy their progress so you can alter your routine immediately.
In the midst of an ever-busy schedule, your workout time is precious. That’s why it’s a good idea to plan out exactly what you want to do before you hit the gym, change up your workouts throughout the week, and make sure you get enough rest between workouts to give your body enough recovery time. What you focus on in the gym really depends on your personal fitness goals, such as losing weight, adding more muscle to your body, improving your cardiovascular health, increasing your flexibility, or working on balance and stability. But no matter what you’d like to accomplish, pairing your fitness routine with healthy eating is crucial to ensure your body is fully fueled during workouts and able to successfully heal itself after the conclusion.
Dr. Bohl walks us through five incredibly common fitness mistakes women make in the gym that destroy their progress. As stated earlier, mistakes are a natural part of life, but they can be totally avoided to ensure your training time is the best and most productive possible. Keep reading to learn more, and when you’re done, be sure to check out the 5 Exercise Habits That Are Destroying Your Body After 50.
When exercising, especially when working with extra weights, using correct form is crucial. Working out using improper form can totally ruin your progress and can even lead to serious injury.
“For each exercise, it is important to check the five checkpoints of the kinetic chain: feet about shoulder-width apart and turned forward, knees forward and not bent inwards or outward, pelvis flat and in a neutral position, shoulders pulled back and not elevated, and head turned forward and in a neutral position,” says Dr. Bohl.
A great trick you can do to check your form is to film yourself doing certain exercises. You can then watch the clips later to see where your form needs improvement.
Exercise and diet go hand in hand. Trying to figure out what’s best to eat during your workout can be difficult when you’re sticking to a strict meal plan. “However, in general, it’s important to eat carbs before a workout to give your body the energy it needs, and to eat protein throughout the day so muscles can recover,” explains Dr. Bohl.
Variety really is the spice of life. This saying rings true when it comes to your fitness routine. A typical mistake is doing the same workout every time you go to the gym. This prevents you from trying other beneficial exercises and machines, and it might not provide your body with enough recovery time between workouts.
“To work around this problem, plan your gym routine over the course of the week and plan to do a different activity each time,” Dr. Bohl suggests. “For example, one day can be dedicated to core exercises, one day to arm exercises, one day to Pilates, etc.”
Let’s get one thing straight: cardio is an effective form of training that offers a multitude of benefits. For example, a solid cardiovascular workout like swimming, biking, rowing, running, or hiking can improve blood circulation, reduce stress, and improve your mood, promote a better night’s sleep, and even help you lose weight. weight, reports the Cleveland Clinic. But be warned about warming up with cardio, as it’s one of the most common fitness mistakes women make that destroy their progress.
“Cardio might seem like a good way to warm up, but it also takes a lot of energy out of the body, and if you do an intense cardio routine at the start of your workout, you might be too tired to get a weight lift. effective session afterwards,” Dr. Bohl says.Rather than focusing on cardio first, start your workout with weight training and end your session with cardio.
Warming up before every workout is the name of the game if you want to reduce your chances of injury. Plus, dealing with an injury will only lengthen the time you can’t be in the gym and working towards your goals. “A good warm-up should include something to get the heart rate up (eg, brisk walking) and dynamic stretching to prepare the muscles for movement,” Dr. Bohl says.
Subscribe to our newsletter !