How to Troubleshoot Your Workout
Get an expert to observe your workout., Focus on your patterns of movement., Tweak your form., Monitor your heart rate.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Get an expert to observe your workout.
If you've reached a plateau, a personal trainer may be able to help you take your workout to the next level.
They can point out flaws in your technique and give you tips to get more out of your exercises.A personal trainer may ask you questions to get a sense of your diet, life activities, and other factors that might be impacting your workout.
Answer these questions honestly – don't try to impress the personal trainer with how healthy and active you are, or you won't get the help you need.
If you decide not to enlist a personal trainer (or can't afford one), try working out in front of a mirror.
Watch videos of people doing the exercises correctly, then compare what you saw to what you see in the mirror. -
Step 2: Focus on your patterns of movement.
Most mistakes in technique happen while your body is in motion.
You may have gotten into a movement pattern because it was initially easier, but now it's caused your exercises to have diminished benefit.This can be particularly important if you're doing a series of exercises.
Watch your movement when you're transitioning from one exercise to the next.
Since transitions tend to be "unscripted," in the sense that you don't have to do them in a specific way, or using a particular form, you may inadvertently be doing something that's causing stress or pain.
For example, when moving from squats to lunges, you may be inadvertently placing too much weight on your knees or ankles, which can stress your tendons and cause pain.
Likewise, looking in the mirror can show you which muscles are doing the work, as you'll see them bulging or moving.
If the wrong muscles are working, you may be doing the exercise incorrectly.
If certain movements are causing you pain, stop them immediately until you've identified the cause of the pain. , Sometimes, problems develop simply because you've slipped into a minor lapse of form that causes your muscles to work differently.
Making the adjustment back to correct form can make a tremendous improvement.If errors in form are the problem, you should notice a difference immediately.
The exercise should feel different and any pain you're having should stop.
For example, when you do sit-ups or crunches, you are supposed to be working your abdominal muscles – not lifting from the neck.
If you feel like you are straining in your neck or shoulders, make an adjustment and focus on your abdominals.
Your posture may be an issue with some exercises, such as squats.
If you're feeling back or shoulder pain, you may be hunching your shoulders or leaning forward as you do the exercise.
If the exercise continues to feel painful, or you continue to have excess fatigue or other issues, the cause is something other than poor form. , Monitoring your heart rate is a good way to measure the impact your exercise is having on your body.
Pay attention to the signals your body is sending to you and adjust your workout as necessary.Check your heart rate first thing in the morning so you have a base reading to work from.
If your heart rate is between 7 and 10 beats per minute faster than your base reading, your workout is causing you excess fatigue.
Take a break for a day or two and look at other factors in your life that may be contributing to your fatigue.
When you return to your routine, start slower and work your way back up to more intense levels. -
Step 3: Tweak your form.
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Step 4: Monitor your heart rate.
Detailed Guide
If you've reached a plateau, a personal trainer may be able to help you take your workout to the next level.
They can point out flaws in your technique and give you tips to get more out of your exercises.A personal trainer may ask you questions to get a sense of your diet, life activities, and other factors that might be impacting your workout.
Answer these questions honestly – don't try to impress the personal trainer with how healthy and active you are, or you won't get the help you need.
If you decide not to enlist a personal trainer (or can't afford one), try working out in front of a mirror.
Watch videos of people doing the exercises correctly, then compare what you saw to what you see in the mirror.
Most mistakes in technique happen while your body is in motion.
You may have gotten into a movement pattern because it was initially easier, but now it's caused your exercises to have diminished benefit.This can be particularly important if you're doing a series of exercises.
Watch your movement when you're transitioning from one exercise to the next.
Since transitions tend to be "unscripted," in the sense that you don't have to do them in a specific way, or using a particular form, you may inadvertently be doing something that's causing stress or pain.
For example, when moving from squats to lunges, you may be inadvertently placing too much weight on your knees or ankles, which can stress your tendons and cause pain.
Likewise, looking in the mirror can show you which muscles are doing the work, as you'll see them bulging or moving.
If the wrong muscles are working, you may be doing the exercise incorrectly.
If certain movements are causing you pain, stop them immediately until you've identified the cause of the pain. , Sometimes, problems develop simply because you've slipped into a minor lapse of form that causes your muscles to work differently.
Making the adjustment back to correct form can make a tremendous improvement.If errors in form are the problem, you should notice a difference immediately.
The exercise should feel different and any pain you're having should stop.
For example, when you do sit-ups or crunches, you are supposed to be working your abdominal muscles – not lifting from the neck.
If you feel like you are straining in your neck or shoulders, make an adjustment and focus on your abdominals.
Your posture may be an issue with some exercises, such as squats.
If you're feeling back or shoulder pain, you may be hunching your shoulders or leaning forward as you do the exercise.
If the exercise continues to feel painful, or you continue to have excess fatigue or other issues, the cause is something other than poor form. , Monitoring your heart rate is a good way to measure the impact your exercise is having on your body.
Pay attention to the signals your body is sending to you and adjust your workout as necessary.Check your heart rate first thing in the morning so you have a base reading to work from.
If your heart rate is between 7 and 10 beats per minute faster than your base reading, your workout is causing you excess fatigue.
Take a break for a day or two and look at other factors in your life that may be contributing to your fatigue.
When you return to your routine, start slower and work your way back up to more intense levels.
About the Author
Brittany Mendoza
Experienced content creator specializing in home improvement guides and tutorials.
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