Exercises You should Avoid Doing and What to Do Instead

EXERCISES YOU SHOULD AVOID DOING (AND WHAT TO DO INSTEAD) EXERCISES YOU SHOULD AVOID DOING EXERCISES YOU SHOULD DO SIT-UPS AND CRUNCHES Abdominal toning and core strength comes from the total abdominal area, back and hips. Sit-ups and crunches, for all the effort involved, don't do enough. INSTEAD: DO PLANKS Not only will you feel the burn, but you won't feel back strain. Youll also build your abdominal strength and strengthen back muscles. LAT PULL-DOWNS It only takes one slip to ruin your shoulder's rotator cuff, so consider this movement an actual risk. It puts your neck at risk for a slipped disk too. INSTEAD: USE A BAR FOR PULL-UPS OR CHIN-UPS Instead of adding all the excess strain to your shoulder rotator cuffs, find a bar and do traditional pull-ups instead. BENCH DIPS In this position the arms sit by our sides with our palms facing forward. The further away we move from this position, the more vulnerable our shoulders can be to injury risk INSTEAD: DIPS USING PARALLEL BARS Adjusting the position of the hands to parallel actually rolls the head of your shoulder behind your collarbone, where it belongs. CURTSY LUNGES For proper movement pattern, the knee, hip and shoulder joints should be kept in alignment. But for majority, this exercise may produce unwanted stress since the hip socket doesn't align with this movement angle or pattern. INSTEAD: FORWARD AND REVERSE LUNGES Keep things in line with forward and reverse lunges. RUNNING ON CONCRETE Except some extraordinarily talented athletes, for every- one else, it's punishment for your joints and back. INSTEAD: HIKING TRAIL Setting out on trail is much more rewarding, as you tire less and enjoy the natural scenery. LEG EXTENSIONS Because the quads are contracting on their own, their shortening through tension will have an impact on the knee. INSTEAD: SPLIT SQUAT AND LUNGES Both huge quad builders that also improve whole-leg function as well. GYMNASTICS It offers myriad health benefits in the cardio, respiratory, muscular and psychological realms, but it's certainly a quick way to beat up your body. INSTEAD: DO MARTIAL ARTS Incorporate the same skills and developed muscle groups into martial arts. This alternative lets you pick up an intense workout in a more efficient form. WEIGHTED SIDE BEND Side bends build up your oblique muscles, which simply makes your problem worse. The bigger your obliques are, the fatter you look. INSTEAD: SQUATS AND DEADLIFTS Simply do heavy and compound lifts like squats and deadlifts. Your entire core will develop including obliques. TRICEPS KICKBACK The triceps really only feel like they're doing anything at the very end of the lift, and you can't use any amount of weight and still maintain proper form. INSTEAD: CLOSE-GRIP BENCH PRESS, OVERHEAD TRICEPS PRESS, SKULL-CRUSHERS, TRICEPS PUSHDOWNS Pretty much heavy pressing movement like these will work best. SOURCE: http://www.fitnessrepublic.com/fitness/exercises/4-exercises-you-should-stop-doing.html http://me.askmen.com/fitness-workouts/1100806/article/8-gym-moves-you-should-stop-doing-forever http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/5-exercis- es-you-need-stop-doing-now-and-what-instead.html?bd32015526 http://www.mensfitness.com/training/pro-tips/4-exercises-you-shouldnt-be-doing http://www.muscleforlife.com/10-exercises-that-suck-and-what-to-do-instead/ www.FITNESSREPUBLIC.COM Fitness: ERepublic SIGNUP FOR NEWSLETTER! http://www.fitnessrepublic.com/newsletter