Learn from Noob Fitness Mistakes

The fact that someone is starting their journey through health and fitness itself is a step in the right direction. It can be scary, yet rewarding at the same time. The old saying “if it were easy, everyone would do it” applies to the situation. If becoming strong and healthy was easy or came in a pill, the US wouldn’t be flooded with a population that is overweight and obese. Starting a workout program can be overwhelming, confusing, and full of fitness mistakes.

More times than not, the same feelings of uncertainty come across beginners who are on a quest to better themselves. They are diving into the dark ocean unsure of what lies ahead and where to start. For this reason, many fitness mistakes are made. But fear not, what you’re about to read will help keep you from the pitfalls that many find themselves in when starting out.

1.) MORE is NOT better

Many beginners have it set in their mind that more of everything in life is better. Unfortunately, with exercise, this isn’t the case. More sets, more cardio, and more time spent in the gym all might sound like things that will help you reach your fitness goals, but that’s not necessarily the case. There’s actually a thing called overtraining. This can lead to injuries that can set you back in your health and fitness goals by keeping you on the sideline while you heal up and recover. When you’re just starting out, your body will respond to just about any stimulus you put it through, even though it might take some time for your body to understand what you’re trying to make it do (more on this in another section). Don’t spend more than 45 minutes in the gym per session. Your goal is to get in, do your workout, and leave.

The first thing you need to do is check with your doctor to ensure it is safe for you to begin an exercise program. After the doctor gives you the thumbs up, it’s time to get to work. Begin with 1-2 exercises per body part and do 10-12 reps for each exercise. To start out stick with 1-2 sets per body part and work your way up as you get stronger. For cardio, start at whatever fitness level you’re currently at. So if you can only do 10 minutes of cardio that’s fine. Start there and slowly add minutes as you feel comfortable in challenging yourself, but don’t overdo it. Let’s move along and look at more fitness mistakes.



2. Don’t focus solely on cardio, weight training is necessary

Many beginners have the mindset that if they need to lose weight cardio is the way to go. Sure, cardio is important, but we can’t negate the fact that muscle burns calories. Don’t worry ladies, weight training won’t make you look like Arnold, but it will make you look toned and lean. Cardio burns calories and so does weight training. More times than not (depending on that kind of cardio you’re doing and the duration), cardio generally burns more calories than weight training. So by doing cardio and weight training you get the best of both worlds during your training session. You’ll find that the combination of weight training and cardio will help you do normal daily activities much easier than before you began exercising. While a pound of muscle and a pound of fat are equally one pound, putting each respectively next to each other you’ll find that muscle is much more compact and dense when compared to fat causing it to appear to be smaller in size.


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Matt Weik

Matt Weik, BS, CPT, CSCS, CSN, is the Owner and Head Keyboard Banger of Weik Fitness. He is a well-respected, prolific writer with a global following and a self-proclaimed fitness and supplement nerd. Matt’s content has been featured on thousands of websites, 100+ magazines, and he has authored over a dozen published books.