1) Letting You Skip the Warm Up
One of the most common mistakes personal trainers make is allowing their clients to skip the warm up. While a few minutes of stretching before each workout may seem unnecessary or time consuming, skipping the warm up can lead to a number of potential injuries. When you skip the warm up, you’re not allowing your body to properly adjust and get into the zone for an effective workout.
Warming up is essential to any good workout routine. It prepares your body by gradually increasing your heart rate, improving your circulation, and loosening up your muscles and joints. This not only makes your workout more effective, but it also helps prevent injuries that can set you back for days or weeks.
A good warm up typically includes several minutes of light jogging or walking, followed by dynamic stretches such as leg swings and arm circles. You should also include specific stretches that target the muscles you plan to work on in your workout. For example, if you’re planning to do chest exercises, you can include some pectoral stretches in your warm up. Doing this will ensure that you’re adequately prepared for the exercises ahead and reduce the risk of injury.
Make sure that your personal trainer is aware of the importance of a proper warm up and insists on including one in every workout session. Your trainer should also provide guidance and instruction on the correct technique and form when performing dynamic stretches and other warm up exercises. Skipping the warm up may seem like it saves time in the short-term, but it can end up causing long-term issues that could cost you valuable time and effort to recover from.
2) Not Mixing Up Your Routine
One of the biggest mistakes personal trainers can make is not mixing up their clients’ routines. When you repeat the same exercises over and over, your body will quickly become accustomed to them and you won’t make any progress. This means that you need to keep things interesting and mix it up regularly.
It can be tempting to keep doing what you’re used to because it’s comfortable and familiar. But if you want to reach your fitness goals, you need to switch up your exercises. This doesn’t mean you have to completely reinvent your routine every few weeks. Instead, simply add a few new moves or switch the order in which you do them. Doing so will keep things interesting and help you break through plateaus.
When creating your workout plan, talk to your trainer about what type of exercises they would recommend. Ask them to come up with new routines each week or month so that you don’t get too comfortable. They should also provide clear instructions on how to execute each move correctly and safely.
Mixing up your routine will help you see results faster, as well as prevent you from getting bored with your workouts. It’s important to challenge yourself, so work with your trainer to create a routine that you can look forward to and that will keep you motivated.
3) Not Cooling Down Properly
One of the most common mistakes personal trainers make is not having their clients properly cool down after a workout. It’s just as important to slowly wind down after an intense exercise session as it is to warm up properly before one. When you don’t allow yourself to properly cool down, you put your body at risk for injury and post-exercise soreness.
A good cool down should last around 10-15 minutes. During this time, you should focus on activities that slowly decrease your heart rate and bring your body back to a normal resting state. You can achieve this by doing stretching, foam rolling, and gentle cardio such as walking. Stretching during the cool down will help to restore the body's natural range of motion and reduce the buildup of lactic acid which can lead to muscle soreness.
Foam rolling is a great way to target specific muscles and loosen tight knots. This is important after intense workouts in order to improve blood circulation and relax the muscles. Gentle cardio is also important because it helps lower your heart rate gradually and works off any lactic acid still present in your muscles.
Taking the time to properly cool down is essential for ensuring you get the most out of your workouts and remain injury free. Make sure to dedicate at least 10 minutes at the end of each workout session to a thorough cool down.
