There is definitely 1 big mistake crippling your workout. I am guilty of this mistake from time to time. For me I think it comes from getting lazy. I’ll tell you what it is in just a second.
When I first joined a gym, I received lots of advice. There were suggestions for wellness workouts. I got hit with the best exercise for overall health (a little too frequently).
People were telling me to do circuit training. Some people recommended I include an aerobics class. There was even a suggestion to drop everything and start taking kick boxing.
All decent advice depending on your fitness goals.
The Origin Of The 1 Big Mistake Crippling Your Workout
There was one guy who was at the gym all the time. Always wore the same thing. Black tank top and some kind of Bermuda shorts. He was a decent enough guy.
He always wanted to give me advice about my workout. He’d tell me to focus on the universal machine or to do different kinds of crunches or maybe spend more time on the stationary bike for my warm up.
This guy had advice for everything and it never stopped coming.
To look at him you wouldn’t say he was out of shape but not necessarily a beacon of physical fitness either.
Over time I realized something interesting…
He wasn’t really improving.
Now I’m no expert. But it didn’t take much to realize certain things.
He got winded easily so he didn’t develop much endurance. He struggled with the same weight on several exercises without moving up much.
Also, he wasn’t shedding the extra weight around his midsection or developing the muscle mass he claimed would come from his routine.
So what was going wrong?
He was at the gym plenty. Doing all kinds of exercises for every part of the body. These included both aerobic and anaerobic workouts. And yet, he struggled to move forward.
As it turns out, the 1 big mistake crippling your workout is the same mistake I was making and especially this guy I’m talking about…
He forgot about proper technique.
It’s amazing how even the most subtle changes to your technique will make huge differences. Especially, as was my experience, when you’re not doing something properly from the get go.
Your Efficiency Skyrockets
Photo by Giallo from Pexels
If you eliminate this 1 big mistake that is crippling your workout and start using proper technique, your efficiency will improve exponentially.
Perhaps you’re looking to introduce weight training into your exercise routine to help burn fat, increase strength and muscle mass. Without proper technique, none of those things will happen the way you want them to.
Remember the guy from the gym I referred to earlier? He would be in the gym for hours. He was doing all kinds of stuff. But the results were not coming.
By using proper technique, you cut down the amount of time you’re spending working out significantly so you can enjoy other things during the day.
As it turns out, somebody starting out with weight training can get the same results from a single set of 12-15 reps, using proper technique, as somebody doing the same exercise for three sets. That’s efficiency.
You probably don’t want to spend several hours breaking down your body and getting so exhausted that you can’t be productive the rest of the day.
You Enjoy Targeted Results
Once you eliminate this 1 big mistake crippling your workout by implementing proper exercise techniques, you’ll achieve the results you want. When you achieve the results you want, you’ll be motivated to stick with your exercise program.
There’s nothing worse when it comes to exercise than spending tons of time on a program that doesn’t deliver the results.
You can throw tons of weight onto a preacher curl bar, try squeezing out a few reps but you won’t get the strong defined arms you want if you’re not using proper technique.
Bounce up and down doing squats with or without weight but without proper technique you won’t develop lower body strength, balance or those toned, powerful legs you’re shooting for.
Without proper technique, you may not even be targeting the muscle groups you’re looking to work out. Talk about a huge waste of time and energy.
Or worse…
Continue To Make This 1 Big Mistake Crippling Your Workout And You Risk Serious Injury
Nothing will throw you off your fitness regimen faster than sustaining a serious injury while working out.
The easiest way to avoid an injury while working out is making sure you are using proper technique.
Seeing somebody perform a deadlift for the first time may create the belief that your back plays a major role in executing the movement. This could lead to a significant injury.
By simply confirming proper technique, you’ll find out the deadlift focuses more on the legs, glutes and core.
Taking a few moments to find out what muscle groups you want to focus on and proper body position will not only ensure you reap the benefits of the exercise but also keep you safe from injury.
Even the less complicated exercises like push ups, knee tuck jumps and burpees… along with your warm ups… will all deliver better results and prevent you from sustaining an injury when you use proper technique.
How To Learn Proper Technique
Don’t do what I did. When I started out I listened to my friends. I don’t know why. They didn’t have much more experience than I did working out.
This resulted is us bouncing bars off our chests, slamming weights around, doing things too quickly and not warming up properly.
Basically, I made all the mistakes you can make. The big mistake was not learning proper technique.
Your best bet for learning proper technique is with a fitness trainer. Especially if they practice what they preach.
When they make a suggestion ask why. This will ensure you’re focusing on the results you are shooting for and if it’s not what you wanted to hear, find out how to improve on your goals.
By implementing proper technique over time, you’ll develop good exercise habits that should eventually become second nature and hopefully deliver huge fitness dividends.
Proper technique is key, as you said. I once worked with a guy who was always injuring himself… He could have benefitted from your advice here.
Great post! Very informative and great for first time gym goers!
On the money!