Avoid common workout mistakes!

Ever worked out only to find you're not getting the results that you envisioned? Or have you found that you simply don't feel at your best despite following a dedicated fitness regime? Is your battle with the bulge less than victorious? Or do you compare yourself to others only to see that you're falling behind? If could be that you are making some classic workout mistakes!

You've motivated yourself to get fit and acted on this, so surely this should be enough to reach your goals right? Well, only if you're not making mistakes that are working against you and preventing you from looking and feeling great. However, to avoid making common workout mistakes you need to recognize them in the first place. So to help you, here are our top ten exercise errors:

1. No technique! No results! - However you are exercising you need to make sure you're doing what you're doing in the right way. If you don't learn the proper form from the start then you are not going to reap the full potential benefits. An expert trainer can work wonders in setting you off on the right path.

2. The glass is fully empty - No, this isn't a question of attitude but of liquid refreshment. Even without working out you need around eight glasses of water a day so make sure you're not leaving your body dehydrated after exercise. Instead of feeling fresh you'll feel tired and listless.

3. Not feeding your fitness needs - So many people fail to establish the connection between diet and exercise. After a workout you need fuel and that means food. Your body is expecting and engineered to want some replenishment after a workout, so you need to respond to this basic but essential need with some protein and a healthy diet.

4. All work and no rest - Allowing your body to recover from exercise might not be an effort for those who need motivation to get them to exercise. However, for many others, there's a temptation to go over the top with workouts. It's not just important to take the strain off your joints and avoid burnout but to also allow your muscles to develop and all the hard work you put in to pay off as your body absorbs the good work.

5. No plan of action - Don't kid yourself that action without an action-plan is enough. If you really want to see results, and the right ones at that, then you need a focused a strategy and a workout plan.

6. Who needs the gym? - Some people lead an active life and decide that they don't need the gym,or any  training or fitness class. The fact is that focusing in on a dedicated fitness session is the best way to really hone in on specific areas of the body and make a real difference.

7. Lack of intensity - You know those people that seem to forever be doing the same exercise, at the same level, for the same amount of time? You know the types - the ones who stick on the treadmill at a light jog with no variation. Adding some intensity can really maximise results, otherwise you're always going to stay at the same fitness level and make no real progress.

8. Injury risks - Everybody has their own weaknesses physically and yet time after time people are injured trying to workout because they don't listen to their body and get sound advice. If you have lower back pain are sit ups really the best way to strengthen the abs? If you're not careful you might end up being able to do less than you could before you started working worked out.

9. Doing it all - While Mallory might have climbed Everest because it was there, you don't need to try each class or piece of gym equipment because they're there. There's a lot to be said for variety but don't spread yourself too thin or you might miss out on really benefitting from a handful of effective exercises.

10. Unrealistic goals - Dreams are great to motivate you but be careful you don't step from the world of ambition into the realm of fantasy. It's not just that having too lofty a plan can leave you feeling deflated but that it might lead you down the wrong workout path too.

There are many other pitfalls to avoid when it comes to tackling fitness head on with a challenging workout. Avoid these by contacting fitness experts and getting the guidance that you need.