There are a number of mistakes that people of all ages and conditions make in their workout routines. These range from poor choices in food and water consumption to bad workout form. Here is a list of the top 7 workout mistakes people make.
1. Not fueling up before a workout. Many people just starting to workout are also those wanting to lose weight. Therefore, they are often on calorie restrictive diets. Reducing your caloric intake may be necessary to weight loss, but this shouldn't come at the expense of providing your body with the energy it needs to exercise. And don't inadvertently slow your metabolism by getting too few calories. Check your Basal Metabolic Rate to see how many calories you should be getting for your level of workout. You also need to eat after a workout to help your muscles recover and grow.
2. Not hydrating before and during a workout. You can't perform at your best when you aren't getting enough water. The body needs water for cooling, for releasing lactic acids that build up in the muscles during workouts, and for general maintenance. Think of yourself as a camel. Drink a lot of water before your workout so that your cells and circulation are well hydrated. During the workout, make sure to always have a water bottle close by and drink from it before you get thirsty. By the time you feel thirsty, your body has already become dehydrated.
3. Not warming up before your workout. "Cold" muscles and tendons are far more prone to injury than warm ones. Simple stretches help prepare the muscles for the work they will do. Warm-up exercises also increase blood flow and raise body temperature for improved performance.
4. Bad form during workouts. Using too much weight on weight machines, not maintaining correct posture, overextending muscles and joints, using jerking motions instead of smooth repetitions, even pushing your workout too far for your fitness level, all of these can decrease the benefits of your workout and lead to injury. The discomfort that results from poor form may discourage you from working out as much as you should.
5. Taking an all or nothing approach. Workouts don't have to be 2 hours of intensive weightlifting and hitting every machine in the gym to be effective. Even a few minutes of exercise gets the blood moving, the heart rate up, and the muscles active. Make exercise a part of your life, not a grueling marathon every morning at 5 am. Also, don't compare yourself to others. Each person has different requirements from their workout. If you are trying to lose a bit of weight, there's no need to maintain a bodybuilder's workout schedule.
6. Not working out hard enough. Just as detrimental to your workout as going to strong is taking it too easy. Your body needs to sweat, to push itself, in order to grow stronger. Muscles need to be pushed to grow and your lungs and heart need to move more oxygen and blood to increase stamina. Start off gradually in your workout routine but make sure to increase the work you give yourself as you lose weight or build muscle.
7. Failing to cool down. Cooling down after a workout is as important as warming up. Cooling down lowers your body temperature and heart rate and lets it readjust to regular activity levels. A cool down routine of 10 minutes allows your muscles to relax and removes waste products that can make you feel sore later on.
Juliet White is a writer for rawJuicers.com. Raw Juicers caries a complete line of juicers including wheatgrass juicer [http://www.rawjuicers.com/wheatgrass-juicer.html] citrus juicers commercial juicers and has a blog dedicated to nutrition and the health benefits of juicing.
1-800-746-1191
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Juliet_White/205810
Blogger Comment
Facebook Comment