Six Workout Wreckers

By Denise Austin, creator of DeniseAustin.com

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To get the most out of your workout — and avoid an injury — make sure to avoid these six common mistakes, say experts from the American Council on Exercise:

1. Jerking to lift weights: Make sure your lifts are slow and controlled. Use your muscle to hoist the weight, not momentum.

2. Leaning on the handrails of the stair climber, elliptical trainer, or treadmill: This makes the workout less challenging and can injure your wrists and back. Stand up tall and instead barely brush the handrails for balance.

3. Not getting enough rest: Working out when you're fatigued can lead to sloppy technique and an injury. Make sure to get your rest before working out.

4. Locking your knees: Always keep your knees slightly bent to prevent an injury.

5. Not warming up: Don't try to shave time off your workout by skipping the warm-up or you could end up on the bench.

6. Getting stuck in a rut: If you're just going through the motions during your workout, shake things up by trying something new! Change will challenge your mind and your body!

Learn more in the Everyday Health Fitness Center.

Last Updated: 07/16/2008