8 Common Fitness Mistakes You Might Be Making (And You Might Not Be Aware)

You are working out every day consistently but the weighing scale is not moving any closer to your target weight. The answer to your problem may be here.

Let us have a look at some of the fitness mistakes that many of us don’t even know are doing:

1) Exercising While Distracted

Multi-tasking during exercise may not get you your six-pack abs. Focus is very important to get the desired results. Talking on the phone while walking, or reading while doing a stationary bike will take you nowhere near your fitness goal.

2) Wearing the Wrong Shoes

Running shoes and shoes required while strength training are different and serve different purposes. Running shoes often have soles with air pockets, gel, or other spongy material. They cushion your feet when you run. The sole absorbs impact each time your feet hit the ground. And while this may or may not be a good idea for running, it definitely is NOT good for lifting weights. For strength training, you need shoes with hard soles that don’t compress under heavyweight. You need traction when lifting heavy. Your feet must stay locked in position.

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3) Futile Abdominal Exercises

Engaging in spot reduction only is a simple waste of time. Instead, concentrating on strengthening your core will prove to be more fruitful. Functional exercise and core-strengthening exercises will be much more rewarding as they will help in balancing out your workout.

4) Performing Only One Form of Exercise

The same kind of workouts will not challenge your heart rate or make your muscles stronger. In the long run, the body adapts to a particular kind of workout. It is always better to engage in different kinds of workouts to avoid hitting a plateau.

5) Not Lifting the Right Weights

Weight training is an anaerobic activity rather than an aerobic activity. Lifting smaller weights and doing more repetitions is not a good idea. Always strive to increase weights every week so that you can build more strength and muscle mass.

6) Staying in the Comfort Zone

Positive results are only visible when you push yourself harder. Lifting the same weights every week, walking only on the treadmill for 30 minutes, or doing the same kind of exercise every day will make you hit a plateau soon. Instead, try increasing weight every week or two. Try some other equipment instead of only the treadmill or increase the intensity of your present workout.

7) Not doing the ‘Contract-Relax-Stretching’

To improve that flexibility so you’ll be as flexible as a bouncy gymnast, use this contract-relax technique. Gently stretch your muscles for 20 seconds, lightly back off the stretch, contract the muscles for five seconds and then stretch a little further. Repeat this.

8) Not Incorporating Balance Training

Balance training develops proprioception, the sense of where your joint is in space. The stronger your balance and proprioception, the stronger your functional strength will be. One of the examples can be doing bicep curls by standing on one leg. Balance training can be incorporated into your workout easily.