As summer approaches, millions are rushing to get in shape for the summer season, often through following trendy workouts, hard challenges, or quick-fix solutions.
In fact, searches for “summer body workout” recently spiked by over 900%, showing just how intense the seasonal pressure can get. But despite the seasonal motivation, a lot of summer fitness journeys tend to end in frustration before real results appear.
Trond Nyland, functional fitness expert and CEO of Fynd, explains why most pre-summer workout plans fall short: “People mostly assume that the shortcut to achieving your fitness goal for the summer is pushing yourself over the limit, but that’s impractical in the long run.
The real problem lies in focusing on one workout and skipping some steps, such as relying on endless cardio and skipping strength training. That combo can slow down your metabolism and burn away muscle, yes, leaving you lean but soft. If you want lasting, visible results, strength training has to be your foundation.”
Nyland shares five critical mistakes to avoid when pursuing your summer fitness goals:
Overemphasising Cardio at the Expense of Strength Training.
Cardio burns calories in the moment, but strength training keeps your body in fat-burning mode that could last from 15 minutes to 48 hours after, thanks to something called EPOC, excess post-exercise oxygen consumption.
This is because people who lift weights retain more muscle while shedding fat, which is exactly what creates that toned, athletic look.
Aim for two to three strength sessions a week, focusing on big, compound movements that hit multiple muscle groups at once, and do a 20-minute cardio session by the end of each one.
Failing to Find a Workout You Actually Enjoy.
If you’re looking to keep fit for the long run, you need to find a workout that you’ll actually enjoy enough to stick with.
Too many times, people have chased the high and followed the hype only to end up dreading it, which never lasts. So try everything, whether it be dance classes to bouldering to lifting weights, until you find something you genuinely like.
Wearing Improper Workout Attire.
Wearing tight, non-breathable clothes in the summer is a recipe for overheating. It might look good, but it can seriously impact comfort and performance. Instead, go for light-colored, quick-drying fabrics that let you actually breathe and help regulate your body temperature.
Neglecting Recovery and Rest Days.
With the rush to get fit in time for summer, too many people push too hard, just to hit a wall face-first. Overtraining inevitably leads to fatigue, stalled progress, and even injury. Here’s the thing: your muscles grow during rest, not in the gym.
Focus on a routine and build up on 2-3 rest days a week, and use them for active recovery, something like walking or swimming. Recovery is still considered part of a workout that allows you to get results faster and makes you feel much better.
Overlooking Functional Movement Patterns.
It’s easy to get caught up chasing biceps and abs for the summer, but if you’re ignoring functional movements, you’re selling yourself short.
When you think of functional fitness, think squats, lunges, pulls, pushes, and twists. Focus on building real strength you can use, not just pose with to get a balanced physique and achieve better performance, both in and out of the gym.
Trond Nyland concludes: “The most effective workout routine for the summer doesn’t come from crash diets or punishing workouts. They come from smart, continuous training.
Prioritising functional strength with a dose of strategic cardio shifts the focus from just losing weight to building a stronger, more capable body.
The aesthetic results? They follow naturally, and best of all, they stick around long after summer’s over with a new hobby to come back to.”
