Avoid These Common Training Mistakes
We love bodyweight training because you can do it anywhere with no equipment needed! Check out this expert post that breaks down 12 common training mistakes that are made and how you can avoid them on your way to getting fit and healthy!
Training Mistakes to Avoid
Have you been doing bodyweight exercises without seeing results? Chances are you’re doing something wrong. And you’re not alone. Most bodyweight trainees make mistakes that hinder them from seeing the results they deserve.
There is a common belief that it’s not possible to build muscle with bodyweight exercises alone. This is completely untrue.
When done properly, bodyweight training is an effective tool for building muscle and strength. Avoid these training mistakes and you will start seeing results.
Below, are 12 common bodyweight training mistakes and how to avoid them.
1. Not warming up
Jumping straight to a workout without warming up is a bad idea. It could lead to injury or muscle cramps. Warm-up for 5-10 minutes before every workout. This gets the blood flowing through the muscles, ligaments, and joints.
Good warm-up ideas are jumping rope, running in place, burpees, and mountain climbers.
2. Neglecting proper form
To get the most out of each exercise, you will have to do it properly and do the full range of motion. Proper form will be compromised if you train at too high of intensity or do too many reps. Do each rep slowly with a full range of motion.
Before you start a bodyweight routine, learn how to properly do all the exercises in it.
3. Forgetting about diet
Exercise alone won’t help you lose weight. You need to eat healthily and maintain the correct energy intake. Proper nutrition is the key to weight loss.
Maintain a calorie deficit and eat enough to lose weight. Combine bodyweight exercises with proper nutrition for healthy weight loss.
Some folks do the same workout all year through. This is a wrong approach to training. You need to keep advancing and challenging the muscles for them to grow. So, change your routine after 3-4 weeks.
In gyms, people add weights after a few days or weeks. Do the same thing. Do advanced bodyweight exercises or harder exercise variations. Harder exercises build more muscle and burn more calories.
5. Trying to train away fat
Doing 100 crunches to get rid of belly fat, sounds familiar? Spot reduction is not possible. Reducing the overall body fat percentage is the only way to get rid of belly fat.
If you want to burn more calories in a workout – focus on compound movements. Exercises like squats, push-ups, and pull-ups burn more fat than crunches or sit-ups.
6. Neglecting legs
The upper body always gets more attention, especially with men. This leads to weaker lower body and muscle imbalances.
You should actually give legs more attention since they are the biggest muscle group and training them burns a lot of calories.
Training legs also boost growth hormones and testosterone levels. Train them at least once or twice a week.
7. Low effort
You won’t benefit much from doing 5 squats or knee push-ups. To get great results you need to put maximum effort. Don’t do a certain number of reps because a program says so – unless it is personalized. Put maximum effort and do all sets until failure.
The only exercises you shouldn’t do until failure are the ones that could cause injury – like handstand push-ups.
Otherwise, exercises like push-ups and squats should be done until you can’t do any more reps.
8. Inconsistency
It’s hard to build muscle and strength if you work out once every two weeks. Stay consistent with your workouts to see results.
Make sure you train at least 3 times a week. Or follow this rule – don’t go for more than 3 days without exercise.
Some folks do the same exercise over and over. There are so many exercise challenges out there. Plank challenge, push-ups challenge, and so forth.
You won’t benefit much from one exercise. Full-body workouts burn more calories and will give you a fuller look. Additionally, training one muscle group alone causes muscle imbalances.
10. Not getting enough rest
While some don’t put in enough effort, there are those who overdo it. Training 7 times a week is not a good idea. The muscle needs time to recover and grow.
Train for a maximum of 5 days a week. 3-4 days a week is preferable.
11. Training without a clear routine
This is very common. Training aimlessly without a workout routine can’t bring maximum results. It will be hard to track progress and train all muscle groups.
Have a personal trainer design a routine for you or find one online that fits your strength and fitness level. Also, the routine should fit your lifestyle and you should be able to stick to it long term.
12. Speeding through exercises
Training at a high intensity or doing explosive movements is not a bad thing, but beginners shouldn’t be training like that. One needs to build fundamental strength and learn proper form before they start training at a high intensity.
If the joints and tendons are not strong enough, training at high intensity may lead to injury.
Take time to do each rep slowly and properly. This makes the exercise harder and builds more muscle and strength.
Wrap-Up
There you have it, avoid these common mistakes and you will start seeing results. Don’t buy the myth that bodyweight exercises can’t build muscle and strength.
- 12 Common Bodyweight Training Errors And How to Avoid Them - July 7, 2015
