We know the benefits of weight and resistance training and how it improves your overall health. However, not all exercises are equal, and some are outright bad for your joints and bones and for good measure, as they either go against your joint's natural movement, or create unwanted stress, or are outright useless. In today's list, we'll take a look at 3 exercises that you must eliminate from your 2022 workout schedule.
Upright Rows:
One of the most complex joints in your body is the shoulder joint and it is also one that's often the most injured joint. Upright rows are outright bad for your shoulders as it places your shoulder in an internally rotated position while being elevated. This can lead to shoulder impingement issues and a torn ACL.
The substitute: Upright rows are done specifically to target the medial deltoid, the muscle that gives you that broad look. Instead of placing your shoulders in a precarious position, you can swap the exercise with Dumbbell Lateral raises instead to hit your medial deltoid.
Leg extensions:
Another common injury that many experiences in the gym are knee issues and while it's not down to just doing extensions, the exercise itself is pretty bad for your knees. Firstly, the range of motion goes against your body's natural movement. Secondly, it places a lot of weight on your ankle region, and when extended, all that the weight does is it places a lot of torque on your hinge joints aka your knees.
The substitute: Leg extensions are done with the intention of hitting your quadriceps, but does eliminating them from your workouts mean you won't be able to activate this muscle group? Absolutely not! Instead of hammering your knees by doing countless reps of extensions, you should swap them with front squats that will not just help in building bigger legs but will help increase strength as well.
Behind the neck press:
This is one exercise that we've never really understood. Think of it this way, if you were asked to lift something and place it let's say on the loft of your house, would you lift the object behind your neck? Probably not! The problem with this exercise is just like upright rows, it places your shoulders in an internally rotated position while being elevated. Besides it being an unnatural movement for your shoulder, it does little to nothing to hit the intended muscle aka the rear deltoid.
The substitute: If you want to really hit your rear delts hard without jeopardizing the health of your shoulders then you can always perform rear flys and face-pulls, that not only protect your shoulders from injuries but also help in strengthening your rear deltoids as well.
So that's our list for today and for more such insights into exercise variations and tips, we request you to keep following us.
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