The sudden cancelation of gyms across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic has caused many people to move their training to their homes. This has been an adjustment for many as we get used to the new normal until it’s safe to come out of quarantine. Because working out at home can be a pretty big change, there are a lot of mistakes people are making that can hurt your gains and potentially cause a severe injury to you or others. Become aware of the most common home workout mistakes so you can avoid them.
Going in with No Plan
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when you are working out, in general, is not going in with a plan. This can make your workout go by quickly because you will most likely run out of ideas, especially if you are doing it at home. An easy way to create a workout plan is to divide up your days by dedicating each to exercises for specific muscle groups. This will not only keep your workouts refreshing, but it can keep them structured as well. If you need help creating a plan or finding workouts, there are plenty of fitness apps that can help.
Neglecting Other Body Parts
Many people are also guilty of neglecting other body parts during their home workouts. This goes back to the point of why it’s so important for you to establish a workout plan, so you can hit all these areas. For example, a lot of people tend to skip leg days, which is a cardinal sin of working out because your legs are one of the biggest muscles in your body.
Skipping Cardio
While muscle building is the primary focus for many people, that doesn’t mean you should skip out on cardio. There’s a common misconception that cardio will burn off all the muscle you’ve gained, but that’s not necessarily true. Cardio can help you build strength and lose body fat, which can help you appear more shredded. Now that you have some extra time on your hands, consider doing fasted cardio in the morning to reap even more of the benefits of doing cardio.
Going Too Fast Through the Motions
It can also be easy to make the mistake to not perform a workout properly, especially if you are doing isometric or bodyweight exercises at home. Instead of just going through the motions and doing so too fast, you should be doing your workouts slowly, so you can truly build that muscle. Further, take the time to perfect the form and don’t be afraid to use less weight at the beginning. However, you still want the exercise to be challenging enough, so it can be a tricky balance.
Not Having A Designated Gym Space
Since you are at home, you are going to need to find a designated area for a gym. You will need more than enough room to place the various fitness equipment. Additionally, you also need to set up a designated gym space so you are safe and don’t do any harm to your home. Some great areas for a home gym include a basement, garage, spare bedroom, or a sunroom.
Not Using Actual Exercise Equipment
Working out, in general, can be dangerous if you are lifting too much weight, as it becomes easy to injure yourself. Being at home, you can also injure yourself if you are doing exercises on things around your home that aren’t durable or can’t handle your weight. While you can get creative by using chairs for dips or creating a makeshift pull-up bar, you can still seriously hurt yourself if you approach the exercise wrong. A safer alternative is to build a home gym with legitimate equipment. Top Fitness Store as all the strength and cardio machines and accessories you need to remain fit during quarantine, such as our top-of-the-line spirit fitness equipment.
Taking Too Many Breaks
During a workout, many people can also be guilty of taking too many breaks in-between sets. This might be happening even more now that you are at home, and there might be more distractions at play. You typically don’t want to take any longer than a minute in between sets because you want to keep your heart rate up. Supersets are a great thing to do in-between your exercises that can allow for the muscles you just worked on to rest and build on another muscle group in the meantime.
Going Back to Poor Eating Habits
To truly see the progress you are looking for, you are also going to want to pay attention to your diet. People are stressed out during these times and are turning to poor eating habits, but you can only burn so many calories. While it might be more difficult to get the food you need at the grocery store, do your best to stay on track with healthy eating habits so you don’t undo all the hard work you are putting in.
Not Wiping Down Your Equipment
Just because you are working out at home doesn’t mean you get a pass for not practicing good hygiene. While being in quarantine is the best way to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, you might be sharing your gym equipment with others in your home. Now is as good of a time as any to practice good hygiene by wiping down exercise equipment when you finish using it. Have disinfectant wipes, clean towels, and other cleaning items readily available to keep your home gym clean.
Not Working Out at All
Arguably, the most common home workout mistake people are making is not doing any exercise at all. Gyms temporarily closing doesn’t give you an excuse to not be physically active. In fact, staying active has never been more important because it can increase your immune system. If anything, working out at home is a new challenge that is a good one to face and can open you up to new kinds of exercises you wouldn’t have tried otherwise. Plus, with summer around the corner, you don’t want to undo all the progress you made and feel uncomfortable when it comes time to wear a swimsuit. Come out of quarantine looking your best by committing to a workout plan and avoiding these common mistakes.
