7 Common Workout Mistakes Beginners Make

The 7 Most Common Workout Mistakes Beginners Make

Starting a new workout routine can be intimidating, especially when you’re over 50. Changes to our bodies after 50 present challenges that were not a concern in our 30s and 40s. Workout shortcuts we could get away with earlier in life can cause harm to aging bones and muscles. In addition, everyone else seems to know the ropes while you struggle to keep up. And if you get off to a bad start, that could color the way you feel about exercise for years and prevent you from ever sticking to a program. On the other hand, a positive experience makes it more likely you’ll enjoy the process and stay with it.

Here’s what top experts suggest are the seven biggest mistakes new exercisers over 50 tend to make — and how to avoid them.

You Walk or Do Cardio Only and Avoid Weights

Cardio exercise keeps your heart healthy and burns calories, but resistance training plays an equally beneficial role. “We lose muscle every decade as we age largely due to becoming more inactive,” Olson says. This not only increases the risk of falls but slows your metabolism, since muscle burns more calories at rest than fat.

“When you’re young and full of muscle you can go heavy on cardio and light on weights,” Olson says. “However, once you hit midlife, you need to work your muscles with a solid resistance training routine at least three days a week.” This can include dumbbells, exercise tubing or even your own body weight to start.

You Forget to Stretch

The muscle tightness and inflexibility that accompanies aging results from the loss of fluid and elasticity in the tendons and ligaments surrounding the joints, Olson says. “You should engage in flexibility training at least three times a week,” she notes.

Stretching can include Pilates and/or yoga as well as static (stretch and hold) stretching. (Note: Stretching is not a warmup and should only be done after a thorough warm-up or at the end of your workout.)

“Yoga and Pilates also help improve balance and core strength,” Olson says. “Both are important in protecting the hip joints and spine, which gives us a more stable posture and stronger hip and spinal bones and muscles.”