Are you making mistakes when you exercise that make your workout ineffective？ Or worse yet， are you doing things that could lead to costly injuries？ Whether you’re a veteran or novice① at exercising you need to be sure you’re getting the best workout possible.
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) surveyed 3，000 certified fitness professionals and asked them what are the biggest mistakes they see people making in the gym—but you don’t have to work out in a gym to make some of these fitness fumbles②：
Not stretching enough. It’s always a good idea to stretch for a few minutes prior to exercise concentrating on the muscles that will be used during the fitness activity. Most importantly， spending time stretching after a workout for about 8—10 minutes while your muscles are still warm and flexible③， will reap major benefits. Muscles that are flexible are far less likely to be injured than tight ones.
Not warming up prior to aerobic activity. Stretching is just part of the warm-up equation. Your entire body needs to be gradually warmed up to prepare it for the added demands of aerobic training. Start out slowly for the first few minutes， your workout will be much more effective.
Not cooling down after any type of workout. Just as your body needs a warm-up it also needs a cool-down. Take some time to gradually let your heart-rate lower. Stopping aerobic activity suddenly can cause a number of problems such as blood pooling in your lower extremities④ or making you feel light-headed. Now is also a prime time to get in a good stretch that will provide you with lasting flexibility.
Lifting too much weight. Too much weight will contribute to poor form when lifting and create injury to other areas of the body in addition to the muscle you’re targeting. Know your limits. The most effective workout is gradual progressive resistance training.
Jerking⑤ while lifting weights. Lifting too much weight can contribute to jerking. The best way to strength train a muscle is by using slow， controlled movement. If you’re jerking your weights you’re inviting injury， especially to your back muscles.
Exercising too intensely. The days of “no pain， no gain” are gone！ If you’re looking for effective weight loss， longer periods of moderately intense workouts are most effective. Short periods of high intensity training are fine when integrated into a circuit training workout or when used for athletic training. But for the average fitness enthusiast， too much intensity will only lead to soreness⑥ and burnout.
Not exercising intensely enough. If you’re looking for results you need to put effort into your fitness program. You don’t want to overdo it， but you do want to get your heart elevated into its target training zone.
Not drinking enough water. Contrary to most sports drink advertising， unless you work out for more than two hours per day， water will fill all your fluid needs. Be sure to drink at least 64 ounces of water per day.
Consuming energy bars and sports drinks during moderate workouts. Most fitness professionals agree that unless you’re exercising for more than 2 hours a day， energy bars and sports drinks aren’t necessary. Unfortunately， high-energy generally means high-calorie when it comes to these products. Sticking to a healthy， well rounded eating plan and drinking plenty of water should meet most exercisers’ needs.
① novicen. 新手，初学者
② fumblen. 笨拙的处理；笨拙的企图 vi. 乱摸；摸索；笨拙地行动
③ flexibleadj. 可弯曲的，易弯曲的；柔顺的
④ extremityn. 末端；尽头；手足，四肢；极度；极端
⑤ jerkvi. 抽搐，痉挛；颠簸，摇晃 n. (肌肉的)抽搐
⑥ sorenessn. 疼痛；不睦；悲伤，痛心
健身禁忌
你的健身方法正确吗？不会是事倍功半吧？甚至适得其反、深受其害吧？不论是老手还是新兵，你都要力保所用的健身方法最佳。
美国健身协会 (ACE) 调查了3，000位持有资格证的健康专家，向他们咨询人们健身时所犯的最大错误，不过你可没必要在健身房实践下列这些错误的健身方法：
伸展运动做得不够。在开始锻炼之前，主要针对健身运动中练习的肌肉，最好先进行几分钟的伸展运动。尤为重要的是，在结束锻炼后，趁着肌肉稍热、柔韧性较好，花8～10分钟做一下伸展运动，你将会获益匪浅。柔韧性好的肌肉远比僵硬的肌肉更不容易受伤。
有氧运动前没有做热身运动。伸展运动是热身运动的一部分。整个身体都需要逐渐进行热身运动，以达到有氧运动的较大需求。开始几分钟，可以缓慢进行，这样健身运动才会事半功倍。
结束锻炼后没有做缓和运动。缓和运动与热身运动一样对身体必不可少。花些时间让你的心率渐渐平缓下来。突然停止有氧运动有百害而无一益，例如会导致血液淤积在下肢，或者让你感到头晕。此时做伸展运动对于长久保持柔韧性也至关重要。
举重强度过大。举重时，过大的重量对形体有害，会伤害所运动的肌肉以及身体的其他部位。要有自知之明。逐步增加强度练习才能取得最佳锻炼效果。
举重时动作过猛。举重过重会导致动作过猛。肌肉力量锻炼的最佳方法应该平缓而有控制。如果举重动作过猛，则会反受其害，尤其是背部肌肉容易受伤。
锻炼强度过大。“魔鬼训练，天使身材”的口号早已过时。如果你在寻找最为有效的减肥方法，那么应当是中等强度的长期练习。短期高强度的训练，如果融入整套训练内容或者用于体育训练，是有好处的，但对于普通健身爱好者来说，过大的强度只会导致痛苦不堪和精疲力竭。
锻炼强度不足。若想有所收获，则要为健身计划付出努力。虽然你不要做得过火，可也的确需要达到所制定的训练强度。
水喝得不够。与多数运动饮料的广告宣传正好相反，只要每天锻炼不超过2个小时，喝水就足以满足体液的需要。记住每天要喝至少64盎司（约2升）的水。
中等强度训练时，吃能量棒和喝运动饮料。大多数健康专家都赞同，只要每天训练时间不超过2个小时，就不需要能量棒和运动饮料。不幸的是，这些高能量的食品往往意味着高热量。只要坚持健康全面的就餐计划，饮用足量的水，就能满足多数健身者的需要了。
