Exercises You Can Stop Doing
Stop Doing These Exercises
By Liz Neporent
Lack of time is the number one excuse people give for not working out so why squander precious moments on exercises that are inefficient, ineffective or just plain unsafe? Ralf Hennig, author of Four Way Burn" offers his opinion on moves and techniques that should be banished from your workout for wasting time or worse -- putting you at risk for injuries.
Displeased Knees
"Lifting extra heavy weights with just your thighs is a recipe for injury," states Hennig, referring to the leg extension machine which isolates the muscles in the front of the thighs known as the quadriceps. Besides straining knee ligaments, this exercise can overdevelop the quads, making the back of thigh muscles (hamstrings) more likely to snap, especially if they're tight and weak in comparison. Stick to squat-and-lunge type moves for safe, superior thigh sculpting.
Pain in the Neck
Unless your shoulders are super flexible, any exercise where you push or pull a bar that's positioned behind your neck can damage the delicate rotator muscles leading to chronic shoulder, upper back and neck pain. When using the pulldown machine at the gym to sculpt your back, Hennig suggests sitting up straight and pulling the bar down to your chest.
Not So Fast
Some exercisers set their cardio machines too slow each and every workout under the mistaken belief that moving at a snail's pace burns more fat. The truth is, varying your pace and intensity is a far more successful weight loss strategy. The best way to burn calories is by mixing fast and slow speeds and, as Hennig points out, this is also the best way to address the body's different energy systems and muscle groups.
Ab-solute No No
Locking your feet under the couch to do your sit ups may seem like a good idea but in fact, it's more likely to destroy your lower back than flatten your belly. Besides, anchoring your feet kicks all the work into the hips meaning the abs get far less of a workout than if you did Hennig's recommended move: Lie on your back with your feet placed flat on the floor, extend your arms and slowly roll up to a sitting position one vertebrae at a time; keep breathing as you move.
Double Trouble
Hennig says you can definitely skip the inner and outer thigh machines because they work such a small patch of muscle and because the movements are so unnatural. And once again, you may wind up building up the very area you're trying to trim down. For toned legs, you'll get much better results with moves like holding a weighted ball as you do basic squats, lunges and side squats.
Waist of Time
Waist twists and side bends do not whittle your waist and, according to Hennig, if done too often or with too much weight, may actually bulk up your middle. Doing them too vigorously can lead to a low-back attack as well. A better core trimmer: Hold a weighted ball (2 to 4 pounds) at chest level, plant your feet firmly, tighten your abs and slowly rotate from side to side, 8 to 15 times. And give our ab workout a try.
Squat Nots
Squats are the king of lower body toners but go too deep and watch out for pain in your knees, hips and lower back. Your knees especially take a beating from this bad technique due to overstretched ligaments and increased pressure on the joint. When you do any type of squat variation, Hennig warns against lowering any further than thighs parallel to the floor. "Make sure your heels stay firmly planted and your knees are in line with your toes," he advises.
Bad Bend
Flopping forward to touch your toes is yet another invitation to back pain, especially if you do it quickly and with fully straightened knees. If you're prone to lower back issues, steer clear of this move altogether. However, Hennig notes that those with no back problems who do this stretch slowly and with softened knees get a decent stretch through the back of the thighs and lower spine.
Overdone
"Doing up to 100 repetitions per set? Gimme a break!" says Hennig. Using a weight so light you can keep pumping for minutes at a time without breaking a sweat won't do much for you in the way of building strength or shaping muscles, and the idea that this strategy will help you avoid bulking up is a myth. Use a weight that's heavy enough so that your muscles feel completely worked by the end of a set of 8 to 15 repetitions yet still allows you to maintain good form.
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Recent Comments
Tampa457 11:44:57 AM Jan 18 2009
I did research on Henning; other than to write one paperback book with a forward from Bill Clinton, he has NO credible professional exsperience. More dangerous than an improperly performed exercise is training advise from a fraud. The only written source that I find trustworthy is that of Arthur Jones.
BabyBluEyedPinoy 11:00:08 AM Jan 18 2009
Who's Hennig? I was taught that it's actually MORE dangerous to stick your squats at parallel to the floor. Your body wasn't designed to squat weights and only go down that far. Even when you do a squatting motion without weights and you stop parallel to the floor you can feel that your knees are at it's weakest position. You're supposed to regularly lift weight from that position? I don't think so.
BellWeather1 07:22:28 AM Jan 18 2009
The best practice is follow safe exercise and good nutrition - all of the above mentioned do not do's are so right - we have learned a lot in the past few years about exercise for some free cool exercise and nutrition tools - http://www.freeonlinegym.com
SLIPKNOT73745 02:40:15 AM Jan 03 2009
It doesn't matter how much you bench squat etc. it truly is the way you execute the movement. I'm 19 years old and I developed tendonitis in both shoulders due to performing exercises that exposed the rotator cuffs to injuries. I squat 560 and my legs are in the best shape they can be in simply because I learned the right way to perform it without putting stress on the knees. Guys this article is stressing technique nothing more. By the way, I reduced my tendonitis substantially by doing all shoulder work in front of the neck and upright rows only to the chest.
Mwbrock69 02:28:36 PM Jan 02 2009
I have lifted weights for over 25 years. I have damaged my lower spine, knees, neck and shoulders. My injuries were from lifting very heavy. Lifting has kept me in great shape but heavy lifting caused permanent damage. have a lifting routine but lift reasonable amount of weights; leave the 450lb bench presses and 750lb squats to those who don't care how they will feel in 10-20 years.
Dorite 54 12:04:20 PM Jan 02 2009
I have worked out with weights since age 20 and I have run since I was 18 years of age. I am 58 years of age; I benched 345#, squat 480#, press 235#, dead lift 500#. I have no knee, back, or shoulder injuries after working out for more than 38 years. I believe we should focus on encouraging people to work out instead of scaring people by focusing on the negatives.
JKoppel970 09:34:11 AM Jan 02 2009
Addressing various lines:Yes, ALL CAPS IS YELLING AND RUDE. Yes, if you don't read the article carefully you will assume that all exercises are all wrong. No, personal trainers are like doctors-there are some very bad ones and many good ones. A bad trainer is worse than no exercise-you will be injured and unable to move towards your goal. I was fortunate to have a martial arts instructor who was a physical therapist and focused on form and control rather than speed and strength-result was that speed and strength came from form and control. I was very fit and fast after 2 years and it taught me the balance I would need when I developed vertigo 20 years later.
drkwamembrown 07:22:56 AM Jan 02 2009
To continue and clarify my last comment (it got cut off). "The kids that sneak up" should have been "the kind that sneak up". Also to continue...controlled to varying degrees by muscles in the thighs, torso, and lower leg.For those who want to lump personal trainers in one category and dispargage the whole field: There are some bad ones out there, sure, but I have seen trainers change peoples' lives. And in an age where many have been sedentary (or have grown up sedentary), many need someone to coach their movement skills the same way a coach teaches a baseball swing.
drkwamembrown 07:17:48 AM Jan 02 2009
So that you guys can stop guessing, here is some clarification from someone with an advanced degree, who is a fitness director for a 60,000 sq ft facility and who has 10 years experience and multiple certifications. Here goes...Most of what the article says is right. Make sure we understand that they are not talking about acute, catastrophic injuries here, but overuse injuries. The kids that sneak up over time. A clarification on squatting. It would be ridiculous to tell people to avoid squatting period. This is a basic movement that every human being should be able to do. We have to squat to sit on the toilet or pick something up. The problem comes when people misalign the joints during the movement. Even in the picture that they posted (poor choice), one can see that the woman is initiating from the knees. Squats should be initiated from the hips. The motion is to maintain a relaxed spinal extension (tall back), and drop the hips down. The movement is controlled to vary
Gr8exposur 02:30:33 PM Dec 28 2008
I must agree with Joestealth1. <br><br>SnnyAprl sounds extremely defensive and angry. And yes it is widely agreed that CAPS = YELLING and/or vying for attention! And when one reads your posts Snny, it is clear how pompous and overbearing you are. So it seems that the CAPS fit your "personality" perfectly...
