Tips from trainers
Ever wish you could eavesdrop on the personal training session taking place across the weight room and snag some inside "gym-formation"? Then listen up: We asked five top-tier fitness experts what mistakes they see many of us making. It turns out, the adjustments they recommend are surprisingly easy. Adapt these simple improvements for a cranked-up calorie burn (no extra gym hours necessary) and pain-free workout—you'll see results fast.
You lean on the machine too much
Nope, not figuratively. If you're literally resting on the handles while you pedal up a dust storm, your lower body isn't working as hard as it could be—and that means fewer calories torched, says Michele Olson, PhD, professor of exercise physiology at Auburn University in Alabama. Plus, you won't effectively engage your glutes and core.
Worse, you could be setting yourself up for injury, because the muscles and joints in your shoulders and neck are forced to support much more weight than usual. "When you lean on the machine, you're transferring about 30% of your body weight to your arms, shoulders, and neck," says Olson. "If you weigh 145 pounds, that's nearly 50 pounds." Touch bike or treadmill rails with your fingertips for balance, and actively pump your arms if you're on an elliptical.
Worse, you could be setting yourself up for injury, because the muscles and joints in your shoulders and neck are forced to support much more weight than usual. "When you lean on the machine, you're transferring about 30% of your body weight to your arms, shoulders, and neck," says Olson. "If you weigh 145 pounds, that's nearly 50 pounds." Touch bike or treadmill rails with your fingertips for balance, and actively pump your arms if you're on an elliptical.
You're breathing all wrong
"Most people's breaths are too shallow, at rest and during a workout," says Beth Jordan, a personal trainer and spokesperson for the American Council of Exercise (ACE). Deep breathing recruits more of the oxygen your muscles need to function efficiently while exercising. With shallow breathing, you'll notice that your chest rises and falls; deep breathing moves your belly. The timing matters, too: Breathe out on the exertion part of the movement. The exhalation helps push, pull, or rotate the body. "People have a tendency to hold their breath at strenuous points," notes Jordan. "This limits oxygen delivery to the brain and can cause dizziness or a spike in blood pressure."
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