Oh no: we have been doing these things wrong in the gym all this time
Do you know that? Those slightly too long breaks between your exercises when you're sweating it out in the gym? I am hugely guilty of this. I used to think that staring blankly for five to ten minutes after an exercise was harmless. But you can feel it coming: it actually does harm. If I really want my muscles to grow, I should only take a maximum of two minutes to recover, according to Jeroen van der Mark, researcher and coach from FIT.nl. There are a few more mistakes we can all catch ourselves making in the gym, and you never have to make them again after this. Thank me later.
Skipping the warm-up
I never did a warm-up. Really never. And I always thought people who did were a bit over the top. ‘Why would you walk for five minutes beforehand, that doesn't make sense,’ I always said. I take those words back very quickly because it does have a purpose. A warm-up warms up your muscles, which reduces the chance of injuries. Oh, and don't forget the cool down to let your body recover. That is just as important.
A wrong gym buddy
You probably don't think about this right away, but the person you often work out with can have a big influence on your training. More than you might think. They can check if your form is good or give you a pep talk when you have no energy left for your last exercise. Of course, chatting is part of it too, but it shouldn't be too much. Your focus decreases, which means you automatically have less strength. This affects your workout.
Cardio beforehand
Some are convinced that you should do cardio best beforehand, while others swear that it should only be done after your strength training. I looked it up, and the right answer is... afterwards. This mainly depends on your personal fitness goal. If you want to burn fat or build strength, it's best to crawl on the treadmill after squatting. Prefer to work on your endurance? Then beforehand is a better choice.
Sticking to the same routine
In my notes on my phone, I have had the same workout schedule for months. This works very well for me so that I know exactly what I need to do each time. But do you do the same exercises day in and day out without any variation in the number of repetitions or the weight you use? Then it's time to challenge yourself a bit more. Besides the fact that you are probably sick of it yourself, your muscles are too.
Source: fit.nl
