A fitness trainer revealed 7 exercises she would never recommend to her clients.
Greg Justice, an exercise physiologist in Kansas City, Missouri, told DailyMail.com that the kipping pull-ups from trendy CrossFit workouts and Leg Day staple leg presses are of little value.
These exercises are of little value compared to alternatives or put people at risk of injury.
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Here are seven workouts he never recommends to his clients.
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
HIIT has gained a reputation in recent years for melting calories quickly.
This exercise, which typically lasts 10-30 minutes, includes short bursts of vigorous activity accompanied by periods of low-intensity recovery.
Activities range from sprinting, biking, jumping rope, and other bodyweight exercises.
one study When looking at calories burned during a 30-minute HIIT session, HIIT burned 25-30 percent more calories than weight training, running, and cycling.
But too much good can be dangerous. Justice says he’s a fan of HIIT for experienced clients, but warns against going too hard and too fast for beginners and intermediates.
“Intensity is relative to the individual, and it’s important not to push yourself too hard in the process,” says Justice.
a 2021 Study in Cell Metabolism Subjects experienced performance improvements early in the study, but showed signs of mitochondrial impairment.
In other words, not enough energy was produced to power the cells, and the metabolism was disrupted.
Researchers recommended careful monitoring of how the body reacts to this type of training.
kipping pull ups
Popularized in recent years by CrossFit, the kipping pull-up is meant to rock your body and build momentum.
This requires a great deal of strength to “power swing” your core and lower body forward to bring your chin over the bar.
Fitness instructors warn that these pull-ups carry a risk of injury.
“Kipping pull-ups is a high-risk exercise that can lead to shoulder injuries because the swing motion pulls the shoulders so hard with each repetition,” Justice said.
2018 study The Journal of Australian Strength & Conditioning found that kipping pullups activate fewer muscle groups than standard pullups.
Standard pullups, on the other hand, are slower and more controlled, leaving less room for error.
Justice recommends sticking to standard pull-ups instead.
“It can be difficult, but there are ways to increase your range of motion,” he explained.
For those who can’t do pull-ups on their own, we recommend using a weight-assist machine.
“The standard pull-up is a very efficient and effective exercise because it works the lats, rhomboids, triceps, and biceps,” Justice says.
Kurtsey Lange
This variation of the standard lunge holds your lower body in a bowed position to stabilize your lower back strength.
This move has also been shown to strengthen the inner thighs. However, Justice warns that it can be easy to make a mistake.
“This causes the plant leg to torque the ankle and knee.
Additionally, it can be difficult to keep your hips straight.
Alternatively, Justice recommends side lunges, which “target the same muscles and place far less stress on your joints.”
leg press
The leg press helps build important muscles in your legs. However, the extra weight that comes with it can be too much for the unaccustomed.
“The biggest problem with the leg press is putting too much weight on the machine, which can cause your pelvis to rotate away from your back as you lower the weight. This can cause a herniated disc,” says Justice. told today.
A herniated disc occurs when a piece of rubbery debris between a person’s vertebrae slips and pinches one of the spinal nerves.
The leg press can also compromise a person’s overall muscle stability by not putting enough emphasis on important muscle groups such as the hamstrings and glutes in the back of the leg.
Instead, Justice recommended the Bulgarian Split Squat.
This improves the stability of the entire body.
“You have to move your whole body throughout the process, and that translates into real movement and recreational sports,” Justice said. today.
bench triceps dip
For those who have access to a weight bench, this movement is a warm-up that can be used before lifting weights.
Sit on a bench with your hands by your thighs and extend your legs forward and lift your hips off the bench.
Then extend your arms and hold the position. From there, lower your body as far down as possible.
Justice avoids giving clients this exercise because it can be dangerous to the shoulder joint.
The shoulder joint can become unstable while performing activities, increasing the chance of injury.
“I prefer to have my clients do the Decline Bench Press. It’s a much safer alternative and works the same muscles,” Justice says.
american kettlebell swing
American kettlebells are becoming more and more popular in home fitness routines.
There are many exercises that can be done safely with this tool, but fitness trainers tell their clients not to attempt kettlebell swings.
In this movement, the person swings the ball between their legs and over their head.
He cites the “excessive range of motion” that comes with this movement.
Additionally, lifting the kettlebell incorrectly can strain your muscles and even tear your rotator cuff.
“Kettlebell training trains the hip hinge, so the Russian version is how my clients train,” Justice says.
“The Russian version does not swing the kettlebell above eye level. It’s much safer for your shoulders and thoracic spine.”
ballistic stretch
Stretching is an important part of any workout routine. Prevent injuries and wake up your body before the hard work begins.
However, there is a wrong way to stretch.
Justice calls ballistic stretching, or bouncing or otherwise moving the body beyond its normal range of motion while stretching, “injuries waiting to happen.”
“Bouncing puts a lot of strain on your muscles and can make you cry,” says Justice. “It’s much more effective to do dynamic stretches during warm-up and static stretches during cool-down.”
For example, during your warm-up, consider doing hip circles, arm circles, or arm swings instead of ballistic stretches.
Stretching your triceps or stretching your biceps during the cool down will help you loosen up after physical activity.
