Bad Gym Habits

by Cheng-Ling Chen — December 3, 2007

Working out in the gym is the modern urbanite's way to exercise. Below are ten commonly made gym mistakes. ACEfitness.org highlights these mistakes, along with tips for effective exercise without risking injury.

1. Not stretching enough: Stretch after an aerobic exercise while your muscles are still warm and limber.
2. Lifting too much weight: Practice a weight lifting routine that provides a gradual resistance for building strength. Don't lift more than your muscles are ready for.
3. No warm up: Give your muscles time to adjust to your exercise routine by working them gradually and increasing intensity over time.
4. No cool down: Don't stop cold immediately after a cardio workout. Take a few minutes to ease back to your normal heart rate.
5. Overdoing it: Take on an evenly paced workout routine. It is more effective to maintain a steady exercise schedule over time, rather than going at it intensely for short spurts.
6. Insufficient hydration: Keep a water bottle with you and stay hydrated. You should be drinking water before you feel thirsty.
7. Leaning heavily on a stair stepper: Leaning on the stair stepper puts strain on your wrists and back. Work at an intensity where you can still maintain good posture and only use your hands on the rails for balance.
8. Not doing enough: Work up a light sweat and get your heart rate going.
9. Jerking the weights rather than lifting them: If you find yourself jerking the weights, go down to a lighter weight, which you can lift and lower with control. Improper use of weights can lead to strain and injury, particularly for the back muscles.
10. Inappropriate consumption of energy bars and sports drinks: You don't need to supplement with energy bars and sports drinks if you are only working out moderately. Otherwise, you are just ingesting unnecessary calories that you are trying to work off. Energy bars and sports drinks start to matter when you work out for an hour or more in one sitting.