Bad Fitness Habits You Need to Kick This Year

Bad Fitness Habits You Need to Kick This Year!

Bad fitness habits – we all have them and most of the time, we don’t even know it until someone or something bursts our bubble!

However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Being honest with ourselves is the first step to avoiding the fruits of our bad habits and transforming them into good ones. And what better time to do that than with 2018 just beginning to warm up?

Here are 6 bad fitness habits that could be holding you back or even worse, leading you to an injury! If you’re currently doing any one of them, make this the year that you give them the kick. Your body will thank you for it!

 

1. Doing the same thing over and over again

Becoming a workout robot is comfortable and easy. Just do the same thing over and over again, day in, day out! It isn’t a smart way to exercise though as it leads to plateaus and overuse injuries.

To avoid both of these situations, remember to change your routine every two to three weeks. This could be as simple as tweaking the number of sets, reps and weights. Experimenting with other activities such as HIIT, yoga, dance and climbing will also challenge and train your body to be more well-rounded.

 

2. Poor form and technique

Having to stop training altogether due to injury is the best way to ensure that you do not reach your fitness goals. Going hard in a session is important but it’s pointless if it’s with poor form and technique. While you may not feel the consequences in the moment, that doesn’t mean that they won’t catch up to you at some point in the future.

If you are just beginning to work out or are looking to correct your form, take it slow and get each and every rep right. Exercising with a friend or personal trainer will help you to ensure that you are working out the right muscles with good breathing and posture.

 

3. Losing focus

When you arrive at the gym, park, track or pool, it’s go time. As fun as it is to socialise and take Instagram selfies, that’s not why you’re there! You’re there to work out and going at it at 50% is just a waste of your time and energy.

Make each session short and intense, keep the phone away and give it your all. These things may seem small, but they will maximise your workouts and your results. You’ll also have more time for socialising and taking selfies afterwards!

 

4. Making up your workouts on the spot

It may feel convenient to figure out your workout every time you rock up to the gym. It may even make you feel smart. However, it’s a poor way to reach your fitness goals because whether your goal is for more strength, mass or agility, you need a plan to get there.

Put in the time and effort to develop and follow a training regimen. For example, if you want improve your climbing abilities, follow a fitness schedule that includes exercises geared towards climbing. It’ll take out the guesswork and ensure that everything you are doing is moving you in the right direction. It’ll also enable you to keep a training diary to track your progress and make tweaks along the way.

 

5. Warming up and down incorrectly or not at all

Let’s face it, most people don’t warm up nor down, and even if they do, they do it incorrectly. Contrary to popular belief, static stretching is best done after your workout – once your muscles have already warmed up.

A 5 to 10 minute dynamic stretching routine involving exercises such as jump rope or butt kicks is much better when preparing for a workout. They’ll stimulate your nervous system and give your muscles a chance to warm up for the upcoming activity.

 

6. Ignoring your diet

Working out doesn’t give you a license to eat poorly. While you can lose weight with exercise, it won’t happen if what you eat counteracts what you expend in your workouts. Likewise, you can’t expect to gain mass unless you increase your food intake.

The diet that you follow will vary on many factors including your body and your fitness goals, however, it should always be nourishing enough to refuel your body and assist in muscle recovery so that you are ready to kick butt at your next workout!

 

It’s not all about kicking bad fitness habits though – it’s about developing good ones too such as climbing! We’re currently offering a free waiver (worth $98) when you sign up to be a BM Citizen. It’s for a limited time only though, so get in quick!