Another year, another opportunity! This is the time of year when people often reassess their fitness level, set goals, and embark on a new workout regime. To help you all meet your fitness goals, we've got a number of initiatives in store for you. We'll also release weekly articles from our fitness gurus to help keep you on track! First up is an article by Angie Walker and Stacey Taylor outlining the Top 6 Workout Mistakes...
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Overtraining/Not giving your body adequate rest
When you start a new program, you will likely experience some muscle soreness while your body adjusts to the new movements/loads. You can also experience muscle fatigue if you train too often and don’t let your body rest sufficiently between workouts.
Remember that your body builds muscle and gets stronger during rest periods, so ease into it, and monitor your body. The general recommendation is 2-3 sessions per week for beginners, 3-4 for intermediates and 4-7 for the more advanced.
Not locking in your core
A lot of back issues are caused by poor core stability. When performing any exercise, you should first engage your core by rolling your shoulders back and down, drawing your belly button towards your spine. This will provide you with the core stability to train safely and effectively.
Not drinking enough water
Hydration plays a massive role in your training and recovery, especially in the Pilbara. If you are adequately hydrated, you will be able to train harder, for longer, recover more quickly, and get results quicker.
Get yourself a bottle and take small drink breaks during your workout. While the amount you should drink while exercising will vary from person-to-person, exercise intensity, and the temperature/humidity, the basic guideline is 200-300ml for every 10-20 minutes of exercise.
Eating when your body isn’t hungry
Sometimes you may actually be dehydrated rather than hungry. It’s good practice to drink a glass of water prior to eating. If you were dehydrated, problem solved. If your body was hungry, water aids digestion. In either case, it’s a win!
Pre-Prepared Meal Dependency
Instead of defaulting to premade options, look at balancing your diet with whole foods from the fresh produce section. If you’re a snacker, instead of a chocolate bar, opt for a handful of nuts. If your cravings are more savoury in nature, jerky is a high protein option. Fitness is a lifestyle choice. It is absolutely fine to occasionally treat yourself, but opt for a smaller portions to help regulate your blood sugar levels and associated craving spikes.
Not getting help
If something doesn’t feel right, or you experience pain while exercising, we have trained professionals in the gym who you can consult for guidance. Sometimes all you need is a little tweak with positioning, or help with visualising movements to aid proper form. So feel free to reach out to us!
For the next 6 weeks, we’re also providing members with free consultation sessions. We’ll walk you through goal setting, baseline testing and progress measurements to help get you set up for success!
On top of that, we’re phasing in wristbands to indicate whether or not you’d like trainers to keep an eye on you and provide feedback. If you’d like a wristband, have a chat with one of our friendly team members at the Reception Desk.