Five Mistakes You Are Making While You Are At The Gym : 1- Going Overboard on Cardio Machines Having regular cardio exercise is essential to strengthen your muscles and your heart. This is also one of those exercises that can shed off those unnecessary pounds. However, you will not be able to reap its benefits if you are not pacing and using the machines well. To get the most from your aerobic exercises, you need to decrease time and increase resistance. This means that you need to go for high resistance you can comfortably handle. It would also be helpful if you apply as much diversity to your routine as you can so you can get all your muscles working. 2- Incorrect Weight Lifting One common pattern among gym-goers with lifting weights is that men have a tendency to lift weights that are too heavy for them and women go for those that are too light. You might think that the heavier the weight is, the more muscle you gain. However, this is not the case. In fact, you can get big muscle with light weights. Choose a weight that you can lift 30 times for the first time, then 15 on the next. As you do your lifts, keep your upper back strong with your chest and chin up. Maintain this posture and steadily pace each lift as you do so. 3- Failing to Focus on Your Core You core is that part of your body that is made up of the muscles of your chest, hips, legs, and back. This is one very special part of you that many people fail to pay attention to as they do their exercise routines. A trained eye can easily spot someone who is exercising without paying attention to their core. Working out with your core means that you are in a “sport-ready position”. This is a position where you can easily and quickly stand from. To do this, hold your abdomen and bend your knees slightly. 4- Ignoring Unseen Muscle Groups If you are like most people, you might find yourself focusing all your efforts on your abdominal and bicep muscles. However, you are missing out in strengthening those smaller muscle groups that support and stabilize the larger muscle groups. Take for example Kegel exercises. This is one of the most neglected exercises and yet strengthens muscle groups in the pelvic floor that are essential for easier childbirth, preventing incontinence, and improving sexual function. 5- Doing Too Much Too Quickly If this is your first time getting into a regular routine of exercising, start out slow and short. You should do well with a 30-minute exercise everyday for a few days a week. You can even break this up throughout the day. When you want to try out new moves or routines, go through it lightly. These might require you to work with new muscles that you have not used before and this might cause injuries. Source
