1. Setting Goals
In most new projects or challenges, defining goals from the beginning helps pave the way to success. Fitness is not the exception to this rule. It’s difficult to picture a successful outcome without having a goal in mind when starting a fitness plan.. Each person has a different goal. Does fitness mean losing 5 pounds? 20 pounds? Improving posture? Or simply staying active 3 times a week for a whole year? Without a clear definition of what‘s hoped to be accomplished and a timeline to accomplish it by, it will be hard to see that goal come to life.
2. Having a Detailed Workout Plan
Most beginners start going to the gym without a detailed plan of the exercises they will be doing. This leads to working out randomly by doing too much or too little depending on how that person felt at the moment. Most of the time, this working out style leaves people feeling unaccomplished when they leave the gym or dreading the next session due to the lack of anticipation and a clear finish line.
3. Inconsistency
Inconsistency is a result of not setting goals and not having a detailed workout plan. Most beginners tend to be inconsistent with their workouts, since they assume their motivation to get fit will keep them going to the gym. What many realize after a short while, especially if they experience slow results, is that motivation doesn’t last. Without a specific workout regimen to follow, beginners start missing workout days—whether due to daily routines or because they feel sore and exhausted. Going to the gym sporadically leads to not seeing the expected results, which in turn, leads to quitting.
4. Not Enough Intensity
Inconsistency is a result of not setting goals and not having a detailed workout plan. Most beginners tend to be inconsistent with their workouts, since they assume their motivation to get fit will keep them going to the gym. What many realize after a short while, especially if they experience slow results, is that motivation doesn’t last. Without a specific workout regimen to follow, beginners start missing workout days—whether due to daily routines or because they feel sore and exhausted. Going to the gym sporadically leads to not seeing the expected results, which in turn, leads to quitting.
5. Unsustainable Workout Routines
Beginners are very enthusiastic when they start working out because they want to achieve fitness goals. As they’re full of motivation, some beginners work out every day and even twice per day without understanding that such a routine is not sustainable. During the opening weeks, especially with going from no exercise to a lot of exercise paired with under-eating, beginners start seeing results and feeling accomplished. However, as the weeks progress, their results start to stall due the lack of a balanced workout and diet plan. As a consequence, beginners get discouraged and stop working out.
6. Only Focusing on Cardio
We have stated that one of the most common mistakes beginners make when they start working out is focusing on exercises that are either comfortable or provide an instant reward. Generally, in between workout days, beginners get on a treadmill to sweat for 30 minutes or so. Even though cardiovascular exercise is an important part of any workout program, a monotonous form of cardio stops giving the desired results over time—especially when not paired with a specific diet. On the other hand, strength training along with cardiovascular exercise helps build bone density, improve postural deficiencies due to sedentary lifestyle, and burn more calories by building lean muscle tissue.
7. Not Warming Up
Warming-up prior to working out is crucial for avoiding injuries, staying healthy, and having the ability to perform at the intensity required to get the most out of the workout routine. Additionally, warming-up relaxes joints while increasing blood flow and body temperature. Another important aspect of warming-up is that it reasonably elevates heart rate prior to increasing the intensity of the exercise. Skipping warm-ups can not only cause injuries, but also dizziness and nausea. Injuries require rest and take time away from the gym, which defeats the purpose of having a defined beginner workout routine.
8. Increasing Weights Too Soon
Some beginners attempt to accelerate their progress by trying to keep up with those lifting heavier weights, whether it is because of peer pressure or due to associating more weight with better results. In reality, bodies do not change faster by lifting more weights. It takes discipline with form as well as feeling and flexing the muscle intended for exercise to start seeing desired changes. “Synergistic Dominance” is a term in fitness that means your synergist (secondary muscle assisting in a movement) overwhelms the exercise and takes over because the load is too great for the primary muscle to handle it effectively. When this happens, people might still accomplish the task of moving the weight, but they’d fail at doing it with the muscle they intended to exercise. A clear example is using the shoulders to bench press when the weight is too heavy for the chest to perform the moves in proper form. It is important to remember that the goal is not just to move the weight, but to grow and stimulate muscles.
9. Pursuing a Single Methodology of Exercise
When beginners start exercising, their goal is typically associated with health, ideal weight, or strength. Usually, beginners are so focused on that one goal that they forget the form of exercise necessary to achieve it. Many beginners join fitness centers with a specific focus such as CrossFit or Cycling, where coaches are devout to a single methodology and members tend to adopt that same mindset. Now, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying one form of exercise, but having a balanced approach provides healthier results and it avoids boredom and burnout. A balanced fitness approach includes strength, cardiovascular, and flexibility exercises. Also, getting bored because of always exercising in the same way can lead to quitting.
10. Not Seeking Professional Guidance
Professional guidance can help beginners focus on achieving their fitness goals by removing all the guesswork. The mistakes above could be avoided by meeting with the right fitness professional and working on creating a detailed beginner workout routine. The right personal trainer will make sure the exercises are effective and safe while also discussing challenges and how to overcome them. This would help make arising challenges more manageable and the fitness journey more enjoyable. While having access to a full gym equipment is important, it’s also not enough. Success lies within the approach to fitness and the consistency of an exercise plan. Finding the right fitness coach that aligns with someone’s mindset and understands their goals can help with getting on the right track to accomplishing the desired outcomes.
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