A few tips to help you get the most out of your workout

If you’re just starting out in your pursuit for fitness, or if you’ve been working out but aren’t seeing the results you hoped for, take note of some common exercise mistakes that can prevent you from getting the most out of your efforts. 

1. Skipping the warm up.  The purpose of a warm-up is to gently prepare the body for the increased stress from the upcoming exercise session. Without this, you’re asking your body to work before the oxygen and blood flow have reached the muscles. A 5-10 minute easy jog, brisk walk, dance around the living room, will warm up your muscles and body temp and help you avoid injury.

2. Getting real with goals. Unrealistic or vague goals can lead to frustration and just plain quitting before really getting started. Try to be realistic about what you can accomplish with your schedule and lifestyle. For instance, it takes 3 1/2 to 4 hours a week of physical activity just to prevent weight gain, so it’s going to take more than that to actually lose pounds.

3. Over-doing it.  A common beginner’s mistake is to start working out too intensely which can result in sore, stiff muscles – or worse, injury.  It’s important to work consistently and gradually progress to avoid injury and make improvements. Start slowly, test the waters, and see what your body can safely handle.

4. Same old, same old.   The same workout week after week not only gets boring, but loses its effectiveness. Muscle confusion is a key concept in gaining and maintaining fitness. Switch it up as much as possible … change from the treadmill to the rowing machine or stair stepper, try a spinning or ashtanga yoga class instead of aerobics.

5. Avoiding strength training.  Many people mistakenly think they need only a cardiovascular exercise program to remain fit. But both men and women, naturally begin to lose muscle mass around the age of 30.  Strength training builds muscles, increases the metabolism, helps prevent osteoporosis and also helps us maintain balance as we age. Keep in mind that muscle weighs more than fat, so as you increase muscle mass, you do burn more calories but you may not see that on the scales at first.

6. Technique is everything. Learning the correct way to exercise is essential to getting results and avoiding injury. Improper form in a lunge or squat can lead to serious knee injuries, lifting weights improperly can lead to back injuries, not using full range of motion while exercising will produce less-than-optimal results. Form matters, so if you’ve never worked out before, it pays to invest in a few sessions with a certified personal trainer.

7. Skipping the cool down.  Just as important as a warm up is the cool down.  Another 5 – 10 minutes at a slowed pace allows your heart rate to return to normal and flushes the built up lactic acid from your system, which helps minimize or prevent muscle soreness. Never come to a sudden stop at the end of your workout.

8. Ignoring hydration. Your muscles need fluid to contract properly, so if you don’t drink enough, you can get muscle spasms or aches. Remember, if you’re thirsty, you’re already somewhat dehydrated. Drink lots of water before, during and after exercise. Sports drinks are unnecessary unless you’re a high intensity athlete working out for hours each day. The average person working out at the gym doesn’t exercise enough to deplete electrolytes and potassium levels. Stick to water.

9. Foregoing the stretch. Stretching allows greater freedom of movement and improved posture, increases physical and mental relaxation, releases muscle tension and soreness, and reduces risk of injury.  However, stretching cold muscles can lead to injury so do your stretching after your workout. Hold each stretch for 20 – 30 seconds and NEVER bounce in the stretch – bouncing increases your risk of straining or pulling the muscle. Stretching is as important to your fitness plan as cardiovascular training and strength training.

10. State of mind. Exercise should be fun, or at least it should feel good — if not during the workout, then when you’re finished. If you think of it as torture, you won’t do it! There are so many choices out there … find the right type of exercise for you, vary what you do each day, have realistic goals (come on … you really didn’t expect to lose 5 pounds in one week, did you?) and it’ll be easier to make the lifestyle change that leads to a long life, healthy body and happy state of mind.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 24th, 2010 at 3:36 pm and is filed under Featured, Shaping Up. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.