The most common mistake in starting an exercise routine is jumping straight into high intensity in week one. Early enthusiasm is natural, but the body needs gradual adaptation, muscles, joints, and the cardiovascular system alike.
Routines that last usually start with a realistic frequency first, then increase intensity. Three consistent 30-minute sessions a month is far more useful than five intense sessions in week one that end in soreness and a full stop.
A program built by a physiotherapist, not just a generic gym schedule, also accounts for injury history and individual movement limitations, so progress is measured and risk is better controlled than following a generic program off the internet.
Finally, treat exercise as part of a routine, not a target that has to be perfect every time. An occasional missed session isn't failure, what matters is returning to the routine next time, not giving up entirely.
