Here’s why you should avoid doing these 5 exercises at the gym

To get that perfect body we try working out on every machine that’s there in the gym. We hardly give a second thought to whether or not the machine is right for us, or if there might be some serious repercussions in store for us. This is exactly why it is important to have a good trainer to guide you. Because, as you might have guessed there are certain exercises that you must NEVER do. 

But why? Well, that’s because either they are ineffective or they lead to major wear and tear of muscles.

Here are five gym exercises that you should NEVER try

1. Behind the head lat-pull-down

Well, this one tops the list of the worst gym exercises you can ever do. You know why? That’s because your posture is disrupted completely when you do it. Your posterior neck gets into a very uncomfortable position and the movement of your shoulder blades also gets distorted. Due to these reasons, the effect of this exercise is not foolproof.

Instead of doing behind the head lat-pull-down, you can try doing normal lat-pull-down and pull-ups.

2. Leg extension

This is the machine that you use the most on your leg day because it is the easiest of them all. Yes, you guessed it right. It is the one on which you sit and extend your legs in front thinking that your thighs are toning up. But unfortunately, nothing is happening down there because the effect of it is not properly targeted.

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Instead of doing leg extension machines, you should do lunges and stepper exercises. Also, climbing stairs is better than doing this machine.

3. Twister

You see people spending most of their time in the gym, twisting their upper body on that poor machine. But did you know that the machine doesn’t contribute anything? To be brutally honest, it is a sheer time waste. Also, the movement induced by the twister neither triggers any muscle group nor does it burn fat.

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Instead of spending time on twisters you can very well do side planks and sidekicks.

Keep an idea of your risk of weight-related issues.

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4. Back hyperextension

If you have back issues then this machine is not meant for you. And if you don’t have any, then trust us you’ll get one if you keep using it. You know why? That’s because 99% of the people end up doing it wrong which affects their posterior back and become prone to problems like slip discs.

Most people make the mistake of over-arching their backs which is the cause of this problem.

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Instead of doing hyperextension, you can very well do deadlifts but ensure that your posture stays proper in that as well.

5. Smith machine

Smith machine is the one that has a pulley-based bar. You usually do weighted squats and shoulder exercises using it. But the problem with this machine is that you need to be cautious about your movement while exercising using a Smith machine. Because even a minor folly in the grip can have a major impact on your knees and joints. Also, there are high chances of you dropping that weight laden barbell on yourself.

Even if you plan to do it then do it using some help. But our advice would be to give it a skip. Instead,  you can very well opt for weighted dumbbell squats or other bodyweight exercises.