7 Reasons Your Workout Isn't Working out ...

Let me tell you 7 reasons why your workout isn’t working out. The problem is you may be performing exercises incorrectly. Did you know that correct form protects you from injury and helps you gain the most benefit from each exercise? I have helped countless clients turn their tired and poor form fitness regimens into fat-blasting muscle-sculpting workouts. And now I am here to help you! Read about the 7 reasons your workout isn’t working out because of common fitness mistakes that can be standing in your way of results.

1. Focus on Form

First, I have to tell you to focus on form, not speed, since when you rush through an exercise you tend to sacrifice form and find your workout isn’t working out. A few of the exercises that are most often performed incorrectly are the lunge, squat and the plank. After years of experience, I have found that the key is targeting various parts of the body at once, without spending countless hours at the gym. When it comes to building a better body, less is more. So make the most of your time!

2. Targeting and Isolating One Muscle Group

Leg Extensions and the leg press isolate an individual muscle group which does little for your body and may even cause an imbalance. By isolating an individual muscle group you risk overdeveloping one muscle while neglecting a muscle that counterbalances it. So what do you do? Focus on exercises like lunges and squats that work multiple muscle groups and give you a better bang for your buck in results! And turn this common fitness mistake into a triumph of results by adding tricep kickbacks so you work the larger and smaller muscle groups at once!

3. Do Not Just Focus on Weightlifting and Avoid Cardiovascular Workouts

Often weight lifters focus their time and effort on weight training and limit or avoid a cardiovascular workout. Remember physical fitness is having muscular strength, cardiovascular strength (keeping heart healthy) and flexibility. It is important to focus on all three; so stretch, lift weights and get a run, walk, swim or any other cardiovascular workout in. If you limit cardiovascular exercise you may still see the aesthetics of your weight lifting but will not have the health benefits of cardiovascular exercise. Balance is the key to paramount results!

4. Performing Hundreds of Crunches

Gone are the days when people would perform hundreds of abdominal exercises and expect to see the results of lean, sculpted abs. Focusing on hundreds of abdominal exercises can strain your neck and back. Recent studies have shed light on the benefits of exercises like the plank for strengthening and toning your abdominal muscles and core. Just remember to perform the plank with your body in a straight line from head to toe with your forearms, hands and feet touching the floor. And have fun with it by envisioning your amazing results to come!

5. Avoiding a Rest Day

By lifting weights you are breaking down muscle fiber so it is important to alternate days to focus on muscle groups and it is just as important to give yourself a rest day. By giving yourself a day off you will have a chance to recover. Recovery days are essential for optimal results and also to limit the risk of an injury. And you will decrease burning out this way!

6. Ignoring Your Lower Body Workout

We have all seen the individual that walks around the gym with a large muscular upper body and pencil legs. By the way, not a good look! Does this look balanced to you? Often people tend to focus on upper body exercise when weight training and they limit the lower body exercises. This creates a muscular imbalance leading to injury and often creating lower back pain. It is essential to focus on the lower and upper body when creating your fitness program.

7. Avoiding Hydrating through Your Workout

It is important to stay hydrated throughout your workout by drinking water or any sports drink. By staying hydrated you will not only optimize your performance and limit muscle cramping but also aid your muscles in a quicker recovery. Or another healthy option for a drink is coconut water because it is loaded with potassium, in fact much more than any sports drink. Potassium helps to maintain water balance and helps trigger muscles to perform. So remember H2O is the way to go!

Remember to focus on form when performing exercises to get the most out of your workouts! And as a result achieve the results you have always dreamed of! Hope you have enjoyed reading the 7 reasons your workout isn’t working out. Now how will you use these tips to help you to reach the sensational results you deserve?