Planning to start a workout? Avoid these common mistakes made by beginners

A study by a famous English publication reveals that Indians are not very mindful while planning a workout regime for themselves. They tend to choose very basic forms of exercise. The study conducted revealed that only two-thirds (67%) of Indians who do exercises typically opt for brisk walking. The remaining 26% do yoga/Pilates/CrossFit, 11% do cardio and team sports and 10% do bodyweight exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, squats.
The above statistics reveal that even those who work out, do not have a set plan or goal. This may also be due to the lack of knowledge, guidance, and resources.

Even if you are a beginner and do not know how to set a workout regime that best suits your body needs, here are some simple things that you must keep in mind. This will help you in having an upward growth graph for your fitness transformation journey. Here are a few common mistakes to avoid

Do not skip warm-up

Whether you are a beginner or a pro, warm up before starting your workout is a process to increase the flexibility of your muscles that lessens the chances of injury. Hence, doing a warm up exercise is crucial before you begin any workout. You can do simple marching exercises or doing arm circles to warm up your body for the next set of exercises.

Don’t skip your workout frequently

There may be days when you don’t feel like working out or you need a break. Don’t beat yourself up fpr missing a day but remember not to miss twice. When you are a beginner and trying to develop workout as a habit, missing your workout for two consecutive days can pull you back. Days when you don’t really want to work out, do it for the minimum time like for 10-15 minutes and choose the easiest workout that won’t stress you out. But don’t miss it.  

Don’t start with lifting heavy

beginners need guidance while doing weight training. Not just the weight, there are a lot of things that need consideration while weightlifting such as correct postures, holding the weight, balancing and so on. if you are interested in weight training, it’s advisable to do so under the guidance of a trained expert. Start with lighter weights and once your body is adjusted to the same and you are well aware of the forms and postures, move to heavier weights. 

Don’t train the same muscle groups everyday 

Plan your training program in a way that allows you to train your full body. Mix up different types of workouts so that your muscles remain flexible and get ample time to recover from the past training. For example, if you train your legs on Monday, train your upper body the next day, and cardio the next. Similarly, you can add Zumba, yoga, functional training to your routine so that your entire body gets the attention, and your goal of exercising is met. 

Don’t forget to stay hydrated

Hydrating is as important as eating your meals. Lack of hydration may cause fatigue, exhaustion, muscle cramps and you may end up hurting yourself during workout. Sip water, have your protein shake, consume juices – do whatever helps you stay hydrated throughout the day and surely while working out. You can do well with water, but some people prefer sports drinks to replace electrolytes which is also a good option.

Do not Google

Often people google things and start practicing exercises based on the search results. There are numerous things that one need to ensure before developing a workout routine that suits your body, and health requirements. Firstly, not every webpage on the internet gives reliable information, secondly, neither the videos or the images on the websites can guide you towards the right posture if you are a beginner in this field. The rest time between the sets, the number of reps and sets also play an important role in bringing you the result you are looking for.

Hence, you must have a trainer to guide you through the process. Just like you need a teacher to guide you through your educational journey, similarly, you need an instructor to guide you through your fitness journey.

The above points are critical to keeping in mind if you want a fitness transformation that helps you achieve long-term goals with a healthy mind and body both.

With Inputs From: Mr. Amaresh Ojha Business Head- RoundGlass Gympik