9 Most common workout mistakes & how you can avoid them

Workout mistakes may be hindering your progress

If you find yourself getting frustrated that you’re not seeing the results you desire from your training chances are there is something you’re doing wrong. Oftentimes people will jump into a new exercise routine without first assessing themselves to avoid any common workout mistakes. If you don’t know what you’re doing you can hinder your progress and even put yourself at risk for injury or set-backs.

9 Common workout mistakes to avoid

To figure out what you’re doing wrong check to see if any of these common workout mistakes apply to you:

  1. Inconsistency in your training. One of the most important factors in seeing results is maintaining consistency with your program. If you have a tendency to frequently start and stop a program or only periodically train you’re going to be hard-pressed to see progress. Without consistency, your body can’t adapt and master new skill-sets, which is what allows you to gain foot ground in your program. The more consistent you train per week the more volume you gain over time. This is what leads to progress. Ideally, you should aim to train at least 2-3x per week to gain the most benefits. However, it’s more important to train at a consistency you can maintain even if it’s only 1x per week. 

  1. Overtraining. Overtraining can lead to burn-out and injury. If you are seeing declines in your performance or if your muscle soreness recovery seems to linger chances are you are overtraining. To avoid overtraining schedule rest days in between your workouts and don’t do too much too quickly. When you put excessive demands on your body it could lead to muscle strain or injury.

  2. Improper form. If you’re doing an exercise with the improper form you risk targeting unintended muscles and putting your body in a compromised position. This can lead to injury. If you aren’t engaging the muscle correctly you’re not gaining the full benefit of the exercise. Always check yourself in the mirror or film yourself to ensure your form is correct.

  3. Not doing enough strength training. Strength training is important for improving motor skills, your body composition, your joint health, metabolism, muscular strength and endurance and more. By not following a consistent strength training program you are missing out on these many benefits to your health.

  1. Poor nutrition. It’s important to note that while exercise is key for making progress you are doing yourself a disservice if you aren’t also incorporating a well-balanced macro-friendly diet. No matter how hard you train, you can never outperform a bad diet. Calorie consumption is equally important here as it aids in having an optimal metabolism, which we break-down for you under our nutrition guide.

  2. Not progressing in your program. If you have been doing the same workout routine for weeks or months on end without adjusting your rep scheme, your level of resistance or exercise routine you have probably plateaued by now. Your body responds and adapts quickly to a consistent exercise program so it’s important that you make your exercises more demanding overtime. This forces your body to get stronger as it adapts to these new demands.

  3. Not incorporating a good stretching and mobility routine. Active and passive stretching is important for improving your ability to move each muscle through its full range of motion. Moving the muscle and joint through a full range of motion helps prevent injury and allow for maximum recruitment of muscle fibers. This allows you to train more efficiently.

  4. Not sleeping enough. Sleep is when your body recovers. When you’re not getting enough uninterrupted hours of rest per night it puts added stress on the body. Your muscles can’t build back up stronger if they haven’t first had the chance to recover. Lack of sleep can also contribute to joint pain and stiffness.

  5. Doing too much too soon. Always aim to master the basics in your program first. Start with building your foundation. Training calisthenics is important for understanding proper form and being able to manage your body weight in space. Bodyweight training teaches you coordination, balance, proprioception and self awareness.

Other key points to remember when training

If you’re avoiding all these common workout mistakes and still struggling to see results keep in mind results take time. Set realistic expectations for yourself. Give yourself at least 4-6 weeks following a consistent weekly program before you start evaluating any changes happening to your body. 

If you have hefty goals like to lose 40 lbs or being able to do an unassisted pull-up you should be thinking long-term. With long-term goals reevaluate yourself in 6 months. Real change does not happen overnight. Be patient with yourself and learn to trust the process. You should also keep in mind that success is not linear. Expect to face set-backs. This is a fact of life. The more you can enjoy the journey the more success you will find in the long run.

Hire a professional to help

If you are questioning whether you’re effectively avoiding these common workout mistakes you should seek help from a professional. Our certified trainers are equipped to design a program specifically to fit your needs. We are here to guide you through each workout to make sure you’re executing each exercise correctly. We also serve as your accountability partner. Having our support and expertise will help set you up for success and take the guesswork out of the equation for you. If you are interested in learning more about our services contact us today for a free phone consultation. 

Beginner’s workout plan for a busy schedule!

Where to start with a workout plan

Working out doesn’t have to be complex, complicated nor time-consuming. You just have to establish a workout plan that you can stick to consistently even when you aren’t feeling motivated. A good way to carry out this easy workout plan for beginners  is to follow these simple tips:

  • Establish a good time of day to workout that fits with your schedule and when your energy level is at its highest – If you are like me and aren’t a morning person pick a time in the afternoon or evening after work. If your schedule gets more chaotic as the day progresses an earlier time in the day may be best for you. A lunch hour workout may be good if you like the idea of breaking up your work day with some self-care.
  • Figure out what your goals are so you can follow a fitness program that will help you target them – If your goal is to lose weight your workout will look different then if your goal is to put on muscle. Maybe your goal is simply to move more and that is okay too.
  • Find someone to hold you accountable – When you’re feeling like the couch is looking more appealing than the gym you need that person who is going to call you out and remind you about your fitness goals. This person could be a friend, your partner or even a co-worker. You can even have this person workout with you so you have a buddy to help push you to work harder.
  • Upgrade your workout attire – If it’s been awhile since you worked out chances are your gym clothes could use some updating. Make sure you’re not wearing the best clothes to the office and scrubs to the gym. When you look good in what you’re wearing to the gym your confidence gets a nice boost and you’re more motivated to workout harder.

Workout routine for beginners

You can establish and try a workout routine for a week with a few easy yet effective exercises that don’t require any machines or equipment. These exercises can be consistently incorporated into any workout routine at home.

For strength training try these exercises:

  • Planks are a great exercise to include in your workout routine at home because they target your total body including your core and you can do lots of variations.
  • Lunges are a good lower body exercise to do because it is a compound movement, which means multiple muscles are engaged at once. You can also mix it up when you get bored by trying different variations including curtsy lunges.
  • Squats are another great lower body compound movement with lots of variations.
  • Push-ups everyone is familiar with and this exercise is great for your upper body workout.

If your focus is on cardio try these calisthenics moves:

  • mountain climbers
  • step-ups
  • jumping jacks
  • jump squats

For either goal you should aim to complete at least 10-15 reps of each exercise and then recover for up to one minute before then repeating the circuit again. If you have the time, repeat the circuit 3x. If it’s your first time, see if you can complete the circuit once fully and gradually over time work yourself up to three sets.

A good way to combine these exercises into a workout routine for beginners is to choose 2-3 lower body exercises, 2-3 upper body exercises and 2-3 core exercises and perform them in a circuit. As mentioned above you can go for 10-15 reps or if you have a stopwatch you can go for time instead. If you’re going for time push yourself for 30-45 seconds followed by a 15-30 second rest or recovery period. Then repeat with the next exercise.

This way you get a solid total body workout in as little as 15-30 minutes.

Workout routine at home when you're short on time

If you have small children at home or if you work from home you may find it hard to designate a certain time to exercise. A good way to workout with a busy schedule is to incorporate exercise into your normal everyday activities. For example:

  • You can be doing squats while you’re putting the laundry or dishes away. Squat before each time you pick-up the clothes or dishes.
  • Practice lunging while you’re running the vacuum.
  • If you are on mommy or daddy duty you can do shoulder overhead raises with your child in your arms or squats and lunges while holding them. Older children love to partake in exercise with mommy and daddy. You can do a yoga routine while teaching them how to do it with you so it becomes a family activity.
  • When you’re sitting at your desk for long periods of times incorporate a few sit and stands from your desk chair. You can also do a plank or triceps dips on your desk chair while you’re reading your emails.

There are lots of creative ways like these to incorporate exercise in the home each day. 

How often should beginners workout

When you’re new to exercise any bit counts. Don’t put pressure on yourself right away to workout a certain amount of times each week. Start with what is manageable for you and your schedule. Also, listen to your body and don’t overdo it.

As you get into a regular routine it’s most optimal to workout a minimum of twice per week and three times per week is even better! Your sessions don’t have to be an hour long each time. A very effective workout can be done in as little as 30 minutes. The key is to limit the amount of rest you take in between exercises.

It is NOT advised that you do strenuous exercise everyday. Your body needs time to recover in between workouts. However, getting in the habit of moving everyday is recommended. This could mean going for a walk or taking the stairs more often. It means instead of sitting at your desk for 8 hours straight you take breaks periodically to get up and walk around and stretch.