Have you ever been in the middle of a good workout, when you feel as if you just can’t go on? Instead of getting your second wind, you are suddenly completely pooped. Should you stop? It depends.

If you feel any kind of pain, you should not exercise any further until you determine what is causing the pain. If it is a pulled muscle or a cramp, gently massage the area until you feel better. Then, you can continue if you feel up to it, Otherwise throw in the towel for at least a few hours — or possibly even postpone the rest of the exercise until the next day.

Be sure always to warm up properly before you begin your workout, and cool down afterwards. This can prevent a lot of injuries.

When you are working with handweights or barbells, always use the correct weight for the exercise. Never use a weight that is too heavy for you. If you can’t control the motion in both directions of the exercise — in other words, if you have to swing the weight rather than move it in correct form — then you are using too much weight. Either that, or you are just being sloppy with your movements.

Both are mistakes that could interfere with your health improvement plans. Think of using the wrong weight as similar to buying shoes that are too large or too small. It will only hurt you.