Top 10 Workout Essential Tips

“Quality means doing it right, even when no one is looking”-Henry Ford

Most people are making these mistakes even if they don’t know it. Read on to find out how to reap huge rewards from your workout routine.

Ask yourself, and be honest, ARE YOU GUILTY? You may be without even knowing it. Start with one, or implement all 10 right away. Odds are high your body will thank you for it.

1. Don’t go all CRAZY for your first few weeks if you are just getting started. 3-4 sessions/ week in the beginning is plenty

When the body hasn’t moved in a while, it will not be prepped to go out and give everything it has right away. Stay smart, take it slow and avoid the higher risk for injury that persists when you first start out.

2. Get off the Treadmill!

Let me explain this one before you jump to conclusions. I am no way advocating against running at all, just doing it over and over again on a treadmill. Due to its low-calorie burn, and the body’s ability to adapt to running at a steady pace, it is one of the least effective way’s to just simply burn calories. Not to mention one of the most mundane things one can imagine if working out is hard for you in the first place. Pick up some weights, try a HIIT workout, join a group class or visit my Free Workout Routine page for more alternatives.

3. Don’t use more weight than you can lift for 12-15 repetitions

With an unconditioned body that is used to barely moving itself around, we want to give maximum attention to the stability and endurance of our muscles instead of adding large loads. The focus should always be on proper form and execution when the load is light. This will get the body ready for the imposed demands of heavier loads later with a lower risk of injury.

4. Stretch and warm up before working out

Odds are that if you haven’t worked out in a  while, your muscles have one of 2 possible things that they are most likely doing. They will either be overactive (meaning they contract all the time), or underactive (meaning they have become weak and lazy). This effects not only your posture, but the push-pull-stabilize relationships that happen when you move the body. Warming up correctly means the body has time to adjust itself and get ready for more intense work. Both workout intensity and duration can be heightened when the body is working properly together instead of fighting itself.

5. Don’t think that working out excessively in the beginning will produce more results

It won’t ! The common misconception about frequency of your workout routine is the more the merrier. This could not be any further from the truth. In the whole cycle of a proper healthy fitness routine, the workout is only the stimulation. Your actual progress is made while resting. To put it simply, if your body is sore, it is not done healing itself from the previous workout session. If it does not have time to heal, it has no time to progress and it will break down.

6. Do mostly body weight type exercises for at least 2 weeks when starting out

see #1.

7. Don’t use any stimulants to “speed up” the process

I’m a big fan of doing it right and not taking any shortcuts. Plus, the dietary supplement industry is “loosely” regulated which means you may not be getting what you pay for in the first place. I could go on and on, but in my personal opinion, hard work will always yield better results than cutting corners. Read what a Harvard Dr. has to say about the dietary supplement industry here.

8. Drink at least 80-100 oz of water daily when you begin working out

Most people drink nowhere near what their body needs anyways, let alone when they factor in the sweat induced by exercise. Since the body is almost 60% water anyways, doesn’t it seem smart to keep it flowing in?

9. Don’t do any more than 15 minutes of cardio if you haven’t worked out in a while

You will tire long before you see any physical benefits. Pick up some weights and train in a circuit fashion to really get heart pumping and the calories burning.

10. Be smart and listen to your body. It will tell you what it can and can’t do.

Did I leave anything off that you feel helps make a difference?