As personal trainers, we are very strong believers of making time for exercise.  It only needs to be 30 minutes a day, but those 30 minutes need to count.  This doesn't mean you have to be panting and breathing so hard you think you are going to pass out.  In fact, we don't recommend that :)

These are the key things we teach our clients to maximize their time in the gym with us and their workouts outside of the gym....

Do not try and do too much too soon.  Enthusiasm is great, but doing too much weight or cardio too soon will just lead to injury.  You will also get the "burned out" feeling and most likely want to quit before you even get started.  Work your way into it gradually.  Most important, listen to what your body is telling you...I'm tight, sore, achy, feeling great.

Not enough push.  This means you're not doing enough weight or not picking up the pace on your cardio.  Don't be afraid to increase your weights.  This will increase your lean muscle mass, which is your 24/7 calorie burner.  Women don't have the hormones men do to bulk up, so don't be afraid to leave those 5 lb dumbbells behind.  You have to keep challenging the muscles by increasing the weight. 

Incorrect form.  Fatigue and distraction will lead to poor posture.  Optimal form means pulling your abs in, keeping your pelvis from tilting forward or backward, pulling your shoulders back and keeping your chin slightly pulled in.  Almost as if you were standing up against the wall.  When doing cardio you should be able to maintain this form without rocking or bouncing up and down. 

Improper breathing.  Breathing allows oxygen to get to your muscles which improves your strength output.  Take your breaths with each rep, focusing on exhaling during the lifting and inhaling when lowering the weight. During cardio your breathing should not be choppy, forced or irregular.  You should be able to carry on a conversation and not gasping for air.

Please feel free to contact us with questions or comments.  We love what we do and would like to help anyway we can to improve your workout!