5 Common Training Mistakes

Repost from FreeMotionFit

So you’ve been working out 3 days a week and feel pretty good about yourself! You’ve even seen the the numbers on the scale drop so you know your training is working! Way to go! Just be sure to keep your training in check by not making these common mistakes:

1. NO WARM UP – Your nervous system, cardiovascular system and muscular system need to wake up in order to keep your body safe. Keep it simple with a 5 – 10 minute walk at a slight incline and without holding on. Your body temperature will increase along with your blood flow to your muscles. Remember it’s a warm up and not a workout!

2. LOW INTENSITY – Exercise is stress to the body. There needs to be intensity in order to get results. Take inventory of your fatigue frequently throughout your training session and make sure you’re working in a moderate to vigorous level.

3. OUT OF BALANCE – As with everything in life, there needs to be balance in your exercise too! Think opposing muscle groups like chest and back, biceps and triceps, quadriceps and hamstrings, lower abdominal and lower back for instance. Also keep in mind your whole health. Are you strong in all disciplines of fitness, strength, endurance, flexibility, balance and agility?

4. NO VARIETY – If you always do the same program you will only be fit in that way! Mix it all up! Use cable based equipment as well as medicine balls and dumbbells. Walk at an incline and ride your bike. Take a yoga class and use a foam roller. Exercise three-dimensionally, move forward and backward, laterally and rotate. Train the way you were designed to move!

5. NO STRETCHING – Most people skip this part! Stretching feels good and is one of the best things for your body for recovery and keeping your range of motion. Find what works best for you, whether it is yoga, elastic bands, self-myofascial release with a foam roller or even your old school straddle stretch. It will keep you healthy for years to come!

Maureen Evanoff FreeMotion Master Coach NASM Certified Personal Trainer Certified Yoga Fit Instructor