If you have just joined a gym and have never worked out before, it is essential that you do not make certain mistakes. Look, these are the most common ones
As summer approaches, many people decide to get back into shape. To do this, it is essential to adopt a healthy and balanced diet and, of course, to exercise. Some people choose to exercise outdoors, while others prefer to stay indoors and exercise in the comfort of their homes.
However, the vast majority decide to join a gym because they feel compelled to do so, as they have to pay for it and create this healthy habit. But this is not an easy task, especially if the person is not used to exercising regularly. To get the most out of the gym, it is essential not to fall into the most common mistakes. That's why we're going to give you a hand.
Common mistakes of beginners in the gym
The first of these is to perform a generic routine without first receiving advice or evaluation from a personal trainer. The help of these professionals is highly recommended so that they can assess the needs of each person, as well as to know if you suffer from any discomfort, correct established patterns and learn new ones.
In the same vein, I would also like to point out the wrong choice of the type of routine to perform. The most appropriate is to perform a full-body workout that works both the upper and lower body and the core, starting with a frequency of 2 or 3 days per week. Once the body gets used to it, you can move on to 4-day routines known as torso-legs, which involve working the upper body for two days and the lower body for the other two. Once you're at a certain level, you can move on to Weider programs that break down muscle groups by day: chest, back, arms, legs, etc.
It is also not wise to train only with guided machines, as you need to work with your own body, either with dumbbells or with exercises that include dumbbells. These exercises involve the musculature and are more complete, whereas if you only do exercises with machines, they end up isolating the musculature. A mix of both is the best way to start and progress easily.
Group classes should also be avoided whenever possible. They are a good complementary option, but are not the most appropriate basis for a fitness program, as they do not perform individual exercises. In addition, they require a minimum level of fitness, which in many cases is not met.
Warm-ups and breaks
Another major mistake is not working all muscle groups with equal importance. Women are more likely to define the lower body, glutes and core muscles, while men prefer to give more importance to the upper body, i.e. pectoral muscles or biceps.
Exaggerating the intensity of training is also not desirable. Reaching muscular failure, i.e., reaching the limit that prevents further physical activity, is recommended only for experts and only in certain contexts. It is therefore more effective to leave a margin and to be able to perform more repetitions in the series. For the upper body, 2 to 3 and for the lower body, 3 to 4 are recommended.
Not doing a pre-warm-up or mobility work is dangerous and counter-productive.
Not doing warm-up or mobility work is counterproductive. It is advisable to do a general activation on an elliptical or rowing machine or to do the first session of each exercise with a lighter weight. Finally, another beginner's mistake is not taking breaks between workouts. It is recommended to do 2 sessions per week to reach 3 sessions, but you should allow 48 hours of recovery between each session and know that 7 to 8 hours of sleep are essential.
