Common Mistakes Made During Exercise
Exercising may seem simple, but when you get into it, you might realize that simplicity is not always the case. There are many common mistakes made during exercise, but you can avoid them with some simple tips. In this article, we will tell you what these common mistakes are, and how to avoid making them.
Common Mistakes Made During Exercise
Not warming up
Beginning an exercise routine without warming up is one of the most common mistakes that people make, as well as one of the leading causes of injury. Going into an intense movement without first preparing your muscles for it, is essentially putting your muscle in a state of shock. The muscle may not know how to react and as a result could easily tear or break.
Warming up is important, as much or more so than stretching. It is a way to gradually prepare the muscles and fluids in your body for the intense exercise you are about to undertake.
Not wearing appropriate clothing or footwear
When you go buy sportswear or footwear, you may typically choose the items you like or that you think will fit. While it is true that it is still possible to be fashionable and wear sportswear, you should try to think more about exactly what you need for the type of exercise that you will be doing. It is better to think practically, rather than thinking about what colors and styles will look best.
For example, not all sneakers are suitable for all types of sports, not are all pants are suitable for all exercises. You can ask trainers, search the Internet, and do your research well in order to learn what type of shoes and sportswear you will need. The purpose of this is not just comfort, but to also avoid injuries.
Not hydrating
Drinking at least two liters of water a day is necessary, but it is also necessary to drink a lot of water while exercising. Your sweat contains toxins and fluid that you eliminate from your body when you exercise, and that fluid must be replaced.
Some people believe that drinking water while exercising is bad, but that is nothing more than a myth. The body needs to remain in an optimal state while exercising, and one of the ways to do this is to replenish what it is losing, including its fluids.
Repeating the same routine over and over
Your body becomes accustomed to certain exercises, thus, if you repeat them over and over again they eventually stop producing results. In order not to make this mistake, you have to create (or ask a trainer to help you) a different exercise routine for each day that you go to the gym.
Creating a routine is not difficult to do. It should include ten minutes of warm-up, twenty minutes of cool down, and five minutes of stretching. In the middle, you could work your legs one day, your arms the next, your abdominals on a different day, or even go to a class… The important thing is to not let your body become accustomed to just one routine.
Lifting weights that are too heavy
When people decide to tone their body by lifting weights, they often make the mistake of thinking, that the more weight they lift the better. However, this will only cause injury. Your body will know the weight it can stand. Do not worry if at first you cannot lift too much. As you progress, you will see that you will be able to lift more.
One way to gradually add weight with the machines at the gym, is to do less repetitions while adding kilos. For example, if with the abductor machine you normally lift 35 kilos and you do fifteen repetitions, try adding 2.5 kilos and doing twelve repetitions, 5 kilos and doing ten repetitions, 7.5 kilos and doing eight repetitions, etc.
Not cooling down
Another one of the most common mistakes made during exercise, is not cooling down. When you have gone through a hard exercise routine, your body needs to restore itself to its normal state, particularly your heart rate.
Most people believe that the best way to cool down is by using a cardio machine. Do about 15-20 minutes on the machine, but at a slower pace than when you are going all out.
Not stretching
Many people also forget to stretch. Well, this is the biggest mistake you can make. Leaving the gym without stretching could cause a serious injury. Why? Because your muscles tense up when you exercise, and even one small and wrong movement made on your way home, could cause a tear.
Do not forget to follow these tips to not only avoid injuries, but also to avoid the most common mistakes made during exercise. Help your routine to be as effective as it can be.