7 common bad exercise habits you should stop doing

MANILA, Philippines – You consistently go to the gym every week, making massive effort to keep your body in shape. But no matter how much sweat you shed, you are not really getting the results that you want. Chances are, you might have a bad habit when it comes to exercising. These bad habits ruin your chances of getting that perfect bodacious physique. But fret no more, here’s a quick fix for workout no-nos. It is time to adjust your routine. These are the bad workout habits that you should drop to get the maximum benefits of your workout.

Skipping stretches
Jillian Michaels, fitness instructor and host of  NBC's The Biggest Loser says stretches is important not just before doing your workout, but also after. Go through a full range of motion for every muscle group both before and after exercising. This will give your body the best chance for good health during the workout and good feeling after it.

Resting Too Much
While catching your breath between sets is important, doing this a little too much is not really beneficial. Fit Day says that your heart rate sets back when you rest, preventing your body from refueling the muscles. Aim to rest anywhere from 30 to 90 seconds in between each of your sets.

Unproductive wondering
By unproductive wondering, it means wondering what to do next after the first exercise. It is always important to plan ahead to maximize your time while working out. On your plan, include the type of exercise and the time allotted to do it. Wouldn’t be a waste if you spent two hours at the gym, but spent only 20 minutes of full exercise during those two hours?

Slow and steady workout
Always remember that you have to step it up a notch when working out. Instead of working out for an hour on a slow and steady pace, challenge yourself to 20 to 30 minutes of nonstop, intense exercise. It is always the quality of exercise that you are doing, rather than the quantity.

Too much cardio
While it is true that cardio burns a lot of calories, if you are aiming to achieve a lean body, strength training is what you really should be doing. This will not only get your heart rate up and burn your calories, this will also contour your muscles the way you want them to be.

Avoid repetitive routine
Your body gets used to the kind of training that you are doing, if you keep on doing it every day. One exercise may have been challenging at one point, but it becomes easier to do once your body gets familiar with the routine. This does not mean you have to stop entirely the exercise that you are doing. Mix up some exercises and intensify it a little bit. By doing this, your body will exert more effort, therefore burn more calories.

Energy drink
While Gatorade and other energy drinks give you that boost that you need when doing exercises, those products still contain artificial colors, sugars, and other chemicals. Water is always the best hydrating drink. Only on cases where you have been exercising intensely that you may need these kind of energy drinks. Eating a healthy snack 45 minutes before your workout can give you more energy, and allow you to skip the Gatorade.