6 Common exercise mistakes and how to avoid them

It’s no secret that exercise benefits us in many ways, with the Department of Health recommending 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity to maintain your physique and an increase up to 300 minutes a week to provide even greater benefits for your physique and to avoid unhealthy weight gain. For vigorous exercise the range is 75 to 150 minutes. The recommendation also includes doing two or more days of strengthening exercises involving all the major muscle groups.

To get the most benefit out of your exercise routine and stay injury free, here are 6 common mistakes to avoid.

Not enough intensity
Now you know how much moderate or vigorous exercise you should be doing each week, how do you know that your exercise is the right intensity? A good test is the talk test. If you can comfortably talk, but not sing, you’re doing moderate intensity. If you can’t say more than a few words without gasping for breath then you’re exercising at a vigorous intensity.

Overtraining
Not allowing rest and recovery time after strength training or in-between intense cardio workouts markedly increases the risk of injury. Recovery time should form part of your weekly exercise routine. For strength training, adequate rest (48 to 72 hours) between sessions is also important to allow optimal muscle development.

Pushing too hard too fast
Set realistic goals and allow a practical stepped timeframe to achieve them. In this way you will minimise the risk of injury and avoid disappointment from falling short of your goals. Be patient and aim for consistency. If you are just starting an exercise program, start low and go slow, gradually increasing your training frequency and intensity.

With every workout ensure you include a proper warm-up and cool-down to minimise your risk of injury. A dynamic warm-up and cool-down that includes stretches is ideal.

Being too specific
Many people focus on single training routines, get stuck in a rut or find themselves with injuries. Challenge your body and performance by adding variety. In the gym step outside your comfort zone and seek fresh, dynamic programs. Adopt a cross training approach, adding a variety of sport and exercise into your training program, mixing aerobic, strength and flexibility training. For more read our blog, 4 reasons why you need to start cross-training.

Poor technique
The key to good training is education on proper technique to avoid injury and to ensure you are getting the maximum benefit from your training. It’s worth seeking the advice of trained fitness professionals to ensure you’re using correct technique.

Choosing the wrong exercise routine
Consistency is the key to successfully reaching your fitness goals. You need to enjoy your chosen exercise to stick with it and for it to become a regular part of a healthy lifestyle. If something becomes a chore, it is almost inevitable that you will not continue with it. Finding a training buddy is another great way to make your workouts more enjoyable.

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