Take a look around your gym: You’ll probably see some fellow gym-goers hammering out these exercises, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should, too.
These common gym exercises can be ineffective (aka there are faster ways to get the results you’re after) or sometimes even put you at risk for injury. Long story short, these exercises and machines aren’t doing your body any favors. Learn what trainers say you should be doing instead.
1. Smith Machine Squats
– Don’t:
Squatting on a Smith machine might look like a safe alternative to the squat rack. The reality isn’t so clear. When you lower into a squat using a Smith machine, your back stays straight and almost perfectly perpendicular to the ground, which compresses and stresses the vertebrae.
– Risk:
Overly stressing your knees, never fully contracting your glutes or hamstrings, and not training your core.
– Do:
Try weighted squats instead. Save yourself the risk and learn how to do a barbell squat without the machine. Both bodyweight and weighted squats train your entire lower body functionally, effectively, and without overstressing your joints. Plus, these exercises also work your core.
2. Machine Leg Extensions
– Don’t:
There’s no functional benefit to leg extensions. Plus, your knees aren’t designed to carry weight from that angle, which could cause injury.
– Risk:
Low injury risk if you have otherwise healthy knees, but why take the risk if the exercise isn’t even functional to begin with?
– Do:
Try squats, deadlifts, step-ups, and lunges instead. All of these moves are great for training the quads and simultaneously strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, and smaller stabilizing muscles.
3. Ab Machines
– Don’t:
Ab machines can make it awkward to activate your core muscles correctly.
– Risk:
Difficulty in activating core muscles correctly.
– Do:
Try planks instead. Planks are more effective for toning your abdominals than an assisted crunch (or any machine), and are typically safe for people who can’t do sit-ups because of neck pain.
4. Behind-the-Head Lat Pull-Downs
– Don’t:
Pulling the bar down and behind your head and neck places extreme stress and strain on the front of the shoulder joint.
– Risk:
Shoulder injury waiting to happen.
– Do:
Try wide-grip lat pull-downs in front instead. Pulldowns are still your traps’ main move — just focus on aiming the bar toward your collarbone.
5. The Elliptical
– Don’t: Since you move through a relatively small range of motion, it’s so easy to slack on form and muscle activation on the elliptical.
– Risk: User error due to easy slacking on form.
– Do: Try the rowing machine instead. Rowing incorporates a lot of muscle mass into the movement and can provide a great workout with proper technique.
6. Abductor/Adductor Machines
– Don’t: Targeting one specific area of the body is simply an inefficient way to work out.
– Risk: Inefficiency in workout.
– Do: Try squats instead. A proper squat recruits more muscles and is a functional movement, better preparing your muscles for real-life challenges.
7. Triceps Dips
– Don’t: It can easily end up overloading the small muscles that make up your shoulder’s rotator cuff.
– Risk: Overloading small shoulder muscles.
– Do: Try cable pushdowns, triceps push-ups, and close-grip bench presses instead. Define your triceps while keeping your arms in front of your body with any of these moves.
8. Superman
– Don’t: Placing a ton of force and stress on a very sensitive and specific area in the body.
– Risk: Stress on the vertebrae of the low back.
– Do: Try bird-dog exercise instead. The yoga staple strengthens the same muscles while placing less force on the spine.
9. Very Light Dumbbells
– Don’t: Lifting too light could be missing out on some serious sculpting.
– Risk: Missing out on muscle sculpting.
– Do: Try using 5+ pounds depending on the exercise. The weights should be heavy enough that the last two reps of each set are significantly challenging.
10. Anything That Hurts
– Don’t: Pushing through pain can lead to injury.
– Risk: Injury due to ignoring pain signals.
– Do: There’s an alternative move for every exercise. Be sure to ask your trainer for a move that works for you, especially if you’re modifying for an injury, for pregnancy, or just because you want to break out of a workout rut.
It’s important to choose exercises wisely at the gym to avoid ineffective workouts and reduce the risk of injury. Instead of sticking to common but potentially harmful exercises and machines, consider alternatives recommended by trainers. By focusing on functional movements and proper form, such as weighted squats, planks, and wide-grip lat pull-downs, you can achieve safer and more effective workouts.
Remember, listening to your body and seeking guidance from a trainer for alternative exercises tailored to your needs can help you stay on track towards your fitness goals while keeping your body healthy and strong.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye.
