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Having a workout routine of any<\/em> kind is an awesome way to reap some of the amazing benefits of exercise,<\/a> like a boosted mood, improved heart health, and better slumber. But if you\u2019re looking to maximize<\/em> the effectiveness of your sweat sessions? Well, that\u2019s where the small-but-mighty details come in.<\/p>\n There are a bunch of little things people do during their workouts that can supercharge their goals<\/a>\u2014and some that are actually counterproductive to getting it done. And, sorry, but chances are that you may be doing a bit of the latter. You likely aren\u2019t even aware of it, but it\u2019s something that personal trainers do<\/em> pick up upon. After all, they\u2019re there to help you get in the best workout possible, so they\u2019ve got their eyes peeled for any of the tiny things that can throw a kink in it.<\/p>\n Some of these habits are super small, but they still deserve your attention\u2014and a tweak or two. That\u2019s because they can diminish the effectiveness of your workouts, up your chances of injury, and just plain make the whole experience less enjoyable. To help you avoid them, we tapped a few personal trainers for some of the common behaviors they\u2019d really wish you skip. For your own good, promise!<\/p>\n Pretty much all of us have our phones when we exercise\u2014either because we\u2019re actively using<\/em> them in our workouts (say, to stream Spotify or follow a YouTube yoga flow) or because we\u2019re just so used to toting them everywhere. The problem arises when it becomes a distraction from the task at hand. \u201cWhen you\u2019re just constantly scrolling and getting hooked up on Instagram and TikTok or texting during your rest, that really disturbs and disrupts your workout focus and your flow,\u201d Jasz Nesbitt, CPT<\/a>, strength coach and Pilates instructor in Atlanta, tells SELF. This can mess with your workout plan by disrupting the flow of your reps and sets, and if you end up inadvertently taking more down time than intended, it can make it harder to get back in the groove.<\/p>\n It can also be\u2026not great from a logistics standpoint, particularly if you\u2019ve got a packed schedule and a timetable you need to stick to. \u201cIt increases the time that you are actually spending in the gym, and you\u2019re not even working out, you\u2019re just there,<\/em>\u201d Nesbitt adds. Basically, it drags out your workouts while simultaneously making them less effective. Definition double whammy!<\/p>\n What to do instead:<\/strong> This habit can start out innocently enough\u2014you see one Insta notification, and before you know it, you\u2019re 20-minutes deep into doomscrolling\u2014which is why Nesbitt suggests putting your phone on do not disturb before you start exercising. If the thought of being unreachable gives you anxiety, let the people in your life know it\u2019s your gym time beforehand, and you\u2019ll get back to them later. If you really cannot stand the thought of going on mute, at least set a timer for your rest periods so you know when to start moving again, Nesbitt suggests. That can nip TikTok bingeing in the bud. Another thing to consider: Try out a watch, like the Garmin Venu 3<\/a> or Apple Watch, that allows you to listen to music by synching with Bluetooth headphones. That way, you can reap all benefits of a motivating playlist<\/a> without the distractions of your phone, which you can safely stash in the locker room while you break a sweat.<\/p>\n Yes, lifting heavy<\/a> is an awesome way to build muscle, improve your strength, and generally feel like a badass. But using weights that are too<\/em> heavy can backfire by upping your chances of injury and reducing the effectiveness of the exercise, Nesbitt says. Take the squat<\/a> for example: If you load up a barbell with way more poundage than you\u2019re used to and then try to bust out a set of reps, you risk compromising your form (and you may also limit your range of motion in the process). These errors\u2014think rounding your back or letting your knees cave in\u2014can cause certain joints and muscles to take on more force than they\u2019re capable of handling and ultimately up your likelihood of experiencing aches and injuries there. All the while, you\u2019re not getting the intended benefits of the exercise because you\u2019re not actually working the intended muscles, Nesbitt explains.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n What to do instead:<\/strong> If you\u2019re brand new to an exercise, start with just your bodyweight, Nesbitt says. Master good form there, and once you get to a point where doing 8 to 12 reps feels like a breeze, then add resistance. Choose a weight that allows you to complete all your reps with good form, with the last 2 to 3 reps feeling difficult but doable, she advises. Once that weight feels easy, level up again\u2026but make each bump gradual. For upper-body moves, Nesbitt recommends increasing your weight in increments of 2.5 to 5 pounds at a time. For lower-body moves, the jump can be slightly larger\u2014about 5 to 10 pounds at a time, she says.<\/p>\n Using the same exact weights every time is also not the best habit, since this shortchanges your progress. Certified personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist Jess Schneider, CPT<\/a> at Life Time<\/a> in Westchester, New York, tells SELF she sees so many people picking up weights that are too light for them, which limits their strength gains and ups the chances of plateauing. \u201cWe need something called progressive overload<\/a> to get stronger and to build that muscle,\u201d Schneider explains. This involves picking up increasingly heavy weights so that your muscles continue to be challenged, which is what they need to grow bigger and stronger<\/p>\n What to do instead:<\/strong> If you finish a set feeling like you could easily bust out 5 to 10 more reps with good form, that\u2019s a sign to up your weight, Schneider says. It\u2019s okay to feel like you have a little left in the tank when you finish a set (and, in fact, it\u2019s often a good thing to ensure you\u2019re not pushing too hard and compromising your form), but this number should be countable on one hand.<\/p>\n Cardio is a stellar form of exercise, providing important heart healthy benefits. But so many people think that just hopping on the treadmill, elliptical, or stationary bike is going to help them achieve all<\/em> their health and fitness goals. The truth? If you\u2019re doing only<\/em> cardio\u2014and neglecting strength training\u2014you\u2019re really missing out. There are so many benefits to \u201chaving good, strong muscles,\u201d Schneider says. Think stronger bones, reduced back pain<\/a>, and even better blood sugar control if you have prediabetes, to name a few. That\u2019s why the current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans<\/a> recommend both kids and adults slot in some<\/em> sort of regular resistance training alongside cardio sessions. This holds true even if<\/em> you have serious cardio goals\u2014say, you\u2019re a runner who is training for a big race\u2014since incorporating resistance training alongside cardio sessions is still important for building well-rounded fitness. Plus, it can reduce your chances of injury and up your performance in the process, two legit gains you don\u2019t want to leave on the table.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n What to do instead:<\/strong> Ideally, your routine will include both strength and cardio. The \u201cright\u201d balance<\/a> between the two depends on a number of factors, including your goals and health status, Schneider says. But in general, if you can prioritize strength training three times a week and then fit in light cardio sessions in between, that\u2019s a great approach, Schneider says. If you don\u2019t have that much time to devote to exercise, doing two days of strength and one day of cardio a week, or even one day of strength and one of cardio, is beneficial, Nesbitt says.<\/p>\n We can all be our own worst critics at times, but bringing this vibe into your workouts is not doing yourself any favors. Hearing negative self-talk in the gym is \u201cfrustrating,\u201d certified personal trainer and performance coach Keith Hodges, CPT<\/a>, founder of Mind In Muscle Coaching<\/a> in Los Angeles, tells SELF. That\u2019s because it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy: If you fill your mind with thoughts like I can\u2019t do this<\/em> or I\u2019m never gonna reach my goals,<\/em> \u201cYou\u2019re programming your body and your brain to really believe this,\u201d Hodges explains. And that can stop you from reaching your potential, since you\u2019re basically throwing in the towel before you\u2019ve even tried.<\/p>\n What to do instead:<\/strong> When you\u2019re plagued by self-doubt, Hodges suggests taking a step back and asking yourself how you can know<\/em> you\u2019re incapable of doing something if you haven\u2019t even attempted it. So long as you\u2019re being safe and respecting your body\u2019s limits, encourage yourself to simply try<\/em> whatever it is that\u2019s freaking you out\u2014for example, that new Zumba class or an assisted pull-up. Don\u2019t be afraid to fail, Hodges says, and approach new challenges as learning opportunities. With that mindset, you may just surprise yourself by what you\u2019re capable of.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve already talked about limiting scrolling during your workouts, but it\u2019s also important to reflect on phone habits outside<\/em> of the gym. Spend five minutes on FitTok and you\u2019ll likely be bombarded with an idea of what \u201cperfection\u201d looks like in the exercise world, whether it\u2019s someone\u2019s elaborate crack-of-dawn workout routine, ability to bust out 50 perfect push-ups<\/a>, or Cirque du Soleil level of mobility. But here\u2019s the thing: Social media \u201csets unrealistic expectations,\u201d Hodges says. And if you compare yourself to what you see online, \u201cyou\u2019re never satisfied or excited or happy with your progress,\u201d Hodges says. Ultimately, this can suck the joy out of your own fitness journey and make you less likely to stick with it for the long haul, since you\u2019re left feeling like nothing you do is enough.<\/p>\n What to do instead:<\/strong> As unrealistic as social media can be, it\u2019s also not really feasible to totally avoid it. \u201cIt\u2019s just so embedded in society,\u201d Hodges says. That said, you can remind yourself that there\u2019s a lot you can\u2019t discern from a photo or reel\u2014like how truthful it is, how much it was edited, or even how much a person\u2019s genetics influence what they\u2019re capable of in the gym. Taking a step back and realizing that not everything online can (or should) be taken at face value can reduce those comparative thoughts. Also consider whittling down your follow list to remove accounts that make you feel bad\u2026and then bolstering it with ones that make you feel good. That way, when you scroll, you\u2019ll be less likely to fall into the comparison trap. (And if you think you\u2014and your mental health\u2014would benefit from a broader phone cleanse<\/a>, we\u2019ve got you covered.)<\/p>\n If you\u2019re bored in the gym or just not seeing the progress you want, it\u2019s only natural to switch things up. But injecting too much variety\u2014for example, doing completely different workouts every session, or starting a new routine every two weeks\u2014can actually hamper<\/em> your results, Schneider says. That\u2019s because you\u2019re not taking the time to build any one skill, like perfecting the hinge movement pattern or nailing proper squat form, which is key if you want to keep challenging yourself and ultimately get stronger. \u201cYou\u2019ll never really truly see the benefits of a good strength training regimen if you’re always changing things up,\u201d she explains. Instead, \u201ctrue strength, fitness, and health programming takes consistency and patience,\u201d Schneider says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n What to do instead:<\/strong> Schneider recommends a strategy called undulating periodization: Basically, you do the same workouts for a four-to-six-week period. Each week, you repeat the same workouts, but strategically change one variable to ensure your body is continually challenged. This could be how much weight you\u2019re using, the number of reps or sets, or the speed at which you\u2019re performing exercises, she explains. After that four-to-six-week period, you should see results, at which point you can start the process all over again with a different set of workouts. Now, this may not be the sexiest approach, but it is<\/em> effective. \u201cThere are lots of times where it\u2019s going to be a little boring, and we just have to be okay with that,\u201d Schneider says. Looking for inspo? Consider SELF\u2019s 6 Weeks to Stronger program<\/a>, which is centered on periodization and totally customizable to your goals and lifestyle. Here\u2019s how to get started<\/a>.<\/p>\n Related:<\/strong><\/p>\n1. Constantly scrolling your phone.<\/h2>\n
2. Picking up weights you\u2019re not quite ready for\u2026<\/h2>\n
\n3. \u2026Or, on the flip side, grabbing the same dumbbells week after week.<\/h2>\n
4. Overcommitting to cardio.<\/h2>\n
\n5. Bashing your abilities.<\/h2>\n
6. Comparing yourself to everyone on FitTok.<\/h2>\n
7. Not sticking with a program.<\/h2>\n
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