Most Common Home Workout Mistakes And How To Deal With Them

Being an avid home workout kinda gal I thought I would whip up the opportunity of having guest writer, Zara Lewis tell us more about the common home workout mistakes we might be making. I gotta admit, I am 100% guilty to some of these… opps. 

Zara is a content writer for High Style Life, as well as being a proud mum, a life coach, writer, fitness & yoga enthusiast and a promoter of a healthier lifestyle. She also writes regularly for blogs along the likes of Ripped Me and Fitness Galore.

Going to the gym can be a bit of a hassle, especially if you’re really busy, or really shy about exercising in front of strangers. Since there’s no place like home, a lot of people like to skip the gym entirely and do everything on their own terms. That’s a great idea because you save time and money, and you don’t have to worry about how you look. This gives you the opportunity to focus on what you’re doing instead of wondering if you should have washed your hair, or if people are judging you for wearing an old, torn shirt. No one judges you in the comfort of your own home, so you can relax, play your favorite music, and exercise in peace. However, the fact that you don’t have professionals around to help you and correct your mistakes may mean you’re doing something wrong. Here are a few things you need to pay attention to if you want to make your home workouts safe and effective.

You rush through the motions

It’s great that you can save time by not going to the gym, but that doesn’t mean you can push through everything and expect to be done in 10 minutes. Working out is not supposed to be a stress-filled, crazy rush that you need to cross off your list so you can return to other things. If you aren’t taking your time and enjoying yourself, you’re doing something wrong. Exercising is not a chore, and as long as you treat it like it is, you won’t get any results.

How to fix it: Organize your time so that you give yourself at least half an hour for the full workout. Don’t rush it, just relax and start seeing it as your time of day, when you get to do something nice for yourself. Play good music and pay attention to your breathing. It’s extremely important that you go through the motions with proper posture and movement. If you don’t, you’re risking injury, and you don’t want that.

You don’t follow a program

Unless you’re a fitness trainer, it’s unlikely that you know which group of muscles you need to engage for best results and what kind of exercises will help you reach your goal. Some things are instinctive, for example, you want strong abs, so you do crunches. Sure, but there are many types of crunches and a ton of other exercises for a flat stomach. You need to know what you’re doing if you want results.

How to fix it: Simply follow a workout program suited to your needs. Whether you want to work on your glutes, your abs, or achieve overall fitness, there are countless of programs for everyone, from beginners, to experts. You just need to make a plan and stick to it in order to build strength and stamina. Organize your time and develop a good routine and your workouts will be a lot more enjoyable.

You’re afraid of using equipment

One big benefit of going to the gym is the available equipment. While it’s definitely possible to exercise without any, you won’t get far after a certain point, especially if you want to build muscle. Having the right equipment makes things easier, so don’t be afraid to get yourself a few things.

How to fix it: You can start with a couple of dumbbells and kettlebells and see how it feels. Incorporate them into your regular routine, and then if you like it, you can start thinking about some more serious equipment like the high-end vision treadmill, or a good stationary bike. These are especially good for the cardio part of your workout and it’s an excellent way to make your exercising more fun and effective.

You don’t warm up or stretch

Warm-ups and stretches are absolutely essential parts of any workout and they can never, ever be skipped. If your muscles are constantly sore, this might be the reason why, and you need to change this immediately.

How to fix it: Take ten minutes to warm up before every workout. Combine vigorous motions like brisk walking, jumping jacks, and high knee running in place. You can even use a jumping rope. When you’re done with your workout take five minutes to stretch and loosen your muscles so you don’t end up sore.

There’s no point in wasting time on ineffective workouts. Learn how to do things right, and you’ll see results and start feeling better every day.