Bad form
Categories: Fitness
So you're exercising regularly and really making it a priority. That's great! But make sure you don't fall into some of these exercise traps. You want to make sure you're following good technique so you can get the most out of your workout. AOL Health shares some common bad exercises techniques:- Weight overload. Lifting too much weight can, at worst, cause injury and, at a minimum, cause the move to be ineffective. When you're lifting too much you may not be isolating the muscles properly.
- Biceps only. The bicep curl is a great exercise, but don't spend all of your strength training time on one muscle. Be sure to work out your shoulders, triceps, legs, core, and glutes as well. When strength training, you want to strengthen all the muscles of your body.
- Abs overdose. If you're trying to get rid of belly flab you could do crunches all day, every day and you'll likely still have the flab. Crunches will tone and strengthen your stomach muscles, but to get rid of flab, you also need to do cardio work.
- Cardio clutch. When using a treadmill, stair climber, or stationary bike, don't go so fast that you have to grip onto the handles and hunch your back over. You're mitigating the workout and risking injury by doing so. It's best to go at a slower pace for a longer amount of time and not need the support of the handles.
- Creature of habit. A fitness routine is a good thing because you know how long it will take and you've got all the moves down pat. But if you're trying to lose weight, you absolutely have to vary your routine. Your body has a "memory" of sorts and will adjust to a routine. Plus, varying your workout keeps things fun and interesting.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Robert, The Tanning Guy 6-28-2008 @ 8:48PM
In regards to the cardio clutch, what is the best way and time to do cardio? i have heard that shorter times of 20 to 30 minutes of 30 seconds easy and 30 seconds hard was better than longer time and slower pace?
Reply
Maggie Vink 6-28-2008 @ 8:51PM
Robert,
I just reread that bullet, and I wasn't as clear as I should have been. What I meant was that you shouldn't go so fast on a treadmill (etc.) that you need to hunch over the handles and cling on for dear life. I think we've all seen people at the gym doing that! When you cling on like that you're taking away much of the efficacy of your workout and you're also putting yourself at risk of injury. It's best to use the machines at a pace where you can comfortably stand in a proper position and either not use the handles or just lightly rest your hands on the handles for balance.