Hey You’re Doing It Wrong: 5 Common Exercises That Are Bastardized

Let’s first clear the air, and let me say I am about 98% sure I used the word bastardized correctly in the title.

Bastardized: “Corrupt or debase (something such as a language or art form) typically by adding new elements.”

You didn’t think you were going to increase your vocabulary by clicking on a fitness block post, now did you. I am here not only to make you better at doing life activities I am also here to make you more articulate, elegant, and dare I say posh.

Ok I’ll put the thesaurus away now.

I have a list of 5 common exercises that are often done incorrectly either by people adding unnecessary movements or just missing the boat completely.

 

Step Ups

Benefits:

The Step Up is a great exercise for getting strong quads and gaining unilateral control/stability.

Common Mistakes:

• Using back leg to push you back up
• Not stepping far enough back

Incorrect

Correct

Reverse Lunge

Benefits:

The Reverse Lunge is similar to the lunge in that it’s a single leg exercise and requires a degree of knee and hip stability and coordination.  The one big difference between the forward lunge and the reverse is that the Reverse Lunge has more involvement from the glutes and in most cases is easier on the knees for people with knee pain; due to a shorter eccentric phase (lowering).

Common Mistakes:

• Making the step back two movements instead of just one
• Hyper extending the lower back

 

Incorrect

Correct

Ball/Ab Wheel Rollouts

Benefits:

Strengthens the rectus abdominals and teaches to engage the core and glutes to prevent hyperextension of the back. 

Common Mistakes:

•  Not pushing the hips through
• Hyper extending the lower back
• Sitting butt back to get up

 

Incorrect

Correct

 

Farmers Walk

 Benefits:

What aren’t the benefits of Farmers Walks. Here’s my short list: shoulder stability, core stability, grip strength, hip stability, making you look cooler then you really are. 

Common Mistakes:

• Letting the weight excessively pull your shoulders down
• Uncontrolled steps
• Not griping the weights (There is a difference between griping a weight and holding a weight)

 

Incorrect

Correct

 

Cable/ Dumbbell Row

Benefits:

 Single arm rows are an essential part of training, if you want strong healthy shoulders and lats that make you look like a King Cobra, when flexed, then you have to be doing some rows.

 Common Mistakes:

• Letting the shoulder get pulled forward
• Focusing on pulling the elbow back behind the body, instead of moving the shoulder blade down and back on the rib cage.
•  Using momentum to move the weight

 

Incorrect

Correct

After reviewing this video I have realized that I am moving my shoulders a little more then I would have liked, well no one is perfect.

Wrap Up

 Not much left to say, other then stop bastardizing these exercises.

Much Love,

Josh Williams