At a time when the need to relieve stress, anxiety and pent-up energy is at a high, many people find solace in the endorphins released from working out. Whether you’re getting your exercise from daily walks, trainer-led sessions or finding your own rhythm with your favorite workouts, renowned fitness guru Larry North, of Larry North Fitness, wants to ensure you’re not making common mistakes and truly benefitting from each exercise.
Below are five of the most common workout mistakes with tips and tricks from Larry North to easily transition you into an at-home workout fiend.
1. Inconsistent fitness schedule
North Tip: The body thrives on consistency and regularity. Many people do not exercise regularly and keep to a schedule, but it is very important to keep it as consistent as possible to both mentally and physically cope and create a sense of normalcy.
Even if you’re only working out for 10-20 minutes at a time, make sure you have blocked out time that you can commit to on a consistent basis. For example, your schedule might allow for a workout MWF at 9:00 am or every day from 8:00 pm – 8:20 pm. Once you get into the groove of a schedule it stops feeling like a hassle and starts feeling like a self-care routine.
2. Placing too much emphasis on cardio or certain areas of the body
North Tip: Choose a routine that allows for muscle-building exercises along with some cardio and light stretches. Just because you aren’t drenched in sweat does not mean you aren’t working hard.
Arm and ab workouts are plentiful, but it’s important that you don’t forget to do legs or back exercises. To make it easy, search for full-body workouts and exercises.
Ten easy exercises that utilize multiple muscles include: push-ups, squats, step-ups, planks, dips, jump lunges, box jumps, kettlebell swings and everyone’s favorite, burpees. By working these exercises into your routine you can eliminate the worry of missing any muscle groups and focus on getting stronger.
3. Placing too much focus on exercise and not nutrition
North Tip: No amount of exercise can make up for a bad diet. You cannot outrun a donut. Make sure you are eating right and continuing to practice eating proper portion sizes.
Larry’s two books, Slim Down for Life and Living Lean, both focus on eating better in order to shed weight. If you focus your work on eating the right foods you can cut your exercise to 15 to 20 minutes a day of walking and some light workouts.
4. Sloppy form and technique
North Tip: If you don’t feel the burn in the correct area, odds are you’re doing the exercise wrong. It’s okay to take each exercise slowly to ensure you are using the correct form. Speed up only when you feel comfortable! When you begin working out without a trainer to guide you, it is important you don’t hurt yourself or get discouraged. Take your time, get each exercise right and you’ll feel more confident which will make you more likely to continue with your fitness routine.
5. Boring workout with little variety
North Tip: Play music that inspires you. Purchase small weights, punching bags, pull-up bars, bands, a mat, jump rope and designate a special area in your home as your home gym.
Working out at home with home equipment, apps, YouTube, online training and more is no longer what it used to be. These home workouts have become much more immersive. Remember to add outdoor workouts at a park, track or anywhere in your neighborhood whenever possible remembering to keep a safe distance from others.