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If there is one thing that will ruin your workout, it's wasting time. If there is one truth everyone shares at the gym, it is that no one wants to dedicate 30 minutes of their time and energy to something that will reap little to no rewards.
So how do you make sure you are getting the most out of your workout? To start, avoid these popular exercise moves--some can even be harmful to your back!
With some help from Shape Magazine and their expert trainers, you'll never waste your time in the gym again. Check out the list below!
1. The "pressed-heels" sit-up. This move performed by doing a normal sit-up with your heels pressing into the ground while your toes are pointing up. Michele Olson, Ph.D., professor of exercise physiology at Auburn University in Alabama explains why the move is useless. "It was thought that pressing the heels into the floor would increase the effort of the abdominal muscles while decreasing the load to the lower spine. But actually, EMG (electromyogram) data has shown that pressing the heels into the floor did the opposite." Try doing sit ups with your legs in the air, instead.
2. Shoulder Presses Behind Head. "A shoulder press done behind the head doesn't have any added benefits from a regular shoulder press, only increased risk," says Rick Richey, a master instructor for the National Academy of Sports Medicine and owner of R2Fitness in New York City. "Even for people with optimal range of motion, the behind-the-head shoulder press puts the shoulder joint at a highly disadvantageous and dangerous position that locks down joints at the sternum, collarbone, and shoulder blades and inhibits arm movement," he adds.
3. Squats with an exercise ball. "People think that by using a ball, it increases their knee stability and tracking during a squat. But it doesn't," says Alfonso Moretti, certified personal trainer and owner of Angry Trainer Fitness. "If you can't track your knees correctly during a squat, in most cases that means your gluteus medius muscle is weak. Without proper strength in this area, the larger, more powerful adductor muscles of the inner thigh will literally 'pull' the knees toward the centerline of the body while squatting. Although using a ball between the legs appears to fix the issue by preventing the knees from caving in, it actually makes it worse. By holding or squeezing the ball between the legs, you further strengthen the adductors and once the ball is removed, the knees will collapse in."
4. Double Leg Lifts. This is a popular Pilates move where you lift your chin, put your hands behind your head, and lift your legs a 45 degree angle, to a 90 degree angle. Sounds like a good move, but it hurts more than it helps. "People do leg lifts to tone the abs, but it's actually one of the worst exercises for the lower back," says Lisa Kinder, certified personal trainer and star of the 10-Minute Solution: High-Intensity Interval Training DVD. "When the legs are lifted, one of the prime movers is the psoas, which attaches to the lumbar spine vertebrae. When this muscle is contracted, it pulls the lower back into hyper-extension and squeezes the discs, which can put a person at risk for a herniated disc."
5. Isolated Biceps Curls. Bicep curls are not a "bad" exercise, but you could be doing so much more in a short period of time. "I'd rather do a three-for-one toning move that strengthens your shoulders, core, and arms at once," says Andrea Metcalf, certified personal trainer and author of Naked Fitness. Try doing a Plank Row, instead! Get in a plank position with a dumbbell or weight in your right hand. Simply start by "rowing" the weight up to the side of ribcage, bending the right elbow in by your side.
What do you think of these exercise moves? Which will you ditch? Let us know in the comments!
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