Top 5 Workout Mistakes to avoid as a beginner

Many of us have decided to break our lockdown slumber, and finally get moving. Some of us are returning after a long break while some are starting to work out for the first time. This guide will serve both as a refresher to returners and a basic guide to newbies. Here are some mistakes that we have made as beginners when we started working out, and are hoping that with this list, you will be able to avoid some of them.

1. Not Warming Up

One of the most basic mistakes, yet a potentially fatal one is to not warm up enough or skip it altogether. Warming up is extremely essential no matter what kind of training regimen you follow. As the name suggests, warming up basically warms up or prepares your muscles for the strenuous workout that you are going to do next. It gets your heart-rate up and prepares you mentally for the main workout. However, most importantly, it reduces the chances of injuries during the workout.

2. Not having a solid plan

The last thing you want to do is to use equipment aimlessly and realize at the end of the session that you did not manage to do anything substantial. It is important to set a goal and accordingly build a plan around it. You must know the purpose of your workout session before you start it. The goal could be as basic as losing/gaining weight or advanced like hitting a new PR on a movement. This will make sure that your time is used effectively and makes sure that you see results.

3. Not Being Consistent

This is probably the most straightforward goal, yet the toughest one of them all. You can have a killer session, but if you are not able to follow up on it consistently, you will not see results. Consistency comes in two forms; the first one is what most people think, to show up for the workout session every day (while also accommodating planned rest days) and the second one being consistent technique. The first one is pretty self-explanatory. Be it working out or any other activity that you want to get good at, you have to do it over and over again in order to get better at it. This is applicable to the second point ‘consistent technique’ as well. You’re lifting heavy and lifting regularly but comprising on your form. This is counter-productive as you might end up injuring yourself and sacrificing all that progress you have made over time.

4. Following incorrect advice

As beginners, we have all been exposed to some form of ‘bro-science’ at least once. ‘Bro-science’ is essentially misinformation regarding fitness and nutrition that has no scientific backing. In India especially, you are highly likely to come across such advice from a trainer at a local gym. This is why training under a personal trainer and running a background check on your trainer is important. Make sure that they have the proper certification needed to be advising you. Proper guidance will ensure that you reach your goals much faster.

5. Not stretching regularly

Stretching is an important part of your workout routine. While it may not look as cool as snatches or cleans, it is one of the building blocks of getting fitter. Doing stretches after a workout slows down your heart rate and reduces the chances of getting injured. Increasing your mobility directly translates to avoiding injuries while lifting weights.

To summarize, these are a few mistakes that we did as beginners and ended up slowing down our rate of progress. Simply having a good sweat session does not mean that you have had a good one. A good session means having a well-rounded session. And we at CrossFit Vyom make sure that we check all the boxes mentioned above in order to get the most out of your workout session. Do try one of our classes to experience it for yourself!