Exercise to lose weight, get great abs, flat stomachs, and incredible gluts. Go to the gym, mimic exercises that look good, and get very discouraged when the end result is just pain. Avoid certain exercises that are not really effective; and find alternatives to get you to the perfect body; or just a slimmer one.
Worst Exercises
Standing dumbbell pec flys are exercises you often see in body sculpting class. Designed to work the chest muscles; they don’t really work. To develop firm abs exercises must oppose gravity and provide pressure. Stand with barbells, left up and down. You are really doing nothing but getting sore arms and shoulders.
Sit-ups are exercises everyone tries. This is one of the worst exercises and causes lower back problems. As you lift your lumbar region off the floor to a seated position you are causing stress to your lower back. The hip flexors actually dominate the movement, take the focus off the chest, and in return give you lower back pain.
Behind the neck shoulder presses. Hold a bar behind your neck. Lift up and down. This causes the shoulder joint to rotate, and may cause tears in the muscles, tendons and ligaments. The result is sore and torn ligaments plus surgery.
Behind the neck lat pull downs. (The lat is the broadest muscle in the back and is posterior to the arm and in the dorsal region.) All those people pulling bars down behind their back are actually placing stress on their shoulder capsules and causing damage to surrounding tissues. Lat machines cause users to pull their necks forward. This increases the possibility of spinal injuries.
Alternating Superman is done by lying face down on the floor and lifting the right arm and left leg simultaneously. Repeat on the opposite side. Good exercise? Not at all! The legs are heavier than the arms. When you lift opposing limbs you twist your torso and cause torsion on the spine. The result is chronic back pain.
Best Exercises
To work your chest muscles use barbells, but use them lying down on a bench or a medicine ball or the floor. Work in the direction of gravity, apply pressure and work those pecs.
Tighten core muscles by doing crunches. Start by lying face up on the floor and bend your knees and curl your shoulders toward your pelvis. Place your hands behind your neck or across your chest. Crunch. If you want to add a change up or more intensity, do crunches on a medicine ball.
Dumbbell lifts will allow your shoulders to work in a natural arc if you employ a dumbbell press and use a weight bench. The result is great shoulders.
When doing lat pull downs, bring the bar down to your upper chest to finish the move. This will spare your shoulder joints and is very effective in building chest and back muscles.
Perform the Superman with all limbs together. Lie on your stomach; lift your arms and legs together. Do this on a medicine ball for variation and engage the core muscles.
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