With colder days, many of us are going to the gyms for our workouts. Whether you are a seasoned gym junkie or a newbie trying to find your groove, here are our top three mistakes that you might be making while working out at the gym!
Not Warming Up
Since most of us are hitting the gym after a long day of inactivity, a proper warmup is essential for preventing totally avoidable injuries which could sidetrack your workout goals. Also, a proper warm up gets your body ready for the workout by allowing it to move better.
A warm-up should consist of about 10 minutes of dynamic movements, stretches and activation drills in order to get the most out of your workout.
Too Much Too Soon
Although anyone can make this mistake, gym newbies’ enthusiasm gets the best of them and tends to jump in head first. One big issue is lifting weights that are too heavy. Not only could you hurt yourself, but most likely you are not able to do the exercises correctly because the weights are too heavy.
Some people are so excited about their new health regime that they hit the gym every day. Not only is that not sustainable, but it doesn’t allow your body to recover and reap the benefits from a solid workout.
Plateauing
This mistake mostly applies to more experienced gym goers. It is very easy to fall into a routine - lifting the same weights, going through the same circuit. But as your body adapts, it is no longer being challenged and therefore you are not getting the same results. So it is really important to be constantly challenging your body with different exercises and recognizing when it is time to increase your weights.
If you are a gym newbie and don’t know where to start or a seasoned veteran, but feel as though you have plateaued, book an appointment with one of our COAST Kinesiologies! These are fitness and exercise experts who can help you reach your fitness goals.