A little while back we went through the seven most effective exercises from WebMD, and so I thought it would be interesting to counter it with their least effective exercises.
Here are highlights:
- Lat pull-down behind the head. This exercise is done sitting on a machine with a weighted, cabled bar overhead. You reach for the bar, then pull it down behind your head and neck. Only people with very mobile shoulder joints can keep their spines straight enough to do this exercise properly.
- Military press behind the head. In this exercise, you lift the weights or barbell starting from behind the head at shoulder level, and press up and down behind the head. It can cause the same problems the behind-the-head lat pull does and should be avoided, says Warpeha. It's also wiser to choose an exercise that targets several muscle groups at once, rather than putting all the strain on the shoulders.
There are more you may be doing so read more.
- Upright row. Pulling weights, a barbell, or a weighted cabled bar up under your chin is a big no-no, says Saremi, a podiatrist and editorial staff member of the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America's American Fitness magazine. "When people pull their hands (carrying the weight) up to their chin, they are going to compress the nerves in the shoulder area, impinging the shoulder," Saremi says.
- Lying leg press with knees bent too deeply. Lying on your back with your feet on a weighted plate, you push the plate up and bring it down, with the aim of working the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. The problem with this exercise comes when you bend your legs too far. Your spine cannot maintain proper alignment when your legs come back too far, so the pelvis tilts and the lower back begins to take over. And the weight used is usually heavy enough to injure the back, causing strain to muscles or damage to disks. In addition, says exercise physiologist and fitness consultant, Joseph Warpeha, bending your knees too deeply can injure or damage your knees.
Luckily I don't do any of these. What about you guys?
Levi's
Crocs
Lanvin
If you only bring the upright row to your chest/nipple line is that okay?
1Oh wow I do the military press behind the head...
I thought it was GOOD for me...
2Good to know. I've stepped up my workouts and it's helpful to know what is a waste of time. Although, I like the behind the head military press. It feels good.
3Thanks for the tips, Fit. Luckily, I don't do any of these, but if there are more, be sure to let us know. I hate wasting time and effort!
4I always get face twitches when I did the upright row. Well not twitches but my lip would curl involuntarily. Other then that I don't do any of these.
5I'm always careful to keep my knees behind my toes with the lying leg press - but I'm sad to hear about the lat pull down - I loved that one! I'll pass from now on.
6I do the upright row, because it strengthens muscles I use for climbing.
7I do the leg press as well as the lat pulldowns-- but I also know proper form (and, for the latter exercise, happen to have extremely mobile shoulder joints). From the sounds of this article, these exercises are only noneffective if you do them improperly... which could go for basically any exercise.
8I am good, I don't do any!
9I agree, Shleebs. I do upright rows and have never experienced discomfort.
10I have done military presses and the upright row.
11I do lots of leg presses, but no idea if I'm going down to far. I try to stay at 90 degrees after the inital push off on the "down side of the rep".. I hope that's right, man do I love leg presses, great bum workout!
Interesting! Why would these exercises be taught in gyms if they're not effective? Surely the trainers would want their clients to get good results, so they could get good tips/bonus and referrals! lol
12i dont do any of these...i do the lat pull down and military press in front of the head...
13yay i dont do any of these!
14Post New Comment
Please share your opinion with our community, but make sure it is on topic and follows our Community Rules. We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.