Alright ladies, its time to dispel some pesky gym myths and help you fix the six most common gym mistakes (the list for guys would be much longer “I lift things up and put them down,” but I digress). Though many women are very well-informed about fitness, many still make fundamental mistakes in their workout routine. The first and probably most glaring is:
1. Weight Training: No, you will not get bulky and no, you will not look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. The most common misconception among women is that lifting weights will shape their bodies to look less feminine and will make them look like that .01 percent of bodybuilder women. First, women do not have the body chemistry to build muscle like men. Second, weight training is crucial to weight loss and overall fitness. When you add weight training to your work out routine you not only sculpt a better body, but you burn more calories with your cardio. Muscle burns more calories than fat (exactly how much more is still being debated), but there is a significant difference.
2. Machine Overload: While weight machines are very helpful for training individual muscle groups, they do not mimic the natural way your body moves. By that I mean weight machines are designed to train one specific zone but in order to do that they force us to move in a way that is unnatural to our body. Also, most weight machines are designed for men’s bodies and can cause women to over-extend their muscles. You have to do three different weight machine exercises to get the effects of one free motion exercise (free weights, squats, push ups). The best way to get a full body work out is to do muscle isolation days (upper and lower back, chest and triceps, shoulders, core, and yes, good ol’ leg day) and do a mix of free motion exercises, using weight machines to target specific muscles.
3. Cardio, Cardio, Cardio: 30 minutes of moderate to intense cardio is the classic measure of fitness. While there are other factors, getting your heart rate up and being active is absolutely crucial to staying fit. Not only that, but it is important to choose your cardio wisely depending on what you hope to achieve. While I am personally biased to running, I will admit that it is not for everyone. Common alternatives to running are elliptical, stationary bikes, and stair climbers. All of these forms can be great cardio options that only work as hard as you do. Its very easy to “coast” on these alternative cardio machines, allowing the momentum of the machine to do the work instead of your body. If you use an elliptical religiously, but do not see results, you may want to reconsider the intensity level you do. If you are going relatively slow on a low intensity you aren’t really getting your heart rate up high enough or challenging your body to improve. The best way to kick start your cardio is varying the levels of intensity with interval training. Lets say you’re doing a stationary bike- ride hard for two minutes on high intensity then slow down for one and back up for two and so on.
4. Holding Yourself Up: Another common problem with cardio machines, especially stair climbers, is holding yourself up by the bars. By holding on to the bar you are reducing the weight on your legs and doing less work, but you are also taking the stability factor away from your core and disengaging it.
5. Post-Workout: You know how you always see those obnoxiously muscular men toting around protein shakes at the gym? Protein is a crucial part of muscle building and fat burning. However, you don’t have to drink that high calorie shake to do it. While it is important to recharge your body after an intense work out, you must be conscious of how you recharge. Many people have this idea that “I just worked out I can eat whatever I want.” This is detrimental to building muscle and losing weight. A post-workout meal should be around 15 grams of protein and less than 200 calories from carbohydrates. Your muscles need protein to rebuild after the strain. Overeating high fat or high carb foods can be counter-productive. Make sure to get a nutritious protein packed post-workout snack to refuel.
6. Comparing: The only thing you should compare yourself to is who you were yesterday. It’s easy to get discouraged if you are constantly looking around the gym comparing yourself to other people. Every body is different and it’s unfair to you to try to measure fitness or body type on a one size fits all scale. Stay focused on your progress and don’t let how far you have to go to reach your goals distract you from how far you have already come.