So, you finally decided to take that first step towards your fitness goals, off you went and bought an amazing pair of shoes, put on your dazzling sweat wears, and when you see yourself for the first time in a gym mirror the reflection is one of your future better self: self confident, 20 lbs lighter, and an aesthetically pleasing physique. Feeling suitably motivated, you now said to yourself, “let’s do this”. Things are great, so far so good!
But then the problems can begin, there are plenty of counterproductive things you may instinctively find yourself during in your first few months of training, burning up hours and hours of your efforts in the gym, and not equating to any meaningful progress. Simply put, having enough motivation and drive to finally pursue your goals is one thing, but actually going about it in the right way is another thing altogether.
Lucky for you this article is here to help, so instead of experiencing in your first few weeks all those avoidable setbacks, unwanted injuries and lost precious time (remember all we want to be losing here are fats and cholesterol!). So, fear not, read on and see the Top 5 Newbie Mistakes and how you can avoid them.
1. Starting without a Clear Goal
“A goal without a plan is only a dream” – Brian Tracy (motivational speaker)
It is not uncommon during the learning phase that beginners just want to get a feel of what it’s like to wake up early, lift weights or to run in the treadmill without clear goals in mind other than to gain muscle or to lose weight.
This often results in a crash and burn situation where you quickly realize that you are rapidly losing motivation to continue your chosen path. Fitness is more than the physical activities, it is also a mindset that you must adapt and a lifestyle you must preserve over time.
You need to have a clear goal in mind for what you want to achieve, and that has to be based on attainable goals within a given time frame. You must also have a concrete plan of how you are going to achieve all this.
Solution: Write down your goal and formulate a habit or workout plan based on your goal. For example if you want to lose extra body fat, then a workout plan that is centered around aerobic exercises maybe best for you. In case you wanted to gain strength then a plan that involves a lot of resistance exercises may suit you more. The key here is establishing a concrete routine and then being consistent with it.
2. Strain and Injury
“My body could stand the crutches but my mind couldn’t stand the sidelines” – Michael Jordan (athlete)
A lot of times we become excited when experiencing something new and especially (for those of us that like to exercise) when starting out on a new workout routine. Since exercise is proven to give you a boost in mood and energy almost immediately, it is not uncommon to be drawn too deep into our workouts especially when we are trying to get to our dream body.
Remember that our body has a window of time to adjust itself to the new demand and stress you are giving it. All movements you make or the weights you lift, will put a certain amount of stress into your muscles and joints.
Injury happens when your body is unprepared to a specific demand you are putting it through. Oftentimes, when the movement is too ballistic or the weight is too heavy to lift, you are at risk of sustaining an injury. This type of workout mistake may put all your prior efforts and progress to waste, while you spend a lot more time in recovery and start to regress on all your gains.
Solution: You have to phase your workouts and give adequate rest periods in between your sets. The key here is to gradually progress as your strength increases. Remember that there is no shortcut to success, slowly but surelywins the race!
3. Doing your range the wrong way
“Do things the right way and things will go your way – Tony Romo” (athlete)
You have probably heard of the phrase, range of motion, which is the available degree of movement in your joint per body segment. During workout, it is common for beginners to do their exercises too quickly and disregard the exercise form as well as the available range their body can still offer, this results in ineffective exercises and a waste of time.
Although different types of exercises require different ranges of motion and form, it is generally acknowledged to do exercises through an optimal range that our body can sustain, in order for your muscles to actively engage and achieve their optimum growth potential.
Solution: Take time to study your exercise movements in the mirror without including the weights. Always prioritize the quality of your movements over the quantity of your repetitions. Always check your form, and feel your muscles as they work, the idea of lifting weights is for your muscles to experience resistance. If you are not feeling any muscle burn you are probably doing it wrong.
4. Not warming up
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished” – Lao Tzu (philosopher)
Many people consider warming up as a waste of time and energy but in reality warming up prepares your muscles and joints for the demands of activities you are going to perform with them. It allows you to prevent injuries and do higher intensity of workouts, which in turn means more room for results.
Solution: Include stretching exercises in your pre and post workout routine, so for example, to prepare your heart and lungs, you could do mild cardio-aerobic exercise for about 5-10 minutes, such as through cycling and jogging before you move on to start your main routine.
5. Too focused on the exercise
“Don’t eat less, eat right!”
At the end of the day whether your goal is to gain muscle or to lose fat, exercise just constitutes 30% of the formula needed, while the remaining 70% comes from your nutrition. You need to eat enough of the right foods in order for your body to grow, and to recover.
Food is your body’s fuel to rebuild itself from all the battles you conquer at the gym. In the fitness world, if you enjoy lifting you should enjoy more the eating part.
There are tons of misconceptions that being fit and healthy means depriving yourself of the joys of your gut. In reality, things are not that complicated and what matters most is the discipline you apply to stay true in your goals.
Solution: Find the appropriate diet plan for your goals. Keep a calorie check in the food that you eat each day, and be sure that you are meeting your dietary needs in order for you to maximize your progress.
