Sometimes a wake up call can be the difference in taking your goals to the next level. We all get accustomed to our ways without ever realizing we might be doing more bad than good for our bodies. Here are 6 common fitness habits that hold you back everyday.

  1. Correct Form – Lifting heavier and running faster is always a great accomplishment. Unless you’re using your body correctly, you may be holding yourself back. Correct form is what allows you to properly work your muscles to improve their strength and most importantly, avoid injury.
  2. Don’t Overwork Yourself – Fitness addiction is real. Working out everyday, becoming obsessed with how long you stay at the gym, using all your strength when you first start and not allowing your body rest limits your success. Our muscles need to rest in order to repair, grow, and function properly. Pace yourself and eat healthy meals to speed up your recovery process.
  3. Don’t Slack Off – Don’t get too comfortable. Fitness, the goal is to make slow and steady gains. If you’ve been curling 8 pounds for the past two weeks, aim for 10 pounds the next time you hit those guns. The more you challenge your muscles, the better your results.
  4. Don’t Lose Focus – Getting in the fitness zone is always fun, but if you stay zoned out too much you lose focus on your goals. Leave all other thoughts out the door and focus on how much achieving your fitness goal means to you.
  5. Getting Comfortable In Your Routine – One big mistake people make is sticking to a routine. We all love sticking with what works for us, but unless we change our training up every several weeks, we’ll end up hitting a plateau. Our muscles learn quickly, so the more you change up your workout routines, the better they respond.
  6. Forgetting To Breathe – This is a big one, your breath is your power! Breathing properly is what gives your muscles an extra boost of energy to get through those reps. Remember, inhale through the nose and exhale through your mouth.

Once you kick these fitness habits out the window, a whole new fitness world will open up for you. You will find more way to challenge yourself and more ways to push through your workouts.