There is a lot of training misinformation that is spread in the fitness industry. Every time I go to the gym I see people performing ineffective and even dangerous exercise movements. I pretty much have to put blinders on just so I can get through my own workout. If I were to help everyone I saw I would never finish. After working with thousands of exercisers I’ve identified a few very prevalent mistakes. If you are making these mistakes in your routine then fix them as quickly as you can. By doing so you will get better and more meaningful results.
1. Too well-rounded: Being well-rounded might sound like a good thing but the truth is that well-rounded really means generic. You have specific needs and goals and those should determine what you do, how you do it and how much you do. There is only so much time and energy to put into an exercise routine so make it count. Be focused and purposeful and don’t add things just to be well-rounded.
2. Too many machines: Weight machines are fine for beginners and for body-builders but there are many more functional benefits from using free weights, resistance bands, body weight and cables that are great for the rest of us. Machines isolate muscle groups instead of making them work together; let the core muscles relax; reduce the need for muscle control/coordination; and take balance completely out of the picture. Ditch the machines and opt for standing versions of similar exercise movements to get more functional bang for your buck.
3. Too easy on the weights: Using weights that are challenging is a key to increasing muscle size and strength. Unfortunately many people get way too comfortable with the weights they use so they aren’t really challenging any more. A common mistake is to increase the number of reps rather than increasing the amount of weight lifted. Keep reps somewhere in the 10-15 range and continually increase weights to maintain the challenge.
4. Too slow cardio: If you are doing 30-60 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio, like most people, then I would suggest you try a different approach. You can get even more benefits from your cardio routine in only half the time by using high intensity intervals. Increasing the intensity burns more calories in less time, increases fitness much more effectively, and really ramps up the fat burning. So you can get a shorter but more superior cardio workout. To start, try going hard for a minute or two and then going much easier for a minute or two.
The Never Grow Old Fitness Program embodies these key aspects that are critical to maximizing your time and effort so that you get the best results ever.
Cody Sipe, PhD is an award-winning fitness professional and university professor with expertise in functional aging. He is the founder of the Functional Aging Institute and creator of the Never Grow Old Exercise Program.