Exercise Mistakes

By Dr. Michael Gray

Shocking as it may seem, not all exercises are good for you. If your goal is to burn off body fat, get overall lean and mean, and get ripped, then avoid these mistakes.

Mistake #1: Repeating The Same Workouts Over And Over 

Repeating the same workout routine over and over is a surefire way to STOP getting results. When it comes to working out, if you want to make progress and keep seeing changes in your body, you’ve got to start switching things up. Your body has a great ability to adapt quickly and when it does, that ‘s when you hit the plateau and stop making progress. 

Mistake #2: Doing Isolated Exercises

Doing isolated exercises only (like biceps curls and triceps extensions) will not help you build lean muscle and get toned and fit. You’re only working one muscle at time and that does very little to increase your metabolism. You need to do exercises that stimulate as many muscles as possible at the same time. 

Mistake #3: Doing Crunches And Sit-Ups To Get Flat Abs

When you do targeted exercises (like sit-ups, crunches, or side bends), your muscles get sore, which makes you think you’re strengthening your abs. Yet weeks later you may still have that flab and roll, and your belly looks the same. Here’s the truth. Abs are stabilizing muscles designed to resist movement and protect your spine. Finding that perfect balance of abdominal exercises and lower back extension exercises is almost impossible with targeting exercises. The key to getting sculptured abs is to burn off that stubborn layer of belly that’s hiding them. 

Mistake #4: Using Gym Machines

The big shiny machines sure make the guy look high-end and high-tech, but truthfully, the only thing they’re good for is sitting down on while you tie your shoes. The problem: machines alter the way your body naturally moves. This limits your ability to activate all your muscle fibers. Machines also can cause muscular imbalance and excessive strain on your joints. For great results, you need to incorporate exercises that allow your body to move naturally with full range of motion. Then you will skyrocket your metabolism. 

Mistake #5: Doing Long Workouts

Longer workouts do not equal better and faster results. If you’ve been working away at the gym and your body is not visibly changing, you can’t do more of the same thing and expect a different result. When it comes to body sculpting, your body responds to quality not quantity. 

Now, I know that some of this information goes against the status quo. However, this information is especially true for those who want to burn fat, get lean, and increase their metabolism.