Start Strong and Stay Strong in 2026
How to Avoid Common Workout Mistakes as You Kick Off the New Year
Are you ready to smash your fitness goals in 2026? Make no mistakes: the Leaps and Bounds Performance Rehab team is cheering you on! However, we do want to make sure that you make the most of your new active lifestyle.
Often, people enter new workout programs with a ton of motivation and excitement, only to slip into habits that stall their progress and increase their risk of injury. Being mindful of those habits and adjusting for them accordingly can make a major difference in how your body feels and performs–in January and beyond.
Five Common Workout Mistakes to Avoid in the New Year
1. Doing Too Much, Too Fast
This is one of the biggest issues we see with fitness-related New Year’s resolutions. You’re ready to dive in, but pushing yourself harder than your body is prepared for can overload your joints, tendons, and muscles, increasing your risk of strains and other overuse injuries. Once the pain sets in, it becomes much harder to meet your goals.
How to Avoid It
- Increase intensity or duration by small weekly increments. Our team can provide guidance on what might work best for you.
- Don’t skip rest days. Strength is actually built during recovery.
- Track how your body feels during and after sessions. Soreness is normal; sharp or lingering pain is not. When in doubt, get it checked out!
2. Skipping Warm-Ups
People often underestimate the importance of warm-ups. However, they’re essential for helping you avoid injuries. A good warm-up prepares your body for physical stress by sending blood flow to your muscles and joints, where it’ll help you move more effectively.
Tips for An Effective Warmup
A good warm-up takes about 5-10 minutes and should include:
- Light cardio, such as brisk walking
- Dynamic movements, such as leg swings or arm circles
- Controlled rehearsal of the motions you’ll use in your workout
3. Using Poor Technique
Improper form is one of the most common reasons people develop pain during new workout plans. Misaligned joints increase stress on tissue, and the resulting movement compensations can worsen existing issues such as knee pain or back tightness.
How to Ensure Good Technique
- Work with one of our trained clinicians, who can correct your technique in real time.
- If weightlifting, start with lighter weights and slower movements to understand what the lift is supposed to feel like.
- Focus on stable breathing and controlled muscle engagement.
4. Ignoring Pain Signals
Too many people adhered to the extremely misinformed slogan “No pain, no gain.” While some slight discomfort is expected when you start a new workout routine (like muscle fatigue), true pain is a sign that something’s wrong. Sharp pain, localized pain, and swelling all indicate an injury, and pushing through it can cause long-term problems.
What To Do If You Notice Pain
Schedule an appointment with Leaps and Bounds Performance Rehab. We’ll assess your symptoms and provide guidance on what to do next, such as modifications to help you keep moving without stressing the area.
Bonus Tip: Avoiding Injuries
One way to avoid injuries is by scheduling cross-training days where you vary movements or areas of focus. This allows one part of your body to rest while still keeping you active.
5. Lacking a Plan
If you’ve never really worked out before, starting from scratch can be challenging. Many newcomers will just wing it, but unfortunately, a lack of structure can lead to inconsistent progress. As a result, you might feel your motivation dropping.
How to Exercise with Purpose
- Set simple, measurable goals that you can track from week to week (such as increasing your running speed).
- Adjust your work as you see improvements.
- Meet with the team at Leaps and Bounds Performance Rehab for a personalized exercise program tailored to your goals and abilities.
Our Patients Are Getting Results
“Ive had an excellent experience working with Anthony at Leaps and Bounds. From the very first session, he was professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in my recovery and performance. He took the time to understand my training background, clearly explained the “why” behind everything we’ve been working on, and tailored my rehab plan in a way that felt both effective and sustainable. Thanks to his guidance, I’ve seen significant improvements in my recovery, strength, and confidence with training. We’re now actively ramping up training for my first 5k in spring 2026 and I know I would have never gotten to this point without Anthony in my corner. Anthony strikes the perfect balance between being encouraging and detail oriented, and it’s clear he truly cares about his patients’ progress. I would highly recommend him to anyone, especially runners or active individuals who are looking for exceptionally high-quality physiotherapy care.” – M.D.
Around the Clinic
We wrapped up the year with plenty of fun and memorable moments both in and out of the clinic. Our Christmas party kicked off with a limo ride to Toronto, followed by a fantastic performance of The Sound of Music, and wrapped up with a delicious dinner downtown—a perfect way to celebrate the season together. Later in December, Andrew and I took a road trip on December 21, 2025, to Cleveland to catch the Buffalo Bills in action, making it a great mix of holiday cheer, team time, and game-day excitement.
Start Strong and Stay Strong in 2026
Angad is a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) student from D’Youville University in Buffalo, NY, with special interest in the McKenzie Method (MDT), vestibular rehabilitation, and pelvic floor dysfunction. Through hands-on clinical mentorship, Angad applies evidence-based assessment and treatment strategies to deliver accurate diagnosis and individualized care. He is currently completing supervised training toward licensing Physiotherapy certification, anticipated in July.
Angad’s approach to care emphasizes active rehabilitation, combining individualized exercise prescription, patient education, and appropriate manual therapy to promote independence, confidence in movement, and long-term symptom management. He is deeply committed to patient advocacy and altruistic care, believing that empowering patients through education and shared decision making improves engagement, outcomes, and overall response to treatment.
Outside of clinical practice, Angad loves staying active through running, strength training, squash, and other racquet sports. He’s a big fan of travel and food whether that means trying new cuisines or cooking at home. When he’s not working out or in the kitchen, he enjoys spending time with his fiancée and family, usually over a good board game. Angad is fluent in English, Hindi, and Punjabi, which helps him connect with people from diverse backgrounds.
We’re Here To Help You Have a Healthy Start
You don’t have to navigate a brand new fitness routine on your own. Our team of physiotherapists, kinesiologists, chiropractors, and more can help you understand your body’s needs, providing a clear sense of what you need to do to achieve your fitness goals this year. We’ll help you build healthy habits that last beyond January. After all, it’s right there in our name: Leaps and Bounds Performance Rehab is here to help you build momentum for 2026!
This month we will be raising money for the Oakville Fareshare Foodbank! We will donate $10 for every Google review we receive!
Our Caring Team Is Here For You
Andrew Convery, BAHSc Hons AT, CSEP-PT
Certified Athletic Therapist (C)
Carolina Rotondo, MPT, Hons BSc, Cert MDT
Registered Physiotherapist
Christina Camilleri, RMT, BAHSc Hons AT
Certified Athletic Therapist (C), Registered Massage Therapist
Dr. Roslyn Eng, DC, Hons BSc Kin
Doctor of Chiropractic
Michelle Davies
Client Experience Manager
Onika Green, Cert MPC, MHK
Mental Performance Consultant
Pat Stanziano, MPT, Hons BScKin, Cert MDT, Dip Sport Physio
Registered Physiotherapist, Sport Physiotherapist
Thomas Stavro Sholdoff, MscPT, Hons BA Kin
Registered Physiotherapist
Tania Tajik, MScPT, Hons BSc, Cert MDT
Registered Physiotherapist
Team Update:
Our RMT Christina, is currently on maternity leave. We’re so excited for her family and can’t wait to welcome her back in the future!
Did your back stiffen up over the holidays? Give this a try:
Quadruped Rocking
- Kneeling on your hands and knees, begin with your back in neutral position.
- Slowly rock forward and backwards from hands back to knees.
- Once the range of motion restrictions are lifted, begin rocking backward to bring buttock to heels.
Recipe of the Month: 3 Ingredient Energy Bars
Ingredients:
- 1 cup peanuts
- 1 cup dates (pitted)
- 1 cup dried apricots
Instructions:
- Place the nuts, dates and apricots in a food processor. Pulse a few times just to break them up. Separate the dates if they start to clump together. Scrape the edges of the bowl as needed and continue processing for another 1-2 minutes, until the ingredients clump together and gather into a ball. Lay a piece of parchment paper on your work surface about the size of a baking sheet.
- Press the dough with your hands until it forms a thick square, roughly 8 x 8 in size. Roll it with a rolling pin to get it nice and smooth. Wrap it with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour or overnight.
- Unwrap the chilled power bar dough and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 8 large bars or 16 small squares, as desired. Wrap each bar in plastic wrap or wax paper.