Stop Making These Exercise Mistakes
Just Do It Right
- Exercise can help your physical, mental & emotional health, give you more energy & even
be a boost for your social life. - Experts recommend 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. But watch out for a few pitfalls that can make you do more harm than good.
You Bail Out
- Skipping workouts just because, can set you back, especially if you’re on an exercise
program. - Not only does it make it harder for you to reach your goals, but you also can lose some
of the progress you’ve made
You Have a Meal Right Before
- If you eat a meal within 2 hours before working out, your body will be digesting that food &
blood won’t flow as well to your muscles. - That can affect your post-workout recovery & lead to cramps & nausea.
- Instead, try a light snack like peanut butter & a banana, Greek yogurt & berries, oatmeal
or a handful of nuts or raisins.
You Don’t Warm Up
- Starting your workout without warming up may save a few minutes, but it isn’t a good idea.
- Your body needs the warmup to raise your body temperature & get your blood flowing, to
help loosen up your muscles & give you more range of motion. - It can be something as simple as light walking, jogging, or biking for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Be careful not to stretch before warming up.
You Bounce When You Stretch
- You’re more likely to hurt your muscles or make them tighter if you move around when
you stretch. - Hold each one steady for 20 to 30 seconds.
- There is a type called ballistic stretching that calls for bouncing, but you shouldn’t try it
without working with a professional trainer or coach first.
You Don’t Have Good Posture
- This can limit your progress & could lead to a fall or an injury.
- Also, if you’re lifting weights, try to keep your back straight & your shoulders back & relaxed& don’t lock your knees, either.
You Hold Your Breath
- You might do this without even knowing it but it’s important to pay attention to your breathing.
- Holding your breath limits the amount of oxygen coming into your body.
- If you hold it too long, you might pass out.
- When you’re lifting heavy weights, take a deep breath before you start a set, then gradually
let it out as you go.
You Slack On Your Form
- This can keep you from targeting the right areas & limit your range of motion.
- It can actually make you weaker & damage your muscles.
- Use lighter weights & perfect your form before moving on to the heavier stuff.
You Stray From Your Plan
- If you're just starting out, you may be tempted to try too many things too quickly.
- You can get overwhelmed & do too much.
- Set goals & know which muscle groups you want to target before you start your workout.
.
You Ignore Your Limitations
- Don’t try to lift more weight than you can handle.
- You can get hurt & it can mess up your technique.
- When you do go for more weight, add only a little at a time & get comfortable with it before
going further.
You’re Too Competitive
- It’s natural to want to compare yourself with others, but don’t change your workout, or try
to lift too much to keep up with someone else. - You don’t know their experience or skill level, so it’s best to stay within your limits & focus on your goals.
You Socialize Too Much
- While the gym is a good place to meet people, talking while you work out may not be a
good idea. - It’s best to concentrate on what you’re doing & keep chats between sets or between
exercises short. - There’s plenty of time for that before or after the session.
- On the other hand, if you can hold a normal conversation while working out, you're probably
not overdoing it.
You Go Heavy All the Time
- Even if you’ve set a goal of getting stronger, you should mix things up ,do more reps with l
ighter weight & fewer reps with moderate or heavy weight. - Training with heavy weights every time you work out can actually keep you from adding
muscle & raise your chance of injury. - You might vary your workouts with moderate, heavy & light-weight days.
You Only Do What You Like
- You may like some exercises better than others & the are probably the ones you’re best at.
- However, you need to work all muscle groups.
- Targeting the same ones all the time can make it hard for them to recover.
- Try to focus on different spots & develop each of them.
You Don't Take Water Breaks
- Staying hydrated is important for cooling off your body & keeping your blood flowing.
- Drink water before your workout, then 6 to 8 oz for every 15 minutes you’re active, then
some more once you're done
You Don’t Know When to Stop
-
You may have heard the saying ‘No pain, no gain,’ but serious pain can mean you’re using too much weight or it’s time to stop.
Pushing through can lead to injury.
If you’re starting out, it’s normal to have some soreness for a day or so after working out.
If it lasts longer, it probably means you should cut back.
You Don't Cool Down
- Once you finish, you should ease out with some mild stretching.
- This can help get your heart rate, blood pressure & breathing back to normal levels.
- Stretching your muscles while they’re warm & blood is flowing to them may also help them lengthen & stretch more easily.
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