Jono Castano, Kayla Itsines, Sam Wood, Emily Skye reveal common at-home workout mistakes

Celebrity trainer Jono Castano has revealed the very simple but crucial step too many of us are skipping when we work out at home.

At-home workouts have become the new norm since the coronavirus pandemic hit Australia back in March this year — but unless done right, it can cause serious injury.

Fitness influencers, personal trainers and gym studios quickly adapted to the changing climate by designing more at-home workouts for clients.

And after restrictions forced some of our beloved fitness venues to close, many of us turned to online training to get our fit fix.

While it has helped bridge the gap for those unable to physically attend gym sessions, some of Australia’s top fitness experts have warned those training at home to be extra cautious.

Celebrity trainer Jono Castano Acero has shared his top tips for working out at-home, while also revealing one of the biggest and most common at-home mistakes people are making.

“The wrong technique,” he tells news.com.au

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Sydney-based personal trainer Jono Castano together with one of his celebrity client’s Rebel Wilson. Picture: Instagram/JonoCastano

“You might be trying to keep up with the class on the screen but it’s more important to make sure you’re doing the exercise right.”

Jono, who works with Aussie celebrities including Rebel Wilson, Jodie Gordon and Laura Dundovic, suggests training in front of a mirror.

“If you have a mirror you can do the exercises in front of, it would be best to make sure you’re doing them with good form and engaging the right muscles,” he said, adding that “it can potentially cause injury if you do the wrong technique”.

Other fitness trainers and influencers from Sam Wood, Kayla Itsines and Emily Skye have also weighed in on the common at-home mistakes people tend to make, while sharing their top tips.

DOING THE EXACT SAME WORKOUT EVERYDAY

Jono, who runs Acero Online, said this can get repetitive and fatigue muscle groups. “I suggest following a weekly routine where it is split up each day. For example, Monday can be upper body, Tuesday lower body, Wednesday cardio and Thursday booty and back.”

NOT WARMING UP OR STRETCHING

There’s plenty of us who are guilty of not warming up or stretching prior to a training session and Jono warns this too can cause injury and tight, sore muscles.

“Both are equally as important. Even if you are only doing a half-hour workout, you should warm up and do the first few exercises lightly and make sure to stretch afterwards.”

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Jono suggests training in front of a mirror to ensure form and technique are correct as it can potentially cause injury if done incorrectly. Picture: Instagram/JonoCastano

NOT HAVING SELF-DISCIPLINE

There’s no denying that being at home can be very distracting, which is why fitness influencer Emily Skye, founder of Emily Skye Fit, suggests keeping things like your phone out of reach and television off.

“Make sure you’re allocating time to train and actually train during that time. It’s like making an appointment with yourself,” she said.

Jono added that you don’t want to cut your reps or workout short because a work email came through.

“Try to dedicate that time to focus on the workout so you can get the most out of it,” he said.

Jono suggests avoid doing the same workout everyday, and while were all guilty of it, try and keep your phone out of reach during workouts. A selfie after is totally fine. Picture: Instagram/JonoCastano

LIFTING TO HEAVY OR TOO LIGHT

Not everyone is lucky enough to have a fully stocked gym at home and most people may have just one or two types of weights instead.

But it is important to know you can’t use the same weight for every exercise, Jono warns.

“You would definitely squat a heavier weight than a weight you use for a bicep curl.”

“Instead of investing in a whole range of dumbbells and weights, resistance bands are just as good.

“You can get a set of 3-5 and use them for almost any exercise. They are easy to store too.”

NOT FOLLOWING AN EXPERT

Fellow personal trainer Sam Wood, who runs 28bySamWood, said it is “so important” to follow the training advice and programs of qualified professionals.

“When you’re training at home, this will ensure you’re getting the right instructions and tips on form and help minimise risk of injury,” he tells news.com.au

RELYING ON MOTIVATION

Sam said while it’s normal not to be motivated for every workout, the key is to be consistent. “Get up, get it done and get on with your day. Moving your body every day should be like brushing your teeth, you’re not always motivated to do it but you do it anyway.”

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Jono says it is important to know you can’t use the same weight for every exercise.

TRYING TO MULTITASK

Trying to multitask is one of the biggest mistakes when it comes to getting a great workout at home, Kayla Itsines, founder of BBG Zero Equipment program, tells news.com.au

“I’m sure many are guilty for trying to watch your favourite television show while working out, patting your pets while doing floor exercises or getting distracted by phone calls — all of these things can affect the efficiency of your workouts,” she said.

Kayla Itsines says it’s important to be in a room with zero distractions to get the best workout. Picture: Instagram/KaylaItsines

“So I encourage you to remove all distractions while exercising. Try putting your pet outside or in a different room, turn off your TV and make sure your phone is on silent. This will help you keep your workouts effective and efficient.”

LACK OF ROUTINE

At-home workouts can take you out of your comfort zone because it involves having to adjust to a new routine and way of training.

“Although you may not be physically leaving the house to go to the gym or work, blocking out time in your day will help you stay committed and motivated to workout from home,” Kayla advises.