sage
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All exercise has its dangers, especially when improper form is used. Here are some common exercises which an individual should pay attention to getting down proper form and utilizing more saftey when performing these exercises. (some of these, i personally love and consider favorites. but once again, they do carry more responsibility from the individual to use strict form. Sage)
by Michael J. Merlino
Exercise ---- Why It Is High Risk
Leg extensions ---- locking knees ACL stress
Lat pull behind the head ----- shoulder & neck stress
Walking lunges ---- major stress on the knee joint
Low squats lower than 90 degrees ---- knee/hip stress
Butt blaster machine ----- stress on lower spine
Hip abductor machine (outer) ----- tension on hip joint
Ab rotator machine ----- stress on spine
Chest press with elbows below shoulders ------ rotator cuff stress
Overhead DB military presses ------ shoulder stress
Upright rows ------ stress on anterior deltoid/rotator
(1) Muscle: Latissimus Dorsi (Lat or Back)
Bad Choice: Behind the Neck Lat Cable Pulldowns Why it's Risky?
This movement not only stresses out the rotator cuff by putting the shoulder in a closed impact position but it also puts the upper spine in a very awkward and vulnerable position that you would never put yourself in during the course of your everyday life anyway. Recently the American College of Sports Medicine ranked this as one of the most common way to injury yourself in the gym. If your goal is to efficiently work the back or Lat muscles you just defeated the purpose by not aligning the line of resistance (cable) with the direction of the muscle fiber in the back or Latissimus Dorsi (Lat) muscle.
Safer Alternative - Front Lat Cable Pulldowns
Unlike it's evil cousin, the behind the head pull down, front lat pull downs do not stress the shoulder joint and properly align the line of resistance with the direction of the muscle fiber. In other words this movement puts your body in a natural and efficient position to get some quality back work in and avoid injury.
Form & Technique
First find your proper grip width on the bar by griping it where your forearm and upper arm are at 90 degrees . Before you start, tilt your body back at about a 30 degree angle and maintain your back stability by keeping the shoulders down, squeezing the shoulder blades together, tightening the abs and maintaining the natural arch of the low back. Pull the bar down in front of the head aiming towards your collar bone until the bar is just below your chin while squeezing or flexing the lat muscles and holding the flex for about a second. Return to the top until the arm is almost straight but still has a slight bend at the elbow joint. Go with a 2-4 count with a 2 count pulling down and twice as slow on the way up with a 4 count. Exhale as you pull down and inhale on the way up.
(1) Muscle: Anterior Deltoid (Front part of shoulder)
Bad Choice: Upright Barbell Rows
Why it's risky?
This movement puts undue stress on the shoulder and wrist joints while attempting to work the anterior deltoid (front of the shoulder).
Safer Alternative - Seated Front Duo Dumbbell Raises
Seated front dumbbell raises performed with a back supported bench, do a great job of working the anterior (front) shoulder while eleviating stress on the wrist, elbow and shoulder joint.
Form & Technique
Sit on a bench with a high back for lower back support. Bring the legs in narrow and grip the dumbbells in a hammer position with the face of the dumbells facing the floor and the ceiling. Your starting point is where you arms are to our side with the elbows bositioned under the shoulder . Keep a little bend to your elbow, tighen your stomach and raise the dumbbells until the wrist is level with the shoulder. Hesitate slightly on the top and return the the starting position. Remember to go with a 2 count on the way up and a slower four count on the way down.
(1) Muscle: Gluteus Maximus (Buttocks)
Bad Choice: Traveling Dumbbell or Barbell Lunges
Why it's risky?
Ah yes...the favorite exercise of many women because of their magic ability to melt fat off the butt. Not so fast little Missy! First off, spot reducing fat using weights doesn't work. Cardiovascular fitness using aerobic exercise burns the fat. But beyond that if you really think about it traveling lunges are really no more than a one legged squat in motion. How many times in the course of your everyday life do you squat on one leg while traveling across the room with a weight bearing force on your back? May sound like a stupid question but I'm a big believer that if a movement in the gym doesn't mimic one that you will encounter in your everyday life then why even bother with it anyway? This concept is called functional exercise. You may feel these in the gluts but along with a nice "butt burn" comes the added bonus of about 5 times your body weight plus the weight of the bar or dumbbell on each knee joint as you lunge forward with momentum. Not too cool.
Safer Alternatives - Stationery Lunges
There are many other ways to get some good butt or glute work in without risking the integrity of one of the most important joints in the body, the knee. A statonery modified lunge is a gret way to work the glutes without using momentum.
Form & Technique - Whether you use a barbell in a Smith machine or free standing with good old fashioned dumbbells, these are much safer than any walking lunge. Stand with your legs about shoulder width apart and bring on leg forward and one leg backward. Position your legs so as you bend your knees and lower your body to the floor, both legs are at 90 degree angles. Start in a standing position with good posture by keeping the abs tight and spine perpendicular to the floor. Gently lower your body weight while holding a dumbbell in each hand until the knee on your back leg almost touches the floor. Push through the floor on the front foot as you return to the starting position and flex your front thigh muscle. When you are almost stanind upright again, flex the glute muscle on the trailing leg.
(1) Muscle: Medial & Anterior (middle & front shoulder)
Bad Choice: Behind the head military barbell press
Why it's risky?
Behind the head military press using dumbbells, barbell or machines has almost the same negative affects as the behind the head lat pulldown by stressing the rotator cuff and upper spine. How many times in your everyday life do you decide to left heavy things behind your back and over your head while in a seated or standing position? I don't know about you but I can think of about a million more things I would much rather do with my time. Just isn't functional.
Safer Alternative - Side Lateral Dumbbell Raises
Side lateral raises are a much more effective exercise for working the medial (middle) deltoid or shoulder without putting stress on the shoulder joint or rotator cuff. The key here is limiting the range of motion so the elbows are not lifted above the shoulders at the top of the movement or too far inside the body at the bottom of the movement.
by Michael J. Merlino
Exercise ---- Why It Is High Risk
Leg extensions ---- locking knees ACL stress
Lat pull behind the head ----- shoulder & neck stress
Walking lunges ---- major stress on the knee joint
Low squats lower than 90 degrees ---- knee/hip stress
Butt blaster machine ----- stress on lower spine
Hip abductor machine (outer) ----- tension on hip joint
Ab rotator machine ----- stress on spine
Chest press with elbows below shoulders ------ rotator cuff stress
Overhead DB military presses ------ shoulder stress
Upright rows ------ stress on anterior deltoid/rotator
(1) Muscle: Latissimus Dorsi (Lat or Back)
Bad Choice: Behind the Neck Lat Cable Pulldowns Why it's Risky?
This movement not only stresses out the rotator cuff by putting the shoulder in a closed impact position but it also puts the upper spine in a very awkward and vulnerable position that you would never put yourself in during the course of your everyday life anyway. Recently the American College of Sports Medicine ranked this as one of the most common way to injury yourself in the gym. If your goal is to efficiently work the back or Lat muscles you just defeated the purpose by not aligning the line of resistance (cable) with the direction of the muscle fiber in the back or Latissimus Dorsi (Lat) muscle.
Safer Alternative - Front Lat Cable Pulldowns
Unlike it's evil cousin, the behind the head pull down, front lat pull downs do not stress the shoulder joint and properly align the line of resistance with the direction of the muscle fiber. In other words this movement puts your body in a natural and efficient position to get some quality back work in and avoid injury.
Form & Technique
First find your proper grip width on the bar by griping it where your forearm and upper arm are at 90 degrees . Before you start, tilt your body back at about a 30 degree angle and maintain your back stability by keeping the shoulders down, squeezing the shoulder blades together, tightening the abs and maintaining the natural arch of the low back. Pull the bar down in front of the head aiming towards your collar bone until the bar is just below your chin while squeezing or flexing the lat muscles and holding the flex for about a second. Return to the top until the arm is almost straight but still has a slight bend at the elbow joint. Go with a 2-4 count with a 2 count pulling down and twice as slow on the way up with a 4 count. Exhale as you pull down and inhale on the way up.
(1) Muscle: Anterior Deltoid (Front part of shoulder)
Bad Choice: Upright Barbell Rows
Why it's risky?
This movement puts undue stress on the shoulder and wrist joints while attempting to work the anterior deltoid (front of the shoulder).
Safer Alternative - Seated Front Duo Dumbbell Raises
Seated front dumbbell raises performed with a back supported bench, do a great job of working the anterior (front) shoulder while eleviating stress on the wrist, elbow and shoulder joint.
Form & Technique
Sit on a bench with a high back for lower back support. Bring the legs in narrow and grip the dumbbells in a hammer position with the face of the dumbells facing the floor and the ceiling. Your starting point is where you arms are to our side with the elbows bositioned under the shoulder . Keep a little bend to your elbow, tighen your stomach and raise the dumbbells until the wrist is level with the shoulder. Hesitate slightly on the top and return the the starting position. Remember to go with a 2 count on the way up and a slower four count on the way down.
(1) Muscle: Gluteus Maximus (Buttocks)
Bad Choice: Traveling Dumbbell or Barbell Lunges
Why it's risky?
Ah yes...the favorite exercise of many women because of their magic ability to melt fat off the butt. Not so fast little Missy! First off, spot reducing fat using weights doesn't work. Cardiovascular fitness using aerobic exercise burns the fat. But beyond that if you really think about it traveling lunges are really no more than a one legged squat in motion. How many times in the course of your everyday life do you squat on one leg while traveling across the room with a weight bearing force on your back? May sound like a stupid question but I'm a big believer that if a movement in the gym doesn't mimic one that you will encounter in your everyday life then why even bother with it anyway? This concept is called functional exercise. You may feel these in the gluts but along with a nice "butt burn" comes the added bonus of about 5 times your body weight plus the weight of the bar or dumbbell on each knee joint as you lunge forward with momentum. Not too cool.
Safer Alternatives - Stationery Lunges
There are many other ways to get some good butt or glute work in without risking the integrity of one of the most important joints in the body, the knee. A statonery modified lunge is a gret way to work the glutes without using momentum.
Form & Technique - Whether you use a barbell in a Smith machine or free standing with good old fashioned dumbbells, these are much safer than any walking lunge. Stand with your legs about shoulder width apart and bring on leg forward and one leg backward. Position your legs so as you bend your knees and lower your body to the floor, both legs are at 90 degree angles. Start in a standing position with good posture by keeping the abs tight and spine perpendicular to the floor. Gently lower your body weight while holding a dumbbell in each hand until the knee on your back leg almost touches the floor. Push through the floor on the front foot as you return to the starting position and flex your front thigh muscle. When you are almost stanind upright again, flex the glute muscle on the trailing leg.
(1) Muscle: Medial & Anterior (middle & front shoulder)
Bad Choice: Behind the head military barbell press
Why it's risky?
Behind the head military press using dumbbells, barbell or machines has almost the same negative affects as the behind the head lat pulldown by stressing the rotator cuff and upper spine. How many times in your everyday life do you decide to left heavy things behind your back and over your head while in a seated or standing position? I don't know about you but I can think of about a million more things I would much rather do with my time. Just isn't functional.
Safer Alternative - Side Lateral Dumbbell Raises
Side lateral raises are a much more effective exercise for working the medial (middle) deltoid or shoulder without putting stress on the shoulder joint or rotator cuff. The key here is limiting the range of motion so the elbows are not lifted above the shoulders at the top of the movement or too far inside the body at the bottom of the movement.
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