Some of your favorite exercises are putting unwanted pressure on your bones. After all, you want to help your body, not hurt it. That's why Redbook Mag suggests that you stop performing these workout moves:
Snapshot Survey
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Please subscribe for your personalized newsletter:
1. Crunches
/filters:quality(70)/content/gy/px/o9hgmhkb568d1db070323848707566_600x300.jpg)
These can put way too much strain on your neck. "You're really better off just doing a standard sit-up because your abs are going to work much harder from the top to bottom,"
2. Bench Dips
/filters:quality(70)/content/up/wa/em93rr53568d1db069e11985407716_600x300.jpg)
"This exercise—where you hold yourself up at the edge of a bench and, using only your arms, lower yourself up and down—is a really unsafe and unnatural position for your shoulders." You should grab some weights instead and hold them over your head.
Frequently asked questions
3. Adductor and Abductor Machines
/filters:quality(70)/content/n8/am/f4zz5ipv568d1db0a1c6a804620845_600x300.jpg)
"While these machines seem like a great option for trimming your inner and outer thighs, the unnatural position they put your body in is all the more reason to skip 'em." Instead, you should try doing some clockwork lunges.
4. Weighted Side Bend
/filters:quality(70)/content/gx/ae/l2zx7h8q568d1db101591396070325_600x300.jpg)
"If you're doing a side bend with any sort of weight, you're really building that oblique muscle, which is going to give the appearance of a thicker middle." You should do woodchoppers with weights instead.
5. Leg Extension
/filters:quality(70)/content/i3/jb/jtyzqrvj568d1db0e4a8b165885547_600x300.jpg)
These can really stress out your bones. That's why you should do squats instead.
***
Leg Extensions often isolate the quadriceps without concurrently engaging the supportive muscle groups that are active during compound movements, such as squats. This can lead to imbalanced strength development and may not provide the functional fitness benefits that more holistic exercises offer. Adding to that, the fixed movement pattern does not mimic everyday activities or sports movements, potentially limiting the transfer of gym gains to real-world strength and mobility. If knee health is a concern, this particular exercise might increase the risk of injury due to excess strain on the knee joint, especially if performed with heavy weights or improper form. It's typically more beneficial to opt for exercises that work multiple muscle groups simultaneously, ensuring a more efficient and well-rounded workout.
6. Leg Hover
/filters:quality(70)/content/zs/xp/n2v9g9ls568d1db1b2ccb672929973_600x300.jpg)
These are great for your abs, but horrible for the rest of your body. That's why you should do 90 degree toe touches instead.
7. Shoulder Press Machine
/filters:quality(70)/content/ou/vo/bltk4ys1568d1db1a86f8830873351_600x300.jpg)
You should do shoulder presses. Just don't do them on the machine, because that machine will limit your movements.
8. The Leg Extension
/filters:quality(70)/content/zd/us/zhyik96i5866cce48157b562729267_600x300.jpg)
You're putting a lot of unnecessary stress on your knees. You should be doing basic squats instead which works your hamstrings, quads, and glutes.
What exercises do you always skip?
Comments
Nancy: I personally stay away from majority of the gym machines. Free weights are more effective and work more than one muscle vs machines.
Lynette: I 100% agree with you Nancy...most machines limit your range of motion, there's only a few I use. There are many more exercises for your core than crunches that will actually target more than one specific set of abdominal muscles since your core is actually layers of muscle.
Kirsty: BS article. BTW side bends gave me a really tiny waist 👍
Maria: Now I know. Thanks for this article @Holly
Natasha: Haha bullshit 😂 might be for you and your situation but don't claim they are a waste of time for everyone. Half the time these cause pain because they aren't done properly.
Crystal: Don't completely agree schools make kids do these type of exercises that are "unsafe"
Nikki: I had to forward this to my trainer
Magicbanana123: Why are leg hovers so bad?
Jelena: Awesome post!!
Dennalll: Sorry don't agree with any of these points at all, just for one example of crunches are done properly you wont hurt your neck and they are a good move to strengthen your core.
:
Feedback Junction
Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge