Beginner’s Mistakes
- Web Developer
- Sep 8, 2020
- 6 min read
Making the decision to begin an exercise routine is one of the smartest and most beneficial decisions you could make in your life. Exercisers (especially the beginners) often commit mistakes that not only keep them from getting the full benefits of the workouts, but also put them at risk of injury.
Unfortunately, many individuals begin working out with numerous misconceptions about how to start this process and expectations of how this journey should progress. Due to the overwhelming amount of misinformation readily available via magazines, online articles and even the buff guy in the gym locker room, the fitness beginner can easily be misled. Here are a few common mistakes beginners often make.
Setting unachievable goals:You have heard it many times, and you may have even said or done some of these things yourself. Saying things like “I will go to the gym 5 times a week for the rest of the year” or “I will never eat fast food again” can be counter-intuitive when it comes to your weight loss goals.Instead of jumping in too quickly and going whole hog right off the bat, begin your fitness journey with a two-days-a-week training schedule. A few hours of gym time can be integrated into your life without much upheaval. Setting a goal you can make happen is a confidence booster, and any extra days you train are just a huge plus. On days that you’re pressed for time, focus on efficiency, to get the most out of a short session, rather than simply skipping the workout. Always plan for the unexpected by keeping a quick, 20-minute workout in your back pocket. Remember, the only bad workout is the one you didn’t do. Don’t let limited equipment be an excuse, either. You can knock out a full-body workout with just a set of dumbbells and a few rounds of exercises.
Expecting miracles: A majority of the people expect immediate results, hoping only a month of training would make them look slim & trim for the upcoming beach vacation! Please don’t fall for the short cuts or the few months transformation stories! THEY ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE!! (Yes, I am screaming) Most beginners have wrong notions about how long it would take to attain their fitness goals. And many of them spend not enough time and give up when they don’t see immediate results. Others spend excessive time on training and end up injured.
Failing to plan: Nothing will halt your fitness routine more than spending half your time wandering around the gym looking like a deer in the headlights. As a beginner, navigating through the immensity of equipment and machines in the gym can be quite overwhelming. Before you even walk in the door for the first time, make sure you have already researched and laid out a specific routine beforehand. Not only will this save you an incredible amount of time, but you will also be able to quickly scope out the equipment needed for each workout.
Avoiding strength training: Another common mistake among beginners is jumping into cardio while bypassing high-quality movement patterns and strength training. If all you do is cardio and conditioning—especially when starting out—you’ll burn a few calories, but you’re not going to develop the muscle you want. Remember, lean mass consistently torches calories, even when your sweat session is over.
Not knowing/understanding your why: Going to the gym and fitness in general are hard work. There will be days and periods of times where you simply don’t feel doing it. These are the times where it will be important to understand your why. There is a reason why you decided to start a fitness journey, and that will be the motivation that keeps you going even when you do not feel like it. Think about why you started. Is it to feel better in your clothes, to have more energy to play with your children? To feel better when you look in the mirror? We all start working out for one reason or another, so make sure you keep your why in mind when you start to fall out of your routine.
Giving into your ego: As you begin working out, it can be easy to notice how much weight someone else is lifting or how cool a particular exercise looks. You must realize that every single person in the gym was in the exact same position you are right now at one point in time. Basing your performance and progress on fellow gym-goers who have been at it for years subjects you to many misfortunes. Trying to manage too much weight or perform some crazy exercise before you are ready will leave you embarrassed or, even worse, injured. Working out, much like any new challenge, has a necessary learning curve. Don’t let your ego put a damper on the enjoyment that is found in the process.
Not eating properly: Some people believe that they can eat anything they want if they get in a few more workouts. This behavior and belief are not realistic because it really is possible to eat to a point where you negate your workouts. It is important to take what you eat seriously, make sure you buy quality unprocessed foods and plan out your meals and snacks to avoid making bad food choices.
Comparing yourself to others: One of the biggest fitness mistakes we make is comparing ourselves to others. It is important to understand that we are all very different and that our bodies react to exercise and maintaining a proper diet differently. You may start a fitness journey with a friend, and she may see results a bit faster than you. Do not take this as a sign that the things you are not doing are not working but understand that each body is different. When it comes to your personal fitness goals, there is no competition. You are your only competition, and you must be prepared of the people that you will come in contact with along your journey. There will always be someone stronger and more fit, but that should not be your main concern. You are your main concern, so write down your goals, be realistic about them, and remain consistent.
Not warming up: Remember to do a proper warm-up, before you begin your exercise session – be it free weights workout or some cardio; you should never a skip a proper warm-up. A proper warm up helps to increase your body core temperature, slowly elevate heart rate, increase intake of oxygen, lubricate joints and increase blood through blood vessels.
Training for soreness: This mistake can go hand in hand with the mistake involving heading to the gym without a plan. The way muscle-building works is: you go and break the muscles down in the gym then they recover in a larger and stronger state in your time outside of the gym. As with anything, there’s a certain limit of muscle strain which is beneficial to you, then once you work the muscle to complete exhaustion it actually can be counter-productive as it may take you a lot more time to recover than usual. Measuring the success and effectiveness of your workout based on whether you are sore or not, is (sorry) stupid.
Forgetting stretching: A full range of motion for the functional movements will help maximize benefits from your exercise routine and staying super active. Stretching is also a great post-workout recovery drill. A light stretching routine at the end of your workout session helps prevent injury and pain.
Not sleeping enough: Sleep is the third key staple of what you need to grow muscle—right next to nutrition and training. But again, as with diet, many forget that our muscles recover as we sleep and then wonder why they’re not growing with 4 hours of sleep every night. Sleep is crucial not only in lifting but for general health, so try your best not to stay up too many nights.
Skimping on water: Muscles need fluid to contract properly, so if you don’t drink enough, you can get muscle spasms or aches. The dangerous advice to “not drink” a lot of water is doled out wrongly. Please do not follow such advice!
Being a supplement addict: Another huge mistake with beginner lifters is putting too much stress on supplements. Yes, a good pre-workout, protein powder, and some BCAAs will help you out, but nothing is more important than your training and diet. Use supplements as exactly what they are—supplements. This means they are an aid to your core needs to grow. Don’t think if you skip breakfast and go into training on an empty stomach that your pre-workout will provide you with the main nutrients to have an effective workout. Focus on diet and training—THEN worry about your supplements.
Taking in too much advice: This is a big problem with beginner lifters coming across so much “bro-science” out there. Taking advice from the wrong people and not doing your own research could end up holding you back from your goals—so when someone tells you something, take it with a grain of salt, go home, and look how it holds true in the professional realms. Or better, take advice from professionals.
Start small. Start right. Stay consistent.
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