It would be great if everyone had access to a personal trainer who could make sure they’re doing every exercise move correctly. But for the majority of people, working out is a solo activity. Maybe you follow along with a YouTube video or fitness app, but unless a fitness trainer is alongside you, it’s hard to know if you’re doing every exercise move the right way.
Fitness trainers spend a lot of time at the gym. They see what people do right and what they do wrong. There’s one exercise mistake in particular trainers shared with us that they often see and wish everyone would stop making.
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Maria Vazquez, CPT, a certified personal trainer and the head of training at MyWowFit, says that the No. 1 exercise mistake she sees people make is focusing only on the muscles they want to grow and ignoring everything else. “For men, this is always the arms and chest, while for women, it's the legs and glutes,” she says.
Why would you want to spend time focusing on muscles you don’t want to target? Vazquez explains that when you do this, it can create imbalances in the body. “You’ve probably seen people walk around with huge upper bodies and skinny legs. That’s what happens when you only train specific muscles. Your body gets out of sync and you're unable to move properly. It becomes harder to run, climb stairs and carry some weight because the core and leg muscles are weak,” Vazquez says.
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When you are doing exercise moves, it’s important to do them correctly. Sergio Pedemonte, CPT, a certified personal trainer at Your House Fitness, says that he often sees people rounding or arching their back, a mistake he says to avoid. He says that this mistake is especially common when someone is doing squats, deadlifts or rows.
Pedemonte says that rounding or arching the back while using weights can increase the risk of injury. “Excessive pressure on the back can lead to spinal compression, herniated or bulging discs, joint stress and degeneration and muscle imbalances. Over time, poor posture and improper spinal alignment can result in chronic pain, a decrease in mobility and a higher risk of arthritis,” he warns.
Chris Pruitt, CPT, a certified personal trainer at Workout Healthy, says that many people also don’t engage their core when strength training, another mistake to avoid. “When these core muscles are neglected, the potential for injury—especially when doing compound lifts like squats, deadlifts or overhead presses—is high because improper form can result in a bad back, poor posture, discomfort or worse," he explained. "Over time, this can lead to muscle imbalances and decreased stability."
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How to Avoid These Common Exercise Mistakes
Now you know what not to do. But how can you avoid making these common exercise mistakes? “It’s very important to balance your workouts even if you have a particular goal,” Vazquez says. For example, if your fitness goal is to focus on your chest, she says to balance it out with some exercises that target your back.
Similarly, Vazquez says if you move through some exercise moves that target your quads, follow it up with some that focus on your hamstrings, noting, “Your core, in particular, is very important because it holds you together and powers every movement. Train it, and everything else gets better.”
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One effective way to do this is to prioritize exercise moves that work multiple muscle groups instead of just one. “Squats, deadlifts, push-ups and rows work several muscle groups, so you don’t even realize you’re training certain areas,” Vazquez noted.
To avoid arching your back as you move through your exercise moves, Pedemonte says to keep a neutral spine. This is when looking in the mirror while you exercise can come in handy. Pedemonte says it’s also important to be mindful to not put stress on your lower back when you do move through your exercise moves.
When you’re strength training, Pruitt says to engage your core as if you were preparing for someone to hit you in the stomach. “This stabilizes the spine, helps deliver more power and reduces lower-back strain,” he says.
If you keep all of this in mind when you work out, all three trainers say you will be less likely to get injured, will experience maximum benefits from your workout, support your posture and will move easier as you go about your day. It’s amazing what small tweaks to your workout can do!
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Sources
Sergio Pedemonte, CPT, a certified personal trainer at Your House FitnessChris Pruitt, CPT, a certified personal trainer at Workout HealthyMaria Vazquez, CPT, a certified personal trainer and the head of training at MyWowFit Read More Details
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