Top 3 Mistakes You’re Making in your Workouts
If you’re exercising – then YAY! Kudos for making this part of your routine.
But are you making these top 3 mistakes in your workouts?!
However – you could be exercising & not getting the results you’d like. There are many other factors to this (i.e. nutrition, sleep etc) but today I will discuss the top 3 things that might be happening within the workout itself.
Because what matters more than WHAT you do during your exercise? It’s HOW you do it.
You could be spending hours, days, multiple WEEKS putting in the time, with getting minimal results, because you’re not doing the exercise properly.
I’ve been a trainer for almost 18 years (!) and besides incorrect form, here are the top 3 mistakes you’re making in your workouts:
Exercise Mistake #1: Lifting too FAST, aka the wrong tempo or speed of exercise.
Growth & change from exercise happens when the muscles are under enough tension. This happens through resistance/weight, time/reps and the total volume (duration) of your workout.
Yes, form is crucial – but being mindful of your speed & tempo is just as important.
Pay attention to your exercise; how fast are you going? Are you holding the contraction for 1-2 counts – or breezing through, because heck, it’s hard? Well, newsflash: IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE HARD.
You want to feel that burn – you should embrace it, cause you know you’re doing it RIGHT & not wasting your time.
Cause if you’re able to go fast & swing weights around, you’re only getting half the benefit.
The simplest thing to remember is just SLOW down your reps. Don’t change anything else. Contract the muscle (hard!) and be focused in your exercise. Trust me – you’ll get THAT much more results!
Exercise Mistake #2: Taking too long between sets
Have you ever timed your rest periods between sets…?
The rest should vary based on the intensity & your goals, but for general fitness, rest periods should be, on average, anywhere from 45-60 seconds.
This actually isn’t very long at all! It’s just enough tune to get a sip of water & maybe mark in your workout log, but then it’s time to get back to it!
I see it all the time – people scrolling on their phones, chatting and overall just not keeping a good pace.
Too long rest periods can cause your heart rate to lower & even decreased blood flow & circulation. Plus, keeping a good pace will you get more done in less time, and keeps the intensity up too!
During your next workout, pay attention to how much time you’re spending between rests. Consider even timing your breaks. Keeping them in a good range can make a big difference in the effectiveness of your exercise!
Exercise mistake #3: Not pushing yourself
We are way more capable than we think. But our minds tell us otherwise. One reason people don’t see results like they should is because the exercise is not intense enough. It doesn’t promote muscle breakdown/growth for improving strength, or boost metabolism for fat loss goals.
Ways this is happening:
You’re doing less weight, less reps, less time (the volume of exercises) than what you could
You stop before it gets hard – but that is the most important time to keep going!
A plateau can also happen if you do the same thing over & over (not incorporating progressive overload tactics)
Yes, you want to maintain form, but you want the exercise to be challenging by the last 2-3 reps. It should make you WANT to stop, but you keep going for just a few more.
For example: your goal is 12 reps. By rep 8, you’re really feeling it. Rep 10 you want to stop but you don’t. Rep 12 comes, you could maybe do 1 more, but that’s it or else form will suffer.
That’s the intensity you’re going for. If you can do 14, 15…then keep going! Don’t limit yourself & be your own barrier. I like to tell myself and clients “try 1 more” to slowly but surely push the needle, both physically & mentally.
Some exercises you’ll REALLY feel the “burn”. Some workouts will be more intense than others. You don’t need to be going to “failure” every single set. But regardless, you still want to be giving it your best effort!
Key Takeaways & Action Steps:
Improve your mindfulness and mind body connection during your exercise.
Don’t just “show up” but actually be present and aim to get as much as you can out of the workout.
You’re spending the time – you might as well make it effective!
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, know that you need accountability & structure, or want to optimize your exercise, then let’s set up a short complimentary consult call. I work with clients virtually and in person, offering customized workout routines, coaching and personal training!
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