Have you had a chance to check out the Refire Pre-Workout Guide yet?
If you haven’t yet, you can download a copy from last week's blog post!
Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of people make the same “pre-workout mistakes” … so I put together a quick checklist to help you avoid them – so you can get even more out of your pre-workout routine.
4 Pre-Workout Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes:
Mistake 1: Skipping (or rushing) your warmup.
A lot of times we think that because we’re not working “hard,” we’re not accomplishing anything during our warmup.
Trust me: you are!
You’re working out to get results and that means you’re challenging your body. And preparing your body for that challenge means you can work even harder (and smarter).
Plus, over the long term, this can help prevent injury because you’re making sure your muscles and joints are ready for those challenges.
Mistake 2: Not warming up your whole body.
Remember the old skeleton song? “The hip bone's connected to the thigh bone,” etc.?
It’s true! No matter what you’re doing for a workout, it helps big-time to make sure your entire body is warm before you hit the challenging parts of your workout.
Let’s say you’re going for a run or planning a big “leg day” (focusing your weight lifting entirely on your lower body).
It might seem tempting not to warm up your upper body, but it also needs attention.
Having limber shoulder and chest muscles can help you safely hold weights during barbell squats, dumbbell lunges, and so much more.
If you’re doing a running/cardio workout, opening up your chest and shoulders muscles can help improve your gait and allow you to breathe better.
Mistake 3: Not preparing your mind.
This goes with the “setting an intention” tip in your Refire Pre-Workout Guide.
When you think about what your goals are for your workout – why you are doing it, what you want to get out of it – it has a surprising benefit beyond getting fitter, healthier, and stronger.
It can help you be more ‘in the moment” and help you shed the stress of your day.
Mistake 4. Doing a lot of static stretches.
This was covered in your guide, but it bears repeating.
Before your workout you want to focus on dynamic movements – aka “moving” vs. holding a stretch for 30-60 seconds.
Dynamic movements like arm and leg swings, squats, and lunges will help pump blood to your muscles and lube up your joints, getting them ready.
Doing a few sets of warm-up exercises in your workout (using very light weights) will help, too.
Static stretches, meanwhile, are actually linked with an increased chance of injury. They are still important, but should be done after your workout or on their own.
Need a boost to get started? Reach out today and start working towards real change with Refire Fitness!
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