What is the most common mistake people make when starting an exercise routine?

What is the most common mistake people make when starting an exercise routine?

Jerry Pryde, MD, MPH, CIME (Clinical Chief, Department of Rehabilitation, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center) gives expert video advice on: Why is exercise so important?; How can exercise keep my blood pressure under control?; How will exercise improve my stamina and overall energy? and more...

I think the most common mistake that people make when they start an exercise program is they get very motivated and very excited to do it, and then they rush right out and they overdo it. Then they have too much soreness. For instance, somebody who says, "I want to build my muscles, I'm going to be good and strong," and they go to the gym and they start a weight lifting program, and they're trying to lift too much weight too soon. Then they develop tremendous soreness in their muscles that lasts for several days, and then they spend a week out of the gym. That's a very preventable mistake. It happens a lot, and it's hard to go back to the gym when you're in pain, or you may feel like your body's not able to do it when really you were. You just started too fast and too hard.