Exercise mistakes are the rule, not the exception. As a trainer, I would know. I have spent more than my fair share of time in the gym. Oh, the stories I could tell.
Unfortunately, exercise mistakes aren’t confined to advanced exercises either. Even with common, basic exercise moves, people botch the form all… the… time.
I understand though. Exercise and proper form isn’t exactly something that comes naturally to everyone. Unless you’ve specifically been taught good form, it’s easy to make mistakes and fall into bad habits.
Good news: I’ve got your back!
I have put together exercise videos and instruction to demonstrate proper form for the most basic, yet foundational exercises out there.
Now I wish I could come to your house and help guide you through nailing down perfect form. But since I can’t, this will have to do.
Watch these exercise videos over and over.
Get in front of a mirror.
And do it until you are doing it right!
Avoiding exercise mistakes by having proper form will not only help you get the most gains from your workout, it will save you from possible injury.
Win-win.
HOW TO DO SQUATS
Believe it or not, this is one of the most natural, and correctly done movements we ever start out doing.
Don’t believe me?
Watch a toddler squat down to play with something on the floor. They are pros and guess what?! You were one once too!
That means the form is in there, we just need to tap in to your inner child.
Major Points to Remember
- Weight in your heels as you lower and raise
- Chest and head up (not down over the floor)
- Knees behind your toes
Common Exercise Mistakes
- Heels coming up off the floor as you squat, putting the weight in the toes
- This mistake typically leads to knees coming out in front of your toes
BONUS TIP: You will know you are doing squats correctly if you can wiggle your toes in low squat position.
HOW TO DO PUSH-UPS
Bad form with push-ups are one of the easiest exercise mistakes to make because push-ups are actually one of the most difficult of exercises to nail down good form.
But investing the time and effort is worth it!
By avoiding mistakes and perfecting your push-up form, you will have mastered one of the best body weight exercises out there. Really… everyone should be doing push-ups.
Once you nail down the form, you may find you enjoy push-ups.
You will certainly enjoy the awesome results push-ups can yield.
Major Points to Remember
- Keep your body in a straight line
- Head in neutral spine (meaning neck straight, don’t let your head dip down or look up)
- Hands parallel, even with chest
- Elbows bend back (not out)
Common Exercise Mistakes
- Head dropping down
- Butt up or hips lowered (mountains and valleys)
- Hands turned so fingers are pointed toward center
BONUS TIP: If you can see your knees or feet, your hands are too far in front of you and you’re working your shoulders instead of you chest.
HOW TO DO LUNGES
Oh the lunge! Probably ranks at the top of my favorite exercises list. It is such a great exercise for the lower body, as well as the core.
Having proper exercise form with lunges is more difficult than with squats, even though many of the major cues are the same. This is because you are adding dynamic movement.
So be patient with yourself.
Major Points to Remember
- Big step out so as you lower down
- Knee stays behind your toe
- Chest and head up
- Feet are still in parallel position even as you lunge forward (in other words, you aren’t lunging on a single line)
- As you lunge, drop back knee straight down to lower
Common Exercise Mistakes
- Keeping feet on the same plane as you lunge forward (as if on a single line and not parallel)
- Leaning forward as you lower down
- Too small a step forward (or back if doing back lunge) causing knee to go ahead of toes as you lower
BONUS TIP: Imagine there’s a cup of water on your head as a visual for keeping your shoulders level and chest upright.
HOW TO DO OVERHEAD PRESS
A wonderful exercise that primarily works the shoulders (deltoids) but also works your biceps, triceps, and core, making it a great upper body exercise.
How does it work the core? Well, when done correctly, your core is your stabilizing set of muscles.
Stabilizing = engaged = being worked = awesome!
This exercise can be performed sitting or standing. For a beginner I recommend sitting. As you become more comfortable with the exercise, you can stand to engage the core a bit more.
Major Points to Remember
- Keep straight posture
- Weights in the same plane as your body (in other words, not out in front or behind you)
- As you lower, weights are level with shoulders
- As you raise straighten arms, but DO NOT lock out elbows
Common Exercise Mistakes
- Arching or rounding of the back
- Weights drifting out in front or behind as weight is lifted and lowered
- Not completing the full range of motion
BONUS TIP: To keep your arms in line with your shoulders, imagine there is a wall in front of you and behind you, forcing you to keep your body in one plane.
HOW TO DO PLANKS
My favorite core exercise and the variations you can perform here are endless
So take your time on this one to avoid mistakes and nail down the standard form
Once you’ve got that under your belt, you can start rockin’ all sorts of new core exercises. And as a bonus, you will be giving the arms and even legs a little extra love too.
Major Points to Remember
- Head in neutral spine
- Arms/hands parallel
- Body in a straight line
Common Exercise Mistakes
- Holding hands
- Head dipping
- Hips raising/lower (mountains & valleys)
BONUS TIP: If someone put a cup of water on your booty, would it stay level or spill? We’re shooting for level!
AVOID EXERCISE MISTAKES CONCLUSION
If you are stressing, take a breath. Yes it’s a lot to remember, but you can’t let this information overwhelm you.
Watch the videos again.
Read the notes a few times.
Go slow. Tackle one at a time. Once you master one, move on to the next.
You, and your future self, will be so glad you took the time to really master these moves.
Plus, many of the form techniques in these exercises can transfer to exercises you do in your workouts, whether at the gym or at home.
In fact, all 5 of these moves are in every home fitness program we talk about: Body Beast, ChaLEAN Extreme, P90X, P90X2, P90X3, 21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix Extreme, Hammer and Chisel, Insanity: Aylum, and the list goes on.
I also want to encourage you to get a mirror for your gym. It’s not a vanity thing, it’s a safety thing. Having one in your home gym to check your form as you exercise will help you avoid mistakes and increase your gains.
Finally, if you start to fatigue in a workout and can tell your form is being compromised, you have a few choices:
- Take a break
- Modify the move with correct form until you can go back to the standard exercise with proper form.
- Decrease the weights
But WHATEVER you do, NEVER EVER compromise form for reps.
Compromising form for reps is probably the biggest exercise mistake of them all.
So, how is your form on these exercises? Do you struggle or do they come easy? Perhaps you have a tip you’d like to share regarding how you avoid these common exercise mistakes. Comment below.
