The Biggest Workout Mistakes People Make
Do you even know if you are burning fat for fuel?
I see it in every gym, people giving 110% doing some of the craziest things. People spending hours and hours in there daily for 7x a week, yet they look the same month after month. Clients spending $1000/month on private training yet their trainer has them doing stuff that is not even related to what their goals are. What is going on? There are more people working out nowadays, belonging to gyms, hiring personal trainers, buying supplements, on so called “diets”, and yet the results are not showing! Sadly it seems most people are making so many mistakes when it comes to training, yet they just keep right on trying. If we can see what we need to be doing, and more importantly what we don’t need to be doing….then maybe the results will start to finally show! These are the biggest workout mistakes that I see today:
- Focused on How Many Calories are Burned Working Out: Honestly what does this matter in the overall scheme of the whole day and fat burning? Assuming that fat burning is your goal, does that mean doing more and more exercise just burns more and more fat? NO! Who said you are even burning fat in the first place? What about stored glycogen? What about breaking down muscle? What about that subway sandwich you had an hour ago? Really this mentality is what is keeping most people from focusing on what matters, your eating! Diet/Nutrition is where 85% of your results come from and will even tell the body hormonally when to burn fat, and when to NOT burn fat. Forget how many calories you are spinning away, you don’t know what is really going on inside of you. Prime your body for all day fat burning and use your workouts as the right hormonal trigger for it.
- More is Better When it Comes to Working Out: This goes hand in hand with thinking that you are burning more fat with more exercise, which is not true. Not too mention the more people workout, the lower they drop their blood sugar and if they go too hard and go into a hypoglycemic state guess what will happen, they will rebound with sugar cravings and most likely end up drinking/eating more calories than they even burned in the first place. Not too mention the increase of cortisol you will get from extended workouts (over 45-60min) that will start to break down and use muscle as fuel. Also when it comes to resistance training, I see people wanting big muscles yet they do the same workout 4x a week. How is your body supposed to grow muscles if you keep breaking them down and never give them time to grow? Remember the saying that “muscles do not grow in the gym”. So resistance train a few times a week, then go home and eat and sleep to grow the muscles. How do you expect the build a big house (muscles) if you keep smashing it down during the construction period?
- Carb/Sport Drinks are OK Before, During and After a Workout: This could be titled instead “don’t believe everything you see on TV or read in advertisements”. If you look around you would think that you need Gatorade all day long (did you know they have an AM version? Are you kidding me?). So you have people working hard on a bike, rowing machine, treadmill (whatever) and then drinking a sugar drink for more energy? Ok, if you are an athlete and are training for increased endurance or power during a 3 hour workout and need ongoing fuel, then maybe you need something….but if you are the average person trying to burn fat and pumping sugar into your body in the process…..you are somehow expecting the rules of fat burning to not apply to you! Forget the workout drinks, drink some water and go burn some fat instead…..well that is only if your diet is also on target to allow you to.
- Not Lifting Heavy Enough: Whether it is women afraid to get bulky muscles (won’t happen), magazines saying you need high reps to “tone” (which is a fancy word for burning fat around a muscle….which doesn’t happen lifting something 50 times), or just people afraid to challenge their muscles for safety reasons. Hands down you get the best results for strength and muscles when you lift in a range of 5-10 reps. So if you are new to exercise, hire a trainer to show you how to properly and safely lift. Exercises and heavy weights do not hurt people……people doing all the wrong things hurt themselves! So forget all those magazines with 40 reps of some lying side leg lift…..go do some lunges and eat right and you will be more tone than anyone reading those magazines….as those people tend to have a lifetime subscription for a reason.
- Having No Real Set Plan (aka “Winging It”): While you don’t need anything overly complicated, you do need to have a plan. Whatever it may be, you need to know if you are progressing in your workouts and not just doing whatever exercises you “feel” like doing. That and you need to keep your rest periods short to get through your workout in 30min (40max). If you can’t get a workout done in 30min, you need a new plan! Most people at the gym are socializing and trading facebook profiles, and they also stay there for hours and look the same month after month. Do your workout, have a plan, get out of the gym and get on with your life……as life should be more than just working out.
- Using the Whole Maze of Gym Machines (Just because it is there): Just because a gym has 100 pieces of equipment to target your calves and rear deltoids….doesn’t mean you need to use them. In fact all you need is a few pieces of free weights and you get done all the exercises that really count. All the rest are just there to keep memberships up and to keep people coming back. Forget isolation exercises and focus on the basic compound movements (listed below). Machines may help people will some movements but overall you don’t need 95% of what is in a commercial gym nowadays.
- Mentality that You Need a Gym to Get in a Good Workout: This is probably the worse mental mistake people are making. Say you don’t have time to get to the gym, or are on the road travelling, or whatever other excuse you want to use…..so does that mean you can’t workout? NO. But many people will not because the gym is seen as the only place that they can workout. The gym industry is a tragedy in the sense that they make most their money off the 90% of people who sign up, show up for a week or two and then come back like 3x in the next year….yet get billed monthly. If you knew the break even point on membership for gyms you would probably laugh (as a small gym may need 500-1000 members, and a bigger gym 10,000+). You don’t need a gym to go run a trail, do some pushups on your living room floor, lunge across the kitchen, take the stairs at work, do some pullups at the park on the kid’s monkeybars, or whatever. No more thinking you need the gym….the gym may need you, but you don’t need it!
- Spot Reduction and Isolation Movements are the Focus: Want big triceps? Do some heavy dips. Want big biceps? Do some heavy chinups. Want big calves? Sprint! While you can add in some isolation movements in a workout if you like, they should be at the end and all done within 10minutes. The bulk of your workout (whether you goal is fat loss or gaining muscle) should be with compound body movements (see a pattern here?) like squat, deadlift, overhead press, pullups, etc. Isolation movements are for bodybuilding magazines to keep writing about so they can sell new subscriptions for years to come. Want abs? Then hold something heavy over your head and brace it with your abs….or do a plank. Forget the situps and go focus where it matters….with your eating.
Ok so we have gone over alot of mistakes people make, but now what are some of the solutions then? It’s easy…..keep it simple and focused and consistent…..results will follow!
- Eat Real Whole Foods to Burn Fat and Exercise will just Accelerate it: We know that eating whole non-processed foods are the best way to burn fat and gain muscle. Eat whole food proteins, healthy fats, veggies, fruits, nuts….and skip the breads, cereals and other processed foods. You need amino acids, vitamins, minerals and many other nutrients available in plenty with whole foods for maximum fat burning and muscle building. Eat a diet of whole foods, forget the stuff that is destroying your body (esp sugar!)
- Keep Your Main Workouts Short and Intense: It doesn’t matter how many calories you burn during a workout, what does matter is how much fat you can burn all day! Short and intense workouts are not only great to stimulate fast twitch muscle fibers but to also get the right hormones going (such as GH) to burn fat and build muscles. Keep your rest short (30 sec) between your sets if you are lifting weight and add intervals before any cardio session. Doing that along with proper eating will get amazing results.
- Have an Active Lifestyle, Go Play! Life is fun! So go play with your friends, dog, kids or just off by yourself. Go hiking, biking, walking, rowing, dancing, boxing, frisbee in the park…..whatever you find fun and interesting. Some of the best bodies you will ever see are people who are very athletic and active (and may not even have a clue how to lift weights and workout). Enjoy what you do and chances are you will do it for a long time to come (and probably live longer because of it)
- Keep Your Workouts Simple and Effective. Focus on Movements that Count: I always say get in-get out in 30min. If you can’t get a good workout in 30min, then you need to rethink what you are doing. More is not better when it comes to resistance training, smart is better! You don’t need some super secret Russian-East German Progressive Overload training system from 1965 either. The basic full body movements like squat, lunge, pushup, bench, pullup, bent rows, overhead press, cleans, snatches, and deadlifts will get your more bang for your buck if you challenge yourself and keep the progress going. I don’t care if you do 5×5 or 3x10s. Do them with intensity and with heavy enough weights and then go eat and recover. You can add in secondary movements at the end of your workouts (like arms or planks for abs) but they are not the main focus. Results are simple yet we think we need a super complicated program to get them. Don’t get “paralysis by analysis”, just take action and modify as you go. Need more help for what to do for workouts? Well guess what….your solution is now here.
- Stop Listening to Advertisements and Magazines: You don’t need a gatorade, you are not training for 4 hours a day like a professional athlete, there is no such thing as spot reduction no matter how many ab crunches you do (or whatever ab-infomercial tries and sell you on). Advertisements and magazines are there to sell you on something, just remember that.
- Do Your Workouts Anywhere and Just do Something Daily: Have some fun and make fitness a part of your daily lifestyle! Think you can’t get a good workout at home or at the park? Think again…..all you need is your body and a way to make it move and work the muscles. Pushups, pullups, squats, lunges, planks, dips…lots of things to do. You can also use minimal equipment and bring it with you like some dumbbells, kettlebells, set of bands and use simple equipment outdoors like a playground, set of rings or bodyweight bars (as seen above). Do it in your backyard, on your porch, in your garage…wherever!
- (Re)Read these Posts: I made these a while back to help people know what really matters, and it helps to keep re-reading and seeing where you need to focus on for results: Fat Loss 101 and Muscle Building 101.
So there you have it. All the things you need to be successful in your workouts. Again remember the most important things are to focus on eating right, keep your workouts simple and intense, do the major movements with resistance, and then just keep active and consistent with your workouts. Before you know it, months will pass and you will be amazed at where you are! So start today with something….and most importantly just enjoy your fitness lifestyle! Go Play!
Above photo by sirwiseowl
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{63 Comments. Read them below or add one}
Hey Mike, i really enjoy your blog and have been using IF for a few months now with great success.
Anyhow, don’t forget the 1-4 rep range! Cluster sets for example.
Personally, i think all new trainees should focus on getting stronger instead of hypertrophy which go hand and hand.
My number 1 tip for training, with body composition is mind – Get stronger!
All the best,
Brad
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Brad – Yep strength is a good thing! Great job on making IF work for you….I know you’ll have continued success!
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A big mistake I see from the more enthusiastic weight trainers is the triumph of intensity over form. People do this in the mistaken belief that unless they take their muscles to failure in the latter stages of every set they will not progress. It’s often also driven by a disproportionate desire to progress to heavier weights regardless of whether they are ready. Spotters can be as much to blame. I should know, as I was guilty of both for years. It’s usually the same folk who you see rotating a shoulder backwards between sets as though they have a nagging injury.
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What a great post, the new workout sites look like they will be great. 100 reps a day will also be fun.
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Your so right! Although when I use the gym I dont have a routine as such but more I choose say 2 muscle groups I want to focus more time on. Does that sound okay to you?
Cheers
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Methuselah – I agree. form comes first for safety (and getting maximum strength/power)….as anyone with an injury will tell you that not being able to train for 6 months while recovering is not fun!
Chris – Yep 100 a day….even drives me to do it as well. The fun part is just knowing you accomplished something for the day…and then starting the day off with the right attitude where anything can be done!
Joe – All types of workout strategies out there…and they all can work, so just stick with one and then go workout hard, quick and get done and on with your day. Results will follow.
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Mike OD,
Excellent post and great information on the other sites as well. You must have been working your butt off to get this set up. I know I can speak for most of us in saying thanks for taking the time to share you knowledge. Now no one has an excuse to get their act together.
MikeB
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Yeah lost a little off my butt working it….but I can get it back.
You are correct….the goal is….No More Excuses! Personally I love the Daily Challenge just for myself to do….it’s fun!
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im just 16 and have lost 30 pounds, bu then i just got stuck at 150, i was getting bored, but now i realize what i was doing wrong. great post.
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[...] Read the full article [...]
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Mike,
Do people still read muscle and fitness type magazines? They must not have the Internet. The pull that the supplement companies have with these magazines is so strong, that the magazines have little chance to be objective anymore. I’d take this site any time over any of the mainstream fitness publications. Great stuff!
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Juan – good job on losing the 30lbs, Just keep consistent with eating healthy and exercise in life….don’t overcomplicate it (as that is where most people go wrong) and then you will be healthy for a long time to come.
Rusty – Ha! I believe so as they still are printing them…and more and more come out every month! It’s a sort of insanity to think we need more information on how to get results! There are no more secrets to be told, just need to focus on what really matters. Supplements are also at an all time high in sales….people think a pill can give them the results they want. Well, we all know how that will work out in the long run.
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Great post MOD! The main two from your list…listening to magazines and chugging pre-/post-workout stuff. Most people aren’t working out hard enough to need any additional calories, few are depleting very much of their muscle glycogen at all, and most are taking in more calories and sugar than they just burned off. And the magazines are the ones pushing that garbage.
It really comes down to two rules:
- Eat Real Food
- Lift big weights (relative to your strength levels) for low reps
Cheers
Scott Kustes
Modern Forager
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I’m used to be one of those girls who thought lifting weights would make me bulky.
Now I have been doing short but intense weight training sessions and the extra pounds are finally coming off. No bulk yet!!
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[...] was interested to read this article on the biggest workout mistakes people make. Although I’m not sure I “get” his whole blog, the single post has lots of great [...]
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The 100 rep challange looks like a lot of fun. Im going to start today with the stepups and see how it goes. Im planning on doing it in conjunction with my crossfit style metcon, but if I get up and do it now, Ill have an ~ seven hour window before class to recover, so Im 99.9% sure this should work beautifully.
Thanks for all this free info MOD! Great, bs-free information readily available at no charge. Most people/trainers would probably try charging at least $50 dollars to view the pages, and your information is better than theirs probably would be.
- Brandon
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Well for the most part you have some good information on this page. But most of it is not correct; your basic advice is great for someone looking to loose weight or get toned.
Now as for the personal trainer part, I shake my head every time I walk into the gym. I tell everyone look at who is giving you advice. Do they look like they know what they are talking about? And how old are they? 9 out of 10 personal trainers have no clue today!
This is the reason I put a picture of myself on my blog page
And the statement about a woman lifting heavy weights is foolish; yes a woman can’t get muscles like a man. But some women depending on their body type and if they are testosterone dominant that do heavy weight training at low reps will get a result that they will refer to as bulky.
And the biggest workout mistake is FORM, something I didn’t see mentioned in this post. Exercise without FORM is just motion, and lifting heavy weights without from is just stupid!
P.S. Did you ever hear of Glutamine?
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Scott – for sure, you need to eat real food. That is key.
Rebeka – great testimonial for intensity and looking great.
Brandon – Enjoy the daily workout, it’s a fun way to keep active!
Kiefer – Heavy weights are relative and can be termed in sets of reps as high as 10 (or even 12) reps. They can be implemented many ways including full body circuits, supersets and drop sets that can be combined for women to get a better muscle/fat burning hormonal stimulus compared to 20-30 reps of light colored weights that do not much of anything (who mostly want to get “toned” and lose fat, and not bulk up). Along with the proper diet and activity level this will keep women plenty lean and not bulked up. Form is important but having been working as a trainer for many many years, it’s not the biggest concern I see when no one is lifting heavy enough anyways and doing all the wrong things to lose fat (as I make a living getting people results, not just sitting from the sidelines). I appreciate your feedback and wish you well on your health and fitness journey. PS. and yes I have heard of the amino acid known as L-Glutamine, what did you want to know about it?
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Great post – i just found it when stumbling. I agree 100% with what you say. I think people are just not confident enough to admit they don’t know what else to do but go to the gym but the more stuff you do outdoors – cycling, Sunday morning run, even playing with a ball in the park – the better you always feel. I also don’t think people drink enough water. Without proper hydration, everything is much harder.
Jeff
http://instantfeelgood.blogspot.com
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LOVE the focus on healthy eating (whole foods/low-carbs) – it seems no one believes that what we eat is more important than exercise when trying to lose weight (or get in shape). You said diet is about 85% of it, and I would definitely agree with that number.
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I think I’ve fallen prey to all of these mistakes. Thanks for the list I’ll keep these in mind when I’m at the gym tonight.
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Jeff – you are right, the more we can focus on fitness “outside the gym walls” with healthy lifestyle activities…the longer we will stick with them and keep consistent results happening. Most people always say they were in the best shape when they used to dance, bike, play a sport….we need more “play” in our lives, it’s good for the body and mind!
Kelly – Yep quality is important….like I told someone the other day, you don’t have to be a low carb person….just be the “right” carb person (veggies, fruits). That and eat for activity level, as you still want to be burning fat all day long. Eating healthy will make a healthy body….and a healthy body wants to burn fat!! (so it becomes more efficient at it)
Paunch – We all can fall prey to it, as those myths are out there everyday in the media and around us with people thinking they know what they are talking about. Think quality over quantity…and you will be on your way to long term results!
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I just stumbled on this website and am so excited! I am 9 months pregnant and can’t wait to get started working out again! I’m canceling my gym membership forever! Am even more excited to do the daily 100!
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[...] at the IF Life gives us some of the biggest workout mistakes people make and what to do about [...]
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So I like what I’ve been reading here. I started exercising about a year ago and have really been doing a lot of reading and searching for ways to maximize my gains and such. As it is right now I work out 5 days a week for only 45mins a night, 4 days resistance training, and the 5th day doing cardio consisting of a mile run and swimming laps until I’ve had enough.
I’m trying to put on muscle weight but at the same time build up my endurance. Problem is my metabolism is quite high and while I’m noticing gradual gains in strength, my weight gain has plateau’d and I’ve been stuck at my current weight for about 4-5 months. I’ve tried the whole eating many times a day and keeping food in my stomach but it just seems like such a chore to try and plan out how and when you’re going to eat for the whole day every day. I don’t want to totally rid out cardio as I want the endurance, but everything I read seems to suggest that I can have one but not the other, or at least for the time being.
Now as far as schedule, what would be the ideal 3 day a week workout schedule? How would you pair all the muscle groups and which exercises would you consider the most essential for each group?
Thanks for any wisdom or advice that you may be able to instill in me.
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CM – Best wishes for a healthy delivery! You will be back in good shape very soon after that! I’d also suggest you look into some fish oil supplementation while pregnant and breast feeding (as DHA is needed for brain development esp in young children). Of course I am not a Dr, so please make sure you run this by your DR first before trying it (and for lots more information about it you can google fish oil/EPA/DHA for kids/your health/preventing autism/helping brain development). Also you may find this article informative about Jenny McCarthy and her mission to help kids prevent autism and stay healthy: http://www.pr.com/article/1076.
Bateman – You are suffering from over-activity, as described above. I HIGHLY suggest you read also the Michael Phelps and muscle building post as that is more right up your alley. That will give you all the info you will need. (as all the answers are there for your questions.)
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[...] “The Biggest Workout Mistakes People Make and What To Do About Them,” courtesy of Mike OD of TheIFLife.com [...]
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A cracking article. I see this so much in the gym. Another big mistake is for guys following bodybuilders workouts straight out of body building magazines. Unless your on steriods or having nothing else to do (i.e. work) there fine. But otherwise useless for most guys. The article summed it up by mentioning cleans, deadlifts, squats and benches. The best free weight exercises there are.
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[...] Great article on mistakes people make when working out (and how to avoid them) [...]
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Great article, just “stumbled upon” it. As a former athlete, I’ve been struggling with what to do – I’ve never had to put any thought into being fit before now, and definitely have been the victim of endless hours on the freaking elliptical… although I will defend the gym because a) it is safer depending on where you live/ if you are a woman (sad but true), and b) there are some low impact options such as swimming or the oft abused elliptical for those of us with lasting joint issues!
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XA – of course safety comes first, but if people are able to it…going out in nature is just such an enjoyable experience that can be intermixed with gym workouts. Swimming is great too.
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I totally disagree re: winging it. Does it stun you to think that some people just like the feeling of doing exercise?
I love it. Any exercise. No plan required. No goal required. The word is ‘recreation’.
One other point. The energy drinks help the fluid get into your body faster. Saline/sugar solutions are used instead of IV drips in some countries to treat dehydration, especially from diarrhea. In fact, we could use it instead of hydrating with Intra venous drips from what I understand.
All round I love your advice, but sometimes fitness freaks freak me out. People say to me ‘oh, you must be dedicated”. Does it not occur to anyone that exercise can be fun? Also, that it might be nice just to socialise with happy healthy people rather than gunning for some growth or anti-growth goal?
Anyway, I’m off
Best of luck everybody, with goals or without.
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Jeremy – you misunderstand walking around a gym aimlessly for hours doing stuff and never getting results…..with a solid simple plan that has you in and out in 30 min and getting results quicker (as I get paid to get people results, not entertain them). Recreation was implied when I talked about “getting out and play” lifestyle. Also I believe play incorporates social interaction. As far as dehydration drink water and eat fruits/veg (they have water and minerals!). I appreciate your fun and play attitude as I am the same way, but next time try and read the whole article before ranting please.
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Yeah, I read the whole article mate. It’s great. It’s just I gain the impression that people associate workouts more with goals and hard work than play and healthy attitudes.
Re-reading it, it was a bit ranty, sorry mate. As I said, love the article, and I admire people who choose training as a career. I help kids learn, I’m a teacher. It is so interesting the difference between a well-fed kid and those who are lethargic and low on energy. Also, the exercise throughout the day is essential to switch em back on.
I think it is similar with adults. The exercise and eating leads to better sex, better self-perception, you move easier, you age slower, your mood improves.
It is so hard trying to convince people of this though!!! Good luck and sorry for being a little negative. Was doing assignments all night which required a degree of ranting and it carried over!!!
By the way, I do agree that it is a shame people don’t realise what can be achieved with a good high intensity workout 30 mins a few times per week. That is my fall-back plan if I don’t have time and my body, heart, lungs, and mind all keep improving every month.
ciao
J
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I “Stumbled Upon” this site.
Mike I love what you’re saying,
I am a trainer and love to articles written by educated people. Education is the most important thing to achieve any goal, but I really liked what you said about “paralysis by analysis” as this is something that I am guilty of.
Granted I’m not in as dire a need of jumping out there and just losing weight in which case any exercise so long as you’re not overdoing it is good exercise.
My situation is more delicate, however I find myself “paralyzed” if you will, whereas when I had previously wished to simply make mass/strength gains back in high school I just worked out like an animal.
Another thing I really liked was what you had to say about overdoing it as a means to compensate for a lacking diet, ain’t it the truth.
You see people every day on the same piece of cardio equipment, when they adapted to that exercise the first month, and their metabolism… it’s as if they never heard of it.
All in all you seem to have a knack for speaking the truth without over complicating the matter, not that I don’t like to get complicated, but I can attest to the lack of interest shared by others.
I think you get down to the point with your bold text and that’s a great key for the eye to zone in on if merely skimming through, and it compels people to read the full article later on, or to bookmark it as a great site for their health related info.
Now to my piece of advice.
I think this whole thing is great, I don’t mind the white background and I really like the lack of advertising and whatnot.
But this is great info, and even more importantly it is delivered in a way that is digestible, I hate to see it go unnoticed I’d like to see you take your methods of informing the masses to a more appealing place.
People are so geared toward instant gratification, and the masses are also relatively obtuse, unfortunately so they need it simplified beyond 2+2.
Again I’d hate to see the info go unnoticed
and I’d like to see you convert more people into conscious workers, rather than mindless workers.
Take the effort to get your info seen and make it more appealing and I think you’ll do wonders for a lot of people;
or shall I say, a lot more.
No need to respond.
All the best
Case Lorance
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This is a great list of advice, i am going to do 8 crunches and burn the fat off my stomach in no time
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Hello!
I love your website – it all makes perfect sense hehe!
Just one question though… i love fasting during the day and then eat after gym… but lately (because of work and studies and other obligations) i have to go gym later at night… so i end up coming home at about 9:30pm
By that time – im beyond hungry.. so my question is – would it affect my fatburning state if i eat a very small protein/fruit snack at about 7pm?
Thank you very much
Regards
Done
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Jeremy – No worries on the ranting…I can understand it if you have to deal with kids all day! True…play is life. I use more focused workouts in the gym for a couple times a week, but even those are just fun to me…and I get everything done in 30min and get out. My cardio is always outside….biking, trail running, or doing whatever life has to offer. Exercise is great for concentration too….which makes me sad when I see kids not getting recess or gym class anymore and doing more sitting around.
Case – Thanks for your feedback as I do appreciate everything people have to offer. I’m a little confused on what you meant by taking it to a more appealing place for the masses….not sure I get what you mean by that. If you want to email me (or anyone), feel free as I am open and very interested to all advice on how to help spread the word for helping people get healthier.
Corn – Abs are made in the kitchen…so if you did that and took care on how to know how to burn the fat around your abs with proper eating and putting yourself in a fat burning oxidative state, you would have a six pack no matter how many or little crunches you did…but heck, what do I know.
Done – As I tell people, make IF work for you….so if you do it 2x a week….3x a week or have to eat before workouts, then it’s what fits your schedule. Remember that IF is NOT about starving yourself, so calorie intake is still important. Eating pre-workout for resistance training workouts are actually good as it will help you get through the workout. I am sure you can find a way that works for you!
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I am so glad you posted this information. I’ve been telling my wife forever that she shouldn’t overdo it because it won’t help. The she complains she is tired. It is amazing to me what people do to their bodies.
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Kelly – sounds like she is overtraining. Have her take a week off and let her body recover, if she can stand to not “workout” that long. But also tell her to go have fun, play tennis or whatever she enjoys…have a fun lifestyle component which keeps her moving and at a lower intensity. Her CNS probably needs a break too. Most people just think more is better, which is not always the case as we know.
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Martial Arts is not just a sports as many people images ; it is a way of Life…
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Mike,
Great blog. Thank you for providing some outstanding information. Best wishes,
Steven
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All great advice. Look for a balance, don’t focus on just one thing like the article mentioned…
Keep Your Main Workouts Short and Intense: This so important, you don’t need to spend hours in the gym, more is not better. Your workouts should be less than 1 hours.
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Mike, what are your thoughts on this…
If a person is sick — not terribly so, but say a minor cold — should a person work out? How would you recommend they approach it? Work through it? Take time off?
If so, how much time?
Regards,
Christoph
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[...] a fun little article ftom the IF Life about the biggest mistakes people make when working out. Lucky for us, CrossFit ensures that we don’t make any of [...]
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Awesome blog, thanks for providing this article. Heck, I even make some workout mistakes you pointed. Merry Christmas!
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So I’m thinking of how to do IF and fit my workouts in. I do an upper lower split 4 days/week. I’m thinking of doing a half hour of cardio in the morning, then doing the weight training after work.
If I did my cardio blast about 0630 and didn’t eat til around 2pm, then had a Vega shake or small meal, then did my weight training around 5pm, then dinner, would that be a sensible option?
Fat loss is the primary goal. I’m about 30 pounds over weight – 45 year old female.
I feel like if I weight train I should have some sort of recovery meal afterwards, so if I did weights in the morning that would mess up the IF.
thanks again for an awesome site!!
Happy New Year!!
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If anyone is interested, I recently did a post that touched on some common mistakes of experienced trainees (as opposed to beginners).
You can find it here:
http://leangains.blogspot.com/2009/01/how-people-fail-their-new-years.html
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Good stuff Martin, thanks for sharing.
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Hi Mike!
OK, getting down to it.
How do I know how much weight and how many reps? One size does not fit all
How so I know when to increase weight (not reps)
If body weight – how many standing exercises-squats/lunges and pushups etc
I do own home a home gym equipment piece that used percentage of my body weight. I like it just don’t know how much I should push myself.
I planned on working different body parts differnt days so there is rest inbetween.
Don’t laugh…… what do you think about Curves? I asked you not to laugh!!!
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Charlene – Keeps your reps 10-15 if you are new to working out. Also focus should be on full body compound movements with short rest in between exercises. Curves is more machine based and will not give a tremendous hormonal response you are looking for in terms of fat loss. While it can be a place to start for many beginners, if you are not a beginner then you need to work more on full body movements (pushups, pulling, squats, lunges). There are many variables and way to scale for all levels.
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I read this and am going to read it again and then once again! This is my first time here and I enjoyed this article! I am becoming happier and happier as the days go by about all the info I am getting about bodyweight exercises. I have time and privacy to workout in my office – home and I am excited about using the time to get a better body. To all you cool guys who share their experience and information so generously thank you, thank you, thank you!!
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Hey Mike,
Awesome article, just read this and your post about “What Your Personal Trainer Won’t Tell You†and I have to say… get out of my head!
I think I’ve been quoting you verbatim before I even read these posts… good stuff man. I think I’ve shared your thoughts on isolations, bosu/balance ball nonsense and not lifting heavy enough with more people than I can keep track of anymore, and I’m not even a trainer at my gym… just a guy that apparently gets enough results to be accused of being on steroids (which I take as a compliment since it’s not true). Not lifting heavy/pushing yourself is probably the biggest mistake I see people make; there are guys at my gym that have been bench pressing the same weight that they were a year ago when I started; my rule of thumb is when I can do 3 sets of 6-8 reps at a weight it’s time to move up. Ideally I want to fail in the 3rd set at ~5 reps.
One point I don’t necessarily agree with is taking less time between sets when lifting weights: my thinking is that the main reason I would want to hit the next set sooner is to increase my heart rate, but that’s what cardio days are for. My routine now is typically 30-40 minutes with 2-3 minutes between sets to allow my body to recover enough energy to overload the muscles in the next set. At the end of my weight training days I usually still have energy, but my muscles are too shot to actually do anything.
Either way, awesome articles; I’m definitely pointing people at these!
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Absolutely fantastic post. I especially enjoyed the part about GATORADE! I always see people pumping themselves full of Gatorade at the gym, and I wonder why they just don’t drink H20! I like Gatorade, but not because it makes me a better athlete! I am going to bookmark this post and return often. Great tips! I will make sure to keep my workouts short and sweet and often. Thanks for sharing!!
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Cliff – Good stuff, always a compliment to be accused of using steriods (means you are getting results!). Some people can also superset (which is what I like to do to cut down on gym time) between 2 antagonistic exercises (like a heavy press and heavy pull). That was I’m still 60sec between doing something, and still really 2-3 min between each set on the same exercise. But there are many ways about it and they all can work. Sounds like you got your eating down also! Great job, keep it up!
Harald – Didn’t you hear, water went out of style years ago! lol. Yes sad that people think they need fuel (unless you are already lean and looking for more performance based workouts). Overweight people should not be drinking gatorade…..any time during the day.
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[...] The Biggest Workout Mistakes People Make [...]
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[...] Heres a great must read article [...]
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Hey Mike,
I have heard that men and women should not follow the same work outs. I’m a 21 year old female who is looking to switch from being a daily jogger to someone who is toned, healthy, and slender. I’m having some trouble figuring out where to start. Your post did help me greatly, and I wanted to thank you!
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Mike OD Reply:
No reason not to follow a similar kind of training or exercises. Being “toned” is just a fancy way of having muscle and lower bodyfat definition. I would focus more on “intensity” stuff for your “cardio” (aka more intervals, less steady cardio) and then use your bodyweight/weights to boost your strength (pushups, pullups, etc). You can still be active in life with jogging and running if you want, just don’t make it your primary focus…..just have more a fun active lifestyle mindset.
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[...] Fitness Spotlight -The Biggest Workout Mistakes People Make: Definitely worth a read before you end up swearing off exercise because of injury. [...]
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[...] Fitness Spotlight -The Biggest Workout Mistakes People Make: Definitely worth a read before you end up swearing off exercise because of injury. [...]
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Great post Mike, detailed and yet simple enough to comprehend. It is strange how good marketing and advertising makes people do the silliest things like pumping more sugar into their bodies while they are actually trying to get rid of it
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[...] The Biggest Workout Mistakes People Make | The IF LifeThese are the biggest workout mistakes that I see today: Focused on How Many Calories are Burned Working Out: [...]
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