Running around the Manhattan to various personal training gyms and in-home gyms, I get to see some great training and some not so great. This made me think about some common exercises I see in the gym that probably
should be replaced with an alternative exercise selection.
Burpee
The coveted burpee is a common staple amongst fitness enthusiasts and personal trainers alike. It’s common to see group fitness classes in Central Park doing a bunch of burpees. The problem that I have with this movement is that it can become pretty unsafe, especially if you have mobility issues.
The typical burpee goer will look like the above picture. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to see that picture 2 isn’t a safe position, especially when the person is exhausted. The amount of force placed on your knees, hips, and back as you go from the push up position back into that terrible looking squat isn’t something you want to place body in.
Do This: Instead a better alternative is to do the burpee off the bench. I know it’s not as “hard core” but I couldn’t care any less. Placing you a bit higher allows you to keep your back in a safer position and not place a ton of stress on the knees as you transition from the push up to the “squat” position.
Keep in mind that the point of working out is to execute the exercise efficiently and leave the gym with minimal undue stress on your body. Give it a shot and I’m sure you’ll get your heart rate up.
Squat
The squat is what everyone is talking about now a days. Yet if you actually watch a majority of people squatting it looks TERRIBLE. Yes it’s a great exercise BUT only if you can execute it correctly. If your chest and/or stomach is touching your thighs then you really have no business squatting. With that said, there are exceptions to the rule, however if you’re not competing in the squat I can’t figure a rationale reason to punish your body like that.
DO This: A great alternative to the squat is the split squat, where the focus is to PUSH your knee forward and activate the quads and hips. This is a great alternative n0t only because it hits the legs but also because there isn’t as much limitation due to lack of flexibility and mobility. I typically like to do this with with dumbbells but those that are pretty comfortable in the movement can start to execute with heavier weights using the barbell too.
Overhead Squat
I know I’m doubling up on squats but for some reason I’m seeing more and more people attempting to do the overhead squat and yet again look terrible at it. I’d say a high percentage of the population probably should stay away from the overhead squat. The lift requires a great deal of mobility AND stability through the shoulders, hips, trunk, and ankles. In either case this lift is NOT used for strength but utilized more for stability through the shoulder, trunk, and hips. You’ll very rarely see a lifter miss the overhead squat due to lack of leg strength but due to a lack of stability, balance, and position to maintain the bar overhead.
Don’t Do THIS:
Do This:
If you can squat then squat but as I mentioned above most people can’t squat correctly either. Therefore a dumbbell deficit squat or belt squat is a great alternative. The belt squat is very popular for people that have lower back disorders but want to still work on their legs. However, IF you’re going heavy you’ll need two tools:
- Ironmind loading pin: to hold the plates
- Heavy duty chain to hold the weight onto your belt.
Alliteratively, you can just stand on the box (stable) and hold a dumbbell between the legs.
That’s it for today! Train smart!
About the Author
It’s always a good idea to be refreshed on the fundamentals of what NOT to do while working out, as much as what to do. Useful article.