WebMD: 9 Least Effective Exercises

[yeahright]

9 Least Effective Exercises
Experts name their top picks for fitness moves that are best to avoid.

When you're trying to make the most of limited exercise time, the last thing you want to do is waste effort on exercises that don't pay off.

Exercise physiologist and fitness consultant Joseph Warpeha says there are two types of exercises we should avoid: Those that can easily lead to injury, and those that don't produce results.

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/122/114709.htm

 

[Mulletsoldier]

That makes sense, especially considering the only one of those I have ever done is the BTN Military.

 

[Sea223]

Nice-thread
You mean you can't spot reduce-Damn!! I think this thread will be great for many people. Lots of great info that Muscle and Fiction doesn't tell you about. Rep for you:head:

 

[Achilles13]

That makes sense, especially considering the only one of those I have ever done is the BTN Military.

Yep. I don't ever do BTN Military or Lat Pulls. I do question the upright rows though... As far as the leg press goes, I swore I saw a bbing video where a guy was going past 90 deg and everyone praised him, why bad now?

 

[Mulletsoldier]

Yep. I don't ever do BTN Military or Lat Pulls. I do question the upright rows though...

I have done them in the past and they absolutely brutalize my shoulder. When you think of the awkward position your putting your RC, then slapping that much resistance on it, you could be asking for trouble. I think they were mainly trying to get across these exercises should not be regime staples.

 

[CHAPS]

Here's my take:

BTN Militarys: Only lower the bar till your arms are at 90 degrees

Upright Rows: Only bring the weight high enough so that your arms are parallel with your shoulder joint.

Leg Press: Go as low as possible without your but coming off the pad, this will put your lowerback at risk.

I do agree with the smith machine back squats and behind the neck pulldowns though.

Any others you guys can think of?

 

[myfathersboy]

Yeah, Mostly agree...especially about the behind the back lat pulldowns....However, I enjoy upright rows...It is a little precarious but I use a reasonable amount of weight....As for leg presses, fewer things annoy me more than some jackass on the leg press machine moving a stupid amount of wieght about 6 inches.....grrrrrrrrrr

So, in response to that particular part of the article, ummm....I'm calling bullsh1t....go all the way on leg presses or don't f'ing bother.....

 

[myfathersboy]

Here's my take:

BTN Militarys: Only lower the bar till your arms are at 90 degrees

Upright Rows: Only bring the weight high enough so that your arms are parallel with your shoulder joint.

Leg Press: Go as low as possible without your but coming off the pad, this will put your lowerback at risk.

I do agree with the smith machine back squats and behind the neck pulldowns though.

Any others you guys can think of?

Yep.

 

[DazzlinJack]

Smith-machine squats are a no-no?? Okay, how's a person gonna be able to squat using a lot of weight without a spotter, and without being able to put a bar in a place where you can easily hoist it on your shoulders and walk out to perform the movement?

 

[Rage (SoCal)]

My standard is, if you can't complete the motion correctly and safely, it is too heavy for you making the exercise almost counter-productive. IMHO, there is no reason to prove your ego to everyone else in the gym by squatting or deadlifting more than you can handle.

About a month ago I squatted 405 for 4 reps (free weights), and afterwords I thought to myself, "Sure...that was heavy but I would probaby get better results with something lighter and more controllable for my strength. Basically there is no reason for me to be lifting that heavy, unless I want to intentionall screw my knees up more than they already are."



For the most part, I'm going to have to agree with that list.

 

[yeahright]

"Exercise physiologist and fitness consultant Joseph Warpeha says there are two types of exercises we should avoid: Those that can easily lead to injury, and those that don't produce results."

I think this is the point that was being emphasized in many of the exercises you all have mentioned. They were trying to keep people from injuring themselves (hard to keep up the mass if you can't workout because of a serious injury).

 

[thesinner]

Charles Glass (the personal traininer for the muscle-tech sponsored athletes) actually recommends upright rows for shoulder development, but recommends bringing the bar to nipple height instead of going all the way to the chin. I know I shouldn't be listening to anything muscle-tech says, but I figured their personal trainer has got to be pretty effective, since thier supplements sure as sh*t aren't.

Do you think bringing the bar to nipple height makes for an effective exercise?

 

[CHAPS]

Yep that's what i suggest, and Charles Glass is literally the best trainer of bodybuilders in the world. And as far as the smith machine squats, i tried them a LONG time ago and they feel un-natural to say the least (I know lifting weights isn't natural so don't even start that argument). I've got no problem using the smith machine for front squats though, i really like doing them on it actually.

What do you think about calf raises? Lower to 90 degrees, or go as deep as possible? I go to 90 degrees, i was told to do this in a fitness theory course i took and i like it much better, going below 90 just stretches out the achilles tendon, was their reasoning. So i go from 90 to right up on my toes and hold for a count of 2-3.

 

[Ronin13]

The surgeon who performed my shoulder surgery who is one of the best in the country, actually internationally recognized as an expert in the field and has many years of sports medicine knowledge, etc.... (he also has something like 35 patents for inventing orthopaedic devices)... anyway - he said if you don't currently have shoulder issues but you perform the following exercises:

Lat pull-down behind the head
Behind the neck military press
upright rows

you WILL eventually have shoulder issues.

IMHO, why risk it?

Charles Glass (the personal traininer for the muscle-tech sponsored athletes) actually recommends upright rows for shoulder development, but recommends bringing the bar to nipple height instead of going all the way to the chin. I know I shouldn't be listening to anything muscle-tech says, but I figured their personal trainer has got to be pretty effective, since thier supplements sure as sh*t aren't.

Do you think bringing the bar to nipple height makes for an effective exercise?

 

[bpmartyr]

I bring the bar just above the nipples with upright rows. Any higher is awkward and puts too much strain on my shoulder.

 

[Sea223]

As for leg presses, fewer things annoy me more than some jackass on the leg press machine moving a stupid amount of wieght about 6 inches.....grrrrrrrrrr

So, in response to that particular part of the article, ummm....I'm calling bullsh1t....go all the way on leg presses or don't f'ing bother.....

In exercises such as leg press, squat, and lunges, bringing the knee over the toes and increasing flexion in the knee past 90 degrees increases the shearing force which predisposes you to patello-femoral injuries. Not worth it to me.

I guess I could care what others think in the gym though about me moving "6 inches"..........But I'd rather save my knees. :squat:

Also, with the upright row -not going above the shoulder does reduce the risk of impingement.

 

[bearmeat]

Smith-machine squats are a no-no?? Okay, how's a person gonna be able to squat using a lot of weight without a spotter, and without being able to put a bar in a place where you can easily hoist it on your shoulders and walk out to perform the movement?

A power rack solves all those problems and are found in pretty much every gym.....

 

[myfathersboy]

In exercises such as leg press, squat, and lunges, bringing the knee over the toes and increasing flexion in the knee past 90 degrees increases the shearing force which predisposes you to patello-femoral injuries. Not worth it to me.

I guess I could care what others think in the gym though about me moving "6 inches"..........But I'd rather save my knees. :squat:

Watever ya gotta tell yourself, bro

 

[exnihilo]

just do high pulls instead, much like an upright row but works the entire posterior chain as well.

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/OlympicLifts/HighPull.html

Takes out the negative component, works your traps more, still hits your shoulders nicely too.

 

[Sea223]

Watever ya gotta tell yourself, bro

Yeah exactly-I've learned this through schooling, so I follow it. I don't really care if you do though. I was posting this for peoples information.
Before I was educated I would think much like yourself. No worries though.

 

[myfathersboy]

Yeah exactly-I've learned this through schooling, so I follow it. I don't really care if you do though. I was posting this for peoples information.
Before I was educated I would think much like yourself. No worries though.

hey, if a six-inch range of motion works for you, then keep it up, pumpkin....

 

[FitnFirm]

Oh blow me!!!!!!!! Im not going to listen to a podiatrist on upright rows, PLEASE!!!!!!!!! I see great results with these, and lots of striations.

I disagree, I think the motion helps flexibitly, so kiss my rump foot doctor!

 

[guyfromkop2]

Smith-machine squats are a no-no?? Okay, how's a person gonna be able to squat using a lot of weight without a spotter,

ask someone in the gym or squat in a rack with pins

and without being able to put a bar in a place where you can easily hoist it on your shoulders and walk out to perform the movement?

it's called practice

 

[guyfromkop2]

Squats on the Smith machine. This is a squat you do standing at a machine that has a barbell on a sliding track. The barbell rests on your shoulders, behind your head.
In a true squat -- done as you hold a barbell at your shoulders -- the bar doesn't go straight up and down as it does with the Smith machine, Warpeha says: "Looking from the side, the bar has some sway."
"On the machine, the bar doesn't give, so it forces the body into disadvantageous biomechanical positions," he says. People also tend to put their feet further in front of their bodies when doing squats on the machine, which adds to the problem.
Considering that today's adult population is wrought with knee and back problems, says Danberg, the last thing you want to do is an exercise that might aggravate weakness and injury.

 

[CHAPS]

I like high pulls they're a fun movement.

 

[yeahright]

Oh blow me!!!!!!!! Im not going to listen to a podiatrist on upright rows, PLEASE!!!!!!!!! I see great results with these, and lots of striations.

I disagree, I think the motion helps flexibitly, so kiss my rump foot doctor!

LOL, way to show the passion!:whip:

 

[Gethuge]

Smith-machine squats are a no-no?? Okay, how's a person gonna be able to squat using a lot of weight without a spotter, and without being able to put a bar in a place where you can easily hoist it on your shoulders and walk out to perform the movement?

It's called a power rack. :fool2: Most real gyms have them. And a home gym owner shouldn't even be thinking of buying a smith machine if they don't have a power rack and a decent bench.

 

[charliewat]

The only one I have ever done is the upright rows. I never liked em anyway

 

[FitnFirm]

The only one I have ever done is the upright rows. I never liked em anyway

I would never quit doing upright rows, just dont go as high as your chin, crap I cant get far past my chest so I dont have to worry about anyway, lol

Ive grown alot from upright rows, I love them

 

[bpmartyr]

I would never quit doing upright rows, just dont go as high as your chin, crap I cant get far past my chest so I dont have to worry about anyway, lol

Ive grown alot from upright rows, I love them

I'd be very surprised if you COULD get them around that chest.

 

[Ripw4]

I have more problems with tricep exercises than anything.
Its seems my left elbow area always gives out before I can finish.. So I am not doing any tricep iso's for 2 weeks.. let them get back to normal then start wearing elbow support I guess.

 

[bioman]

Yeah, Mostly agree...especially about the behind the back lat pulldowns....However, I enjoy upright rows...It is a little precarious but I use a reasonable amount of weight....As for leg presses, fewer things annoy me more than some jackass on the leg press machine moving a stupid amount of wieght about 6 inches.....grrrrrrrrrr

So, in response to that particular part of the article, ummm....I'm calling bullsh1t....go all the way on leg presses or don't f'ing bother.....

Well, I will say that I USED to go all the way down, but now it does put some hurt on the lower back if I do that. I agree on the 6 inches thing though..at least go to parallel or just before your butt starts to come off the pad. This is where staying flexible becomes golden as it lengthens your range of motion while allowing for proper form.

 

[Sea223]

I agree on the 6 inches thing though..at least go to parallel or just before your butt starts to come off the pad.

I used the 6 inches as a figure of speech, I do see people loading up the leg press and doing it that way and I laugh on the inside - me putting quotations around the 6 inches made it a figure of speech. I go to parallel and always have. All I was saying is that deeper could cause injury in the long run.

 

[MaynardMeek]

HAHA! YES getting off your sofa to get the remote is NOT on there.. i got my ab work out set then!