What Are the 9 Most Common Workout Mistakes?

Several exercise mistakes can hinder your workouts. But first, let's discuss the biggest mistake: skipping exercise altogether. According to the CDC, nearly half of adults don't get enough physical activity. “You have to show up to achieve your health goals,” says Austin Martinez, certified athletic trainer and vice president of StretchLab in Irvine, California. 

And there are plenty of reasons to show up. Regular exercise reduces your risk of chronic diseases and improves your health and well-being. A complete fitness plan can encourage you to exercise and make your workouts efficient. Discover common workout mistakes and how to avoid them, according to fitness professionals. 

1. Skipping the warm-up 

“Starting any workout with cold muscles is a terrible idea,” explains Austin Johnson, a San Antonio, Texas-based NCSF certified personal trainer and national personal training manager for Gold's Gym. “This makes you very vulnerable to injury,” says Johnson. “Warmups get the blood flowing, increase body and muscle temperature, and increase muscle elasticity, which will help you avoid injuring cold muscles.”

But that doesn't mean that any exercise will do. “Warmups and cooldowns work best when they're specific to your workout,” adds Josh Honore, a certified personal trainer and coach at Row House in San Diego, California.

For example, if your workout focuses on squats, try hip-opening dynamic stretches like forward bends and jumping jacks in your warmup. These moves increase blood flow to the lower extremities and prepare your body for the movement patterns in your workout. 

2. Bypassing the cooldown

Unlike your warmup, your cooldown should include passive or static stretches. “At the end of a workout, your tissues are warm and receptive to flexibility gains,” says Erin Nitschke, Ed.D., a certified personal trainer, exercise science professor, and health coach at the American Council on Exercise. “So end the session with static stretching that involves the muscle groups you just worked.”

Cooldowns kickstart recovery and may aid in removing lactic acid from your muscles. Lactic acid is a byproduct of exercise that can increase post-workout soreness. After a lower-body workout, you could do static moves like the hamstring stretch or the hip-flexor stretch. Again, 5 to 10 minutes is your sweet spot. Finish with a few minutes of foam rolling for extra credit.

3. Not having a game plan

Having a plan is crucial for your success at the gym. “Specificity ensures that you're actively working toward your fitness goals,” Martinez says. If you want to master the push-up, for example, you need to add strength training to your workout. Exercises should target your arms, chest, shoulders, and core.

Accomplishing fitness goals takes time, strategy, and patience. “Try setting one main goal and two to three small goals for early wins,” Nitschke advises. Starting small may help you achieve larger goals, especially at the beginning of your fitness journey.  

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4. Ignoring proper exercise form

After you set your fitness goals, it's time to put your plan into action. You may be understandably excited to get moving. But don't let your excitement stop you from focusing on proper exercise form. If you do, you might injure yourself and delay your progress. 

In a small study, researchers looked at shoulder injuries among people who do high-intensity training. Improper form was one of the most common causes of injury. So learning how to do each exercise in your routine is critical. One way to do that is by starting slowly, allowing time to understand the correct technique.

“If you're new to resistance training, start with bodyweight movements instead of free weights,” Nitschke says. This includes exercises like push-ups, squats, and lunges. You can perfect these moves before adding external load from weights or exercise machines. “This will help you develop better body mechanics, restore functional movement, and progress with less likelihood of injury,” Nitschke says.

Consider booking an introductory session with a personal trainer if you could use a run-through of proper technique.

5. Thinking about exercise as a chore

Your fitness journey is a gradual process. If you choose workouts you hate, it'll only make that process slower and more difficult. Or it might make you ditch your exercise routine altogether. Lack of enjoyment is a key reason that many adults don't get enough exercise. 

If you're tempted to skip the gym or miss workouts frequently, it might be a sign that it's time to try something new. Research shows that pleasure is an important part of habit formation. So if you find exercises you like, you'll be more motivated to stick with them. 

And you have plenty of aerobic and strength-training options. It's all about what fun means to you. “The most effective workout is one that you enjoy and will perform consistently,” Nitschke says.

6. Doing the same thing every single workout or switching things up too often

Once you find a workout you like, it's tempting to stick with it indefinitely. But that might lead to another exercise mistake: hanging out at a plateau. Doing the same exercise over and over allows you to improve your performance. Your muscles adapt to the movement, and you get better at it. Changing your routine can help you avoid boredom and progress toward your fitness goals. 

“Try new activities or use different modalities and tools,” Nitschke says. “New movements and modalities will challenge the body and the mind in different ways.” For example, if you enjoy yoga, but haven't tried a combo of yoga and Pilates, give it a try. If you're used to dumbbells, try kettlebells for something different. 

But be careful. Switching your regimen too often is another workout mistake. “I frequently see gym-goers changing exercises so frequently that the body doesn't receive enough stimulus to see significant change,” Honore says. “As long as you are seeing results, you can stick with the same program for about 4 to 8 weeks before changing anything up,” Johnson says. 

Aim for progressive stimulus instead. That means you gradually increase the intensity, frequency, or duration of exercises. Progressive training may be a better method to achieve gains in endurance, strength, and other fitness goals. 

7. Forgetting about hydration

Water makes up more than half of your weight. Your body relies on this nutrient to function. And research suggests that losing more than 2% of that water causes dehydration that may impact your exercise performance in certain conditions. 

It's important to replace fluids lost through sweat while exercising. Proper hydration may vary based on age, weight, and activity level. But your thirst can be a great guide to help you stay hydrated. So remember to listen to your body. 

If you're still not sure how much water is enough, the American Council on Exercise suggests that you: 

• Drink 17 to 20 oz of water 2 to 3 hours before exercise.

• Drink 8 oz 20 to 30 minutes before exercise.

• Drink 7 to 10 oz every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise.

• Drink 8 oz 30 minutes after exercise.

8. Trying to do too much too soon

Overexertion occurs when you push yourself too hard. For instance, if you add 20 lbs more than you can safely lift on a bench press, you risk overexertion. Signs of overexertion may include: 

• Unusual or persistent muscle soreness after your workout

• Delayed recovery after exercise 

• Performance declines or plateaus

• Prolonged fatigue

• Low energy or moodiness

• Irregular menstrual cycles 

• Extreme weight and appetite loss

Recovery from overtraining looks different for everyone. But adequate sleep, a nutritious diet, and taking time off can help athletes bounce back from overtraining. Perhaps not surprisingly, strategies that help you avoid other workout mistakes –– like proper exercise form and progressive training –– can also help you avoid overexertion. 

9. Overlooking the importance of rest

“Rest is a right, not a reward,” Nitschke says. During periods of rest, your body recovers from workouts. Or, as Honore explains, “rest is when your body cashes in on all the hard work you've done in training.” 

Muscle soreness may signify that your muscles are still recuperating after exercise. The pain you feel occurs as your muscles adapt to training. Methods like icing your muscles and practicing active recovery can help with delayed-onset muscle soreness. You can practice active recovery with low-intensity exercises like walking, swimming, or stretching. 

The number of rest and recovery days you need varies based on exercise intensity. But research suggests that roughly 48 to 72 hours of rest may be best for muscle repair. That means you allow at least 2 days a week for recovery before working the same group of muscles. 

“Rest when your body is asking for it, and certainly if you are sick or injured. The body cannot recover or build new tissues if you do not give it the rest it desperately needs to perform that hard work,” Nitschke says.

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Written by:

Karla Walsh

Karla Walsh has written about health, food, fitness, psychology, beauty, and more for over 12 years. Her work has been featured on Allrecipes, Runner's World, Shape, Fitness, EatingWell, Better Homes & Gardens, Reader’s Digest, The Healthy, Prevention, Women’s Health, and more.

Edited by:

Lauren Savage, MA

Lauren Savage, MA, is a health editor at GoodRx, where she focuses on movement, exercise, and healthy aging. She aims to provide readers with the information they need to live healthier, more active lifestyles.

Reviewed by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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