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Slideshow: 7 Risky Exercises and Better
Bets
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Workout Not Working?
Who has time to waste on
ineffective, risky exercises? Not you. So ditch these seven moves that won't
deliver the results you want -- and may even cause injury.
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No. 1: Lat Pull-down Behind the Head
The problem: Only people
with very mobile shoulder joints can keep their spines straight enough to do
this exercise properly. So the move — done wrong — can lead to several
complications including shoulder impingement or worse, a tear in the rotator
cuff. And if the bar hits the back of the neck, it could injure cervical
vertebrae.
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A Safer Lat Pull-down
On the pull–down
machine, lean back a few degrees, use a wider–than–shoulder grip, and bring the
bar down in front of your body to the breastbone, pulling shoulder blades down
and together. Contract your abdominals to stabilize the body, and avoid using momentum
to swing the bar up and down. The lat pull–down works both lower and upper back
muscles.
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No. 2: Military Press Behind the Head
This shoulder move, in
which you lift a barbell up and down behind the head, can cause the same
problems as the lat pull–down behind the head.
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A Safer Military Press
A safer shoulder
alternative: When doing the military press, keep the bar in front of your head.
Stand with the weight no lower than the collarbone and keep your upper body
upright. The exercise can also be done seated. Always sit straight against a
back support, and keep the natural curve in your spine, with upper back and
glutes pressed to the chair.
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No. 3: Upright Row
The problem: Pulling
weights, a barbell, or a weighted cabled bar up under your chin can compress
the nerves in the shoulder area.
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Safer Alternative to the Upright Row
Instead of doing an
upright row, work your shoulders with a front or lateral shoulder raise,
lifting weights out to the front or side of the body. Keep a slight bend in
your arms.
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No. 4: Leg Press with Cramped Knees
From a reclining
position, you push the plate up and bring it down in this common exercise to
work the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. The greater the motion, the more
joints are worked through full range, which is good. However, if there is
pain at any point during the motion, do not go any further.
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Leg Press: Safer Moves
If you want to do a
lying leg press, keep your butt from rotating off the back of the machine. Push
from the knees as far as you can, but if you experience pain, do not
stretch as far. The greater the motion, the more the joints are worked.
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No. 5: Squats on the Smith Machine
The problem: The bar on
the machine doesn't give, which can force the body into risky positions. Plus,
people tend to put their feet farther in front of their bodies when doing
squats on the machine, which makes matters worse.
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Squats: A Safer Alternative
It's not necessary to
use weights when doing a squat, but if you keep good form, adding weight will
intensify the move. Standing straight with your feet shoulder-width apart,
slowly lower your body, back straight. Move the hips back as if you are going
to sit in a chair. Try to maintain your weight directly over your heels.
Slowly return to a standing position.
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No. 6: Bad Form on Cardio Machines
The problem: Hunching
over or using a death-grip on the handrail cheats your body and can throw off
your alignment, jarring your spine, shoulders, and elbows.
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Better Technique on Cardio Machines
Don't set the incline or
resistance so high that it causes you to hang on to the machine too tightly.
Use a natural gait with a light grip. For a more challenging workout, hold on
lightly with one hand and move the other arm, switching arms periodically. Walking
on a treadmill without holding on also helps strengthen your core. And save the
reading for after your workout so you can focus on good form.
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No. 7: Exercises for Spot Reduction
People who do
strengthening and toning exercises in an effort to trim fat from a certain area
-- thighs, hips, stomach, or arms -- have the wrong idea. Although these
exercises can help firm muscles, if the targeted area still carries an extra
layer of fat, it won't look much different. You can't isolate fat loss to one
part of the body.
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Best Ways to Reshape Your Body
Cardiovascular exercise
will torch calories, but resistance training is a big part of the equation if
you want to burn fat. Boosting your muscle mass increases your metabolism, so
you burn more calories all the time, even when you're not working out.
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Can Bad Shoes Trip Up Your Workout?
Even if you're doing
everything else right, your efforts can be undermined by improper footwear.
Working out with the wrong shoes increases pounding on the joints, and can lead
to injuries like plantar fasciitis or tendonitis.
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Shoe Solution
The key, experts say, is
to choose a shoe that is specific to your activity and that suits your
particular foot. They recommend shopping at stores specializing in athletic
shoes, where you can seek advice from a knowledgeable salesperson. And don't
forget to replace your shoes when they show signs of wear.
This tool does not provide medical advice
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