3 Worst Exercises
In previous blog posts I’ve shared with you my best exercises for quick fat loss and muscle gain, these are exercises that work multiple muscles at one time like squat with press and push up and row. These big bang for your buck exercises will get you the fastest results in the shortest amount of time.
Instead today we’re going to go through the 3 WORST exercises you can perform in your workout, these exercises will at best do very little and at worst injure you.
The 3 Worst Exercises
1.) The Abs Machine
When you’re training the core it’s important to move the trunk through a variation of movements, i.e. rotation, static hold, extension, flexion, extension with rotation etc. Too many crunches can cause an imbalance between muscles which is bad for the spine and can cause neck and back pain.
The only thing worse than doing too many crunches is doing them in a machine that limits natural movement, these types of machines train your trunk in an unnatural extension to flexion motion while seated.
You’re far better off training your core through a range of movements using bodyweight or free weights.
2.) Back Machine
If the abs machine isn’t bad enough then meet the worlds most stupid machine ever invented – the back machine.
This machine is bad for you for many reasons;
Firstly it overloads the lower back without strengthening the butt and hamstrings which can lead to muscle imbalances and does nothing to stretch the hip area like squats and deadlifts do.
Secondly, just like the abs machine you’re seated moving the trunk through one plane of motion (front to back) which doesn’t help strengthen any of the smaller muscles (stabilizers).
Lastly, the way that most people perform this movement in such an out of control manner for speed just makes me want to vomit. It literally looks like they are trying to lie down for reps- is this the type of movement that we want to get really good at? Wait, don’t answer that;)
For a strong healthy back stick to the basics; deadlifts, step-ups, good mornings and hip extensions are much more effective.
3.) Elliptical Machine
To be honest, if you’re massively overweight and haven’t exercised for decades then this machine does have some value. But other than that it’s pretty useless.
It is a low impact alternative to running on a treadmill but you get very little range of motion and does not burn anywhere near the calories as it claims it does.
Also the elliptical machine isn’t a very good machine to use for interval training because it causes the knee to go into hyperextension – not good!
The only reason the elliptical machine is so popular is because it’s so easy – I’ve seen people read magazines while on these things – how hard can it be?
A far better option for your cardio training is interval training.
It’s proven to burn nine times more fat than steady state cardio and will get you fitter much quicker. If you’re a beginner or are excessively overweight use an exercise bike or use bodyweight i.e.
burpees, mountain climbers etc.
Train Hard!
Dan Clay
Dangerously Fit – Boot Camp Sydney
PS- What other exercises do you see people doing in the gym that make you cringe? What other exercises do you absolutely hate? What exercises have gotten you hurt in the past? Please share your personal experiences by posting a comment to this blog post, thanks!
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