Eight mistakes gym newbies should avoid

You don’t know where to start: you want to start working out but you don’t know what to do, and you’ve decided to keep exercising beyond January?

That may be your situation, but the following may also happen to you: you go to the gym on a regular basis, but you notice that you stop making progress. Don’t worry, you are not alone. According to a 2022 study, hitting a ceiling in exercise is known as the “plateau effect,” and it is common among athletes and amateurs alike. Here’s a list of the most common mistakes you may be making.

Skipping the warm-up

When warming up, you should start with simple, gentle exercises that help to raise the temperature of your body’s muscles. You can perform dynamic exercises like gentle walking: one study indicates that aerobic exercise can help reduce muscle soreness. Keep in mind that your heart rate will become increasingly elevated during your warm-up, as a way of preparing you for exercise.

In addition, warming up can prevent injury. One study found that warm-ups can decrease your risk; a meta-analysis notes that over 79% of studies on the relationship between warm-ups and performance revealed that the former can lead to improved ability in various activities.

Forgetting to use proper exercise technique

Your chances of poor health increase if you remain sedentary (chairs and couches kill). If you strength train, the foundation of basic physical capabilities, you must do it right; otherwise, it’s like starting to build a house from the roof down. Pay attention to how rather than how much. Focus on learning how to move and perform the exercise technique correctly. Improper form will not only limit the effectiveness of your workouts; it will also increase your chances of injury.

Learn to do it right. Each exercise has a correct technique, such as keeping the spine straight or elbows close to the body. When beginners start going to the gym, they should prioritize paying attention to how the exercises are performed and using good technique.

There are exercise professionals. Ask for help

How do I learn what exercises to do? How many sets or reps? Who can teach me proper exercise form? What weight do I put on the bar to perform a bench press? Sorry to disappoint you, but YouTube and Instagram videos won’t give you the answer. Before you start working out, see a professional with a degree in kinesiology or exercise sciences to assess your joints, your life and previous health conditions. Often a person abandons a workout because the exercises are not properly selected. Imagine that you have high blood pressure, knee discomfort, or are overweight or a cancer patient. In such cases, you would see a credentialed physical trainer. Check if your trainer is a registered professional. Finding out which exercise is best for you and asking for customized advice should be seen as an investment in your health, not a luxury.

Prioritizing weights and going too fast

“Put another weight on every day. For me, making good progress means putting more and more weight on the rowing machine,” one client told me. Obsessing over moving more and more is not a good start. It is important to understand that lifting heavy weights does not mean that you will instantly gain more muscle mass. It is essential to start with lighter loads and achieve good anatomical adaptation, otherwise discomfort or injuries may occur and impede your progress.

Training is like having a vegetable garden: when you plant a carrot, it does not grow the next day; it is the same thing with exercise. The results you expect — gaining strength, muscle mass and improving your body composition — take time to appear, and for that to happen, you must have a progressive and sustainable training plan over time.

More is not better

Beginners often get carried away, become overly enthusiastic and exercise too much without giving their bodies enough time to recover. Studies show that rest is part of a training routine.

If you don’t allow your muscles to recover before the next session, they will not work at their optimal capacity and training safety will likely be compromised. Sleep is also key; one review notes that the risk of muscle injury is higher when sleep time decreases and exercise load increases at the same time, which can exacerbate fatigue. Mounting evidence shows that good rest improves performance, pain sensitivity and anabolic responses, which may be beneficial in speeding recovery.

Get organized

Set aside a weekly time for your health; if you don’t, illness will probably find you. Our lives encourage us to be sedentary, so organize your schedule in such a way that you can set aside a few minutes for self-care time in the form of physical activity. Without planning, there is no order; without order, there are no results. A well-designed strength workout doesn’t require many hours in your day; research shows it can be done for 20-40 minutes. Scheduling excuses are the worst enemy of results.

Pursue sustainability

It doesn’t do any good to join a gym and then not go; and it doesn’t do much good to go one day every three months or only when it is raining. Try to find an exercise routine that you can maintain over time. Before you start, think: Can I continue doing this for a year? Choose your place (a park, your home or a gym) so that this exercise becomes part of your daily routine. Just like brushing your teeth, you can incorporate your movement and self-care. Habits are built on repetition. Remember: the best workout is the one you will do.

Avoid comparing yourself to others

Comparing your progress to others at the gym or on social media can lead to frustration. How is it possible for you to do this workout, or exercise for all this time and not look like them? Remember that everyone starts out with different fitness levels, life contexts, joint health and medical conditions. Each person works out in their own way. Focus on your own path; otherwise, you won’t enjoy the journey.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition