You bought a gym membership, cute little workout outfits, told all your friends that you are beginning a fitness routine, and now you're ready to go. But before you step on that treadmill or the elliptical machine, here are some beginners' mistakes you can avoid.
1. Taking your health for granted. You may think you are healthy, but if you haven't exercised in a while, hold a sedentary job or are elderly, you should check with your doctor first. It's even more important if you are overweight or have a family history of heart disease or other chronic illness.
2. Doing too much too soon. You want to lose the weight and tone up your body by Christmas, so you go to the gym twice a day, every day, seven days a week. Doing too much too soon can result in overuse injuries such as stress fractures, torn ligaments and stiff, sore joints. The rule of thumb for starting a fitness routine is start slowly, no matter how well you feel then as your tolerance builds up, you can increase your workouts.
3. Doing the same exercises over and over. This is almost as bad as overworking your body. The reason is that you are targeting the same muscles over and over, and they will eventually suffer from wear and tear. Many athletes suffer from repetitive injuries such as rotator cuff (golfers), tennis elbow (tennis players), ankle sprain (runners, joggers), and other conditions. Varying your workout allows your muscles to rest and recover while you work on other muscle groups.
4. Ignoring your body signals. Many beginners ignore signs of fatigue or pain, thinking they feel this way because they are not fit enough. Instead, you should rest when you feel tired. This may mean resting between sets or between workouts. If you feel pain, modify the activity to one that is less stressful. If you have a cold, a couple days' rest will not hurt you. If you experience dizziness, shortness of breath or chest pain during your workout, stop immediately and consult your doctor.
5. Performing exercises the wrong way. Abdominal exercises are very popular with beginners because everyone wants to get rid of a bulging stomach. Have you ever seen someone doing sit-ups, where the person lies on the floor and his partner holds his legs while he puts his hands behind his neck and lifts his torso? Most people do this as an abdominal exercise, but according to Better Health Channel (BHC), this exercise strains the lower back and targets the hips and thighs instead of the abdomen. BHC recommends you do abdominal curls with your knees bent and curl your rib cage towards your pelvis.
Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your body, but if it's done improperly, it may do more harm than good. If you are in doubt about how you should perform the movements, or how much or how frequently you should workout, you may want to start with a fitness coach or join an exercise class with a qualified instructor.
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