5 Things Your Workouts Are Missing & How to Solve Them
5 Things Your Workouts Are Missing
When it comes to fitness, many people have the drive and motivation to improve their health but still fall short of their goals. This often has nothing to do with lack of effort but rather key elements missing from their approach. In fact, studies show that up to 80% of people abandon their fitness goals due to a lack of progress. To help you avoid becoming part of that statistic, we’ll dive into five essential factors that might be missing from your workouts—and how incorporating them can get you back on track toward achieving your fitness goals.
1. An Expertly Written Plan
One of the most common reasons people don’t reach their fitness goals is a lack of structure. Showing up at the gym without a clear, well-designed workout plan can lead to inconsistency, inefficiency, and ultimately, stalled progress. Having a plan created by an expert, tailored to your goals, is crucial. What is not an expertly written plan? Finding random individual workouts form the internet all the time that are not tied together.
Why It Matters:
A study from the American Journal of Health Behavior found that people who followed a structured plan were 2.5 times more likely to reach their fitness goals than those who did not. An expertly written plan provides the roadmap to success, outlining what exercises to do, how many sets and reps, and which days to focus on specific body parts. Without this kind of guidance, it’s easy to miss important exercises, fail to progress, and ultimately lose motivation.
How to Fix It:
If you're not already following a detailed workout plan, consider hiring a personal trainer or finding a reputable fitness program designed for your goals. Living.Fit workout plans are written by credentialed trainers and designed to help you reach specific goals. Your plan should include a variety of exercises that target all major muscle groups, rest days for recovery, and a strategy for progressively increasing difficulty (more on that below). With a well-structured plan, you’ll remove the guesswork from your workouts and stay on track toward your goals.
2. Progressive Overload
If you’ve been doing the same exercises with the same weights for weeks or months, chances are you're not applying progressive overload—the principle of gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts to continue building strength and endurance. Sticking with the same routine can result in a plateau, where your body no longer adapts to the stimulus and progress halts.
Why It Matters:
A 2016 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research showed that progressive overload is one of the most critical factors in muscle growth and strength development. Without it, you won’t be pushing your muscles hard enough to grow stronger. Regularly increasing the weights you lift, the reps you perform, or the intensity of your exercises keeps your muscles adapting and growing.
How to Fix It:
Incorporate progressive overload by increasing the weight, reps, or difficulty of your exercises on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. For example, if you’ve been squatting 100 pounds for three sets of 10 reps, aim to increase the weight to 105 pounds or add an extra rep or two each week. All Living.Fit workout plans use this important principle to guarantee you make progress towards your goals. This gradual increase forces your muscles to adapt, leading to improved strength and performance over time. Keep track of these increases to ensure you are consistently applying progressive overload.
3. Tracking Your Progress
Many people give up on their fitness journey simply because they don’t see immediate results. However, not tracking progress can lead to the illusion that nothing is changing, even when it is. Without tangible evidence of your improvements, it’s easy to lose motivation and feel like your efforts are in vain.
Why It Matters:
A survey from the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that people who tracked their progress, whether through a fitness app, journal, or spreadsheet, were 70% more likely to achieve their fitness goals. Tracking allows you to see the gradual improvements that might otherwise go unnoticed. It could be an increase in strength, endurance, or even how you feel during and after your workouts. Seeing these wins, no matter how small, helps keep you motivated and accountable.
How to Fix It:
Start tracking everything related to your fitness journey. Inside of every Living.Fit workout plan, you can track and monitor your progress over time. This could include the weights you lift, the number of reps and sets you complete, your body measurements, or even how you feel after each session. Or you can go old-school with a journal. The key is to have a record of your efforts so you can see trends over time, which will help you stay committed and motivated as you make progress.
4. Knowledge About How to Perform Movements Correctly
Even with a solid plan and a focus on progressive overload, many people struggle with their workouts due to improper technique. If you’re unsure about how to perform certain exercises or aren’t confident in your form, you may not be maximizing your efforts—and worse, you could be setting yourself up for injury.
Why It Matters:
Research from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) shows that poor form and technique are among the leading causes of gym-related injuries. Not only does incorrect form increase the risk of injury, but it also means you’re not fully engaging the muscles you’re targeting. As a result, your progress will be slower, and you may feel frustrated by the lack of improvement.
How to Fix It:
Take the time to learn how to perform each exercise correctly. Whether that means working with a personal trainer, watching instructional videos, or asking for guidance from gym staff, it’s important to ensure that your form is on point. All Living.Fit workouts come with a movement library that includes verbal, written and audio cues for performing each movement. Proper form allows you to fully engage the intended muscle groups and minimizes the risk of injury. Additionally, learning proper movement mechanics can boost your confidence in the gym, helping you stay consistent with your workouts.
5. A Clear Structure to Follow
Many people are uncertain about what kind of workout structure is best for their goals. Should they focus on strength training, cardio, or a mix of both? Is it better to do full-body workouts or split routines? Without a clear structure to follow, it’s easy to fall into the trap of doing random exercises that may not be aligned with your specific fitness goals.
Why It Matters:
A well-structured workout routine is essential for balanced training and consistent progress. According to a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, people who followed a structured program designed around their goals saw significantly better results than those who didn’t. Randomly choosing exercises may lead to muscle imbalances, overtraining, or undertraining certain muscle groups, all of which can slow down your progress.
How to Fix It:
Decide on a structure that aligns with your goals and stick to it. If you’re aiming to build muscle, a strength-based program with compound lifts (such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses) might be ideal. For fat loss, incorporating high-intensity interval training (HIIT) along with strength exercises can help you burn calories and build muscle simultaneously. All Living.Fit workouts are written with this in mind. Whatever your goal, make sure your workout structure is balanced and covers all the major muscle groups. This structure ensures you’re not overloading certain areas while neglecting others, leading to more efficient and well-rounded progress.
Conclusion
If your workouts aren’t delivering the results you’re hoping for, it’s time to assess what might be missing. By incorporating an expertly written plan, progressive overload, tracking your progress, ensuring proper knowledge of exercise movements, and following a clear structure, you can significantly increase your chances of success. Remember, fitness is a journey, and success often comes down to paying attention to the small details that make the biggest difference. Addressing these five factors will not only help you reach your goals but also keep you motivated and on track for the long haul.
View over 50 workout plans by Living.Fit to solve these obstacles today.
