subject: What hurts your workout? [print this page] Don't waste time on ineffective risky exercises. Not you.These moves will deliver the results you want and can not cause injury.
#1: Lat Pull-down Behind the Head
Only people with very mobile shoulder joints can keep their spines straight enough to do this exercise properly. So the move done wrong can lead to shoulder impingement or worse, a tear in the rotator cuff.
On the pulldown machine, lean back a few degrees, use a widerthanshoulder grip, and bring the bar down in front of your body to the breastbone, pulling shoulder blades down and together. Contract your abdominals to stabilize the body, and avoid using momentum to swing the bar up and down. The lat pulldown works the muscles of the upper back.
#2Military Press Behind the Head
This shoulder move, in which you lift weights or a barbell up and down behind the head, can cause the same problems as the lat pulldown behind the head.
A safer shoulder alternative: When doing the military press, keep the bar or dumbbells in front of your head. Stand with the weight no lower than the collarbone and keep your upper body upright. The exercise can also be done seated.
#3: Upright Row
Pulling weights, a barbell, or a weighted cabled bar up under your chin is a big no-no because it can compress the nerves in the shoulder area, impinging the shoulder.
Instead of doing an upright row, work your shoulders with a front or lateral shoulder raise, lifting weights out to the front or side of the body.
Always Lifting with a Weight Belt
Too many people wear weight belts too often. Unless you have a back injury or other medical reason or are lifting a lot of weight the weight belt may let your core muscles slack off and you need your core muscles all the time in everyday life.
So back off the weight belt unless it's necessary.
Shoe Solution
The key, experts say, is to choose a shoe that is specific to your activity and that suits your particular foot. They recommend shopping at stores specializing in athletic shoes, where you can seek advice from a knowledgeable salesperson. And don't forget to replace your shoes when they show signs of wear.
