5 Pre-Workout Mistakes Everyone Makes (And How To Avoid Them)

A totally dialed-in pre-workout routine can be the difference between a record-breaking training session and a dud.

As a personal trainer with almost two decades of hands-on experience, I can attest that most people don’t ever consider adopting a pre-workout ritual, which completely messes up their workout performance and recovery.

An effective pre-training routine primes your body and can unlock your full physical and mental potential, helping maximize your gains.

Grabbing a banana and some water before hitting the gym is totally acceptable. However, there are several strategies that can amplify your results.

In this article, I share the five most common pre-workout mistakes that everyone, including elite athletes, makes that hinder their progress. We’ll also uncover how you can avoid these pitfalls to achieve the physique of your dreams.

Without further ado, here are the pre-workout mistakes that you should be mindful of:

Mistake 1: Dehydration Dangers

Research suggests that you should drink around 500 to 600 milliliters of water two hours before a workout to ensure adequate hydration. Plus, 200 to 300 milliliters can be consumed 10 to 20 minutes prior to starting exercise. (2)

Contrary to what most people think, you do not have to stay away from water during an intense workout. Sip on water throughout the session to ensure optimal hydration and prevent the negative consequences of dehydration, like a decline in endurance and physical output and poor subsequent recovery.

A Word of Caution About Pre-Workout Supplements

You are doing yourself such a big disfavor by relying on pre-workout drinks alone.

Many commercial pre-workout drinks, especially the stimulated ones, are packed with caffeine — a natural diuretic. A pre-workout supp can lead to the elimination of water from your body through urine or excessive sweat, leading to an increased risk of dehydration during an intense workout.

It doesn’t end here. Loading up on pre-workout drinks can lead to several side effects. For instance, many supplements contain beta-alanine, which can cause an uncontrollable itching sensation for some.

Some other popular side effects include jitters, crashes, and digestive discomfort.

While these expensive energy drinks might help you mask the underlying fatigue, an over-reliance on these can lead to nutrition deficiencies in the long term.

How To Ensure Optimal Hydration and Nutrient Consumption Before a Workout

Consistent thirst, dark yellow urine, headache or dizziness, and muscle cramps are some of the most common symptoms of dehydration.

Prioritize drinking 16 to 24 ounces of water for every pound of body weight loss during exercise to replenish the lost fluids.

Overall, you should drink at least a gallon of water daily to avoid the risk of dehydration.

I can totally understand that drinking around four liters of water every day can feel like a chore. You can spice things up by adding slices of lemon, cucumber, berries, or a zero-sugar electrolyte powder to the water.

Make no mistake, there is nothing wrong with opting for a pre-workout supplement. However, you must choose the product wisely.

Invest the time in learning how to read supplement labels. Use this calculator to determine your ideal daily macronutrient requirements and find out where you are lacking. Use the supplements primarily to plug the gaps in your diet.

Mistake 2: Ignoring Your Body’s Signals

No matter who you are and how much you love training, you will have days when you’ll feel rusty and want to skip a workout.

This could be due to a lousy night’s sleep, or maybe you are nursing a nagging pain. While the ‘no pain, no gain’ attitude might get you a few likes on Instagram, ignoring your body signals is a recipe for disaster.

A lack of motivation, energy, and focus, especially before a training session, is your body’s way of telling you that it needs more time to recover.

Pushing through the pain and fatigue and trying to go above and beyond in each workout can sideline you with injuries or lead to burnout. It can also lead to compromised performance, a weakened immune system, and overtraining.

Red Flags

Learn to listen to your body and differentiate between good pain and discomfort and the bad type. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after an intense workout can be good, but if you can’t recover from it even after three to four days, your immune system might have taken a hit.

An elevated resting heart rate, difficulty sleeping, increased irritability, and persistent fatigue are some other factors that you must constantly assess to avoid burnout and injury.

Remember, you break down muscle tissue during a workout. Your muscles grow bigger and stronger while you are resting. Don’t hesitate to take a day off from training if you don’t feel physically comfortable and healthy. However, don’t use this as an excuse to skip workouts every time you feel a twinge.

Mistake 3: Skipping the Warm-up & Static Stretching Beforehand

Starting a workout without properly warming up is one of the best ways to get hurt — if that’s your plan.

A proper warm-up routine comprising dynamic stretches like leg swings and arm circles can help warm up your muscles, joints, and connective tissues. This increases the blood flow to the target muscles and boosts performance.

If you are not a fan of stretching, you can do a quick full-body cardio exercise or even perform a light set of a few exercises in your workout to prime your body.

At this point, I would add that you should avoid static stretches before a workout.

Static stretching involves holding a stretch for an extended period. Scientific evidence suggests that these stretches can decrease performance and increase the risk of injury. (3)

Why is that, you ask?

When your muscles are cold, they are less flexible and are more likely to snap if you place too much tension on them. It also significantly hampers their stability.

On the other hand, dynamic warm-up routines move your muscles and joints through their full range of motion, increasing your mobility and athletic performance.

Don’t Dismiss Static Stretches

With all that said, static stretches can play a crucial role in the recovery process as they can improve flexibility, reduce muscle soreness, and promote relaxation. Quad and hamstring stretches, yoga holds, and the Samson stretch are some of my favorite static stretches.

Mistake 4: Neglecting to Fuel Up

In my experience, many people avoid eating two to three hours before a workout, fearing that it can make them feel uncomfortable during the session. This can be a huge mistake as it can lead to low energy levels, poor performance, and muscle breakdown.

Intermittent fasting and fasted workouts have their place, but they’re not for everyone.

Exercising on an empty stomach can not only lead to poor performance due to a lack of energy, but it can also result in muscle breakdown as the body enters a catabolic state.

Glycogen (from carbs) is the main source of energy for your body. When you do not fuel up optimally before a workout, and your body is out of its glycogen reserves, it breaks down muscle tissue to generate energy and sustain your efforts.

Plus, low energy levels due to a poor diet can cause mental fog during a workout. Crashing blood sugar levels can impair your focus and concentration, impacting your overall workout performance.

Food Hacks For Optimal Performance

Eat a nutrition-dense whole-food meal two to three hours before your training session to ensure optimal energy reserves. This gives your body enough time to digest the food so you don’t feel bloated during the workout.

If you cannot eat two to three hours before a workout, which might be the case for people who train early in the morning, you should at least eat a small snack 30 to 60 minutes before hitting the weight room. (1)

Your pre-workout me should comprise a healthy mix of:

• Carbohydrates: Oatmeal, sweet potato, and fruits are great options. However, opt for complex carbohydrates as they can deliver a consistent energy supply throughout the day.
• Protein: Chicken breast, Greek yogurt, eggs, and protein powder or natural for muscle repair and growth. They also prevent muscle breakdown during a workout.
• Healthy fats: Avocados, nuts, and seeds can support hormone production and facilitate sustained energy release.

Mistake 5: Going in With No Plan

If I got a dollar for every time I saw someone start a workout without a plan, I’d be richer than Elon Musk.

Don’t get me wrong, training without a plan is still better than not exercising at all. But starting with and sticking to a program can help you get to your training goals faster and avoid unnecessary injuries that can derail your progress.

As someone who spends the majority of his time in the gym daily, I can attest that people without a plan usually end up wasting a lot of time wandering the gym floor, unsure of what to do next.

A clear plan, on the other hand, keeps you focused and on track. It can also boost your motivation as you have a particular number of workouts per muscle group to get to your goal.

Create the Perfect Plan

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) suggests setting smart goals. These should be:

• S: specific
• M: measurable
• A: attainable
• R: relevant
• T: time-bound

‘Lose 10 pounds in 12 weeks focusing on HIIT cardio training and a 500 daily calorie deficit’ is a perfect example of a SMART goal.

Then, select your exercises and training volume (sets, reps, and weights) as per your current fitness levels and goals. Avoid punching up your weight class, as it can increase your risk of getting hurt and lead to suboptimal results.

Conclusion

Neglecting to eat a proper diet, drinking enough water, skipping a proper warm-up routine, exercising without a plan, and ignoring your body’s signals are the five biggest pre-workout blunders that you can commit.

Assess your current routine and start making the changes gradually to give your body enough time to adapt. The initial days might feel uncomfortable, but the results will be worth the sacrifice. I promise.

If you have any questions about the five pre-workout mistakes listed in this article, post them in the comments below, and I’ll be happy to help!

References:

1. Nasr L, Sacre Y, Attieh R, Mannan H. Association between the Timing of Pre-Workout Macronutrient Intake and Rated Appetite among Resistance-Trained Adults in Jbeil, Lebanon. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jan 29;20(3):2399. Doi: 10.3390/ijerph20032399. PMID: 36767765; PMCID: PMC9915277.
2. Latzka WA, Montain SJ. Water and electrolyte requirements for exercise. Clin Sports Med. 1999 Jul;18(3):513-24. doi: 10.1016/s0278-5919(05)70165-4. PMID: 10410838.
3. Page P. Current concepts in muscle stretching for exercise and rehabilitation. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2012 Feb;7(1):109-19. PMID: 22319684; PMCID: PMC3273886.

---