Eight Personal Trainers Share the One Workout or Workout Move They Never Do

Bobbi Dempsey
·6 min read
4

There are a few big surprises in here.

It’s that time of year again—the season when many people are taking on a new fitness routine and a commitment to getting healthier. To that end, you may be hitting the gym or dedicating some time and space in your home for working out.

You have a wide range of workouts from which to choose and may not know where to begin. To help you consider the options, we asked some fitness trainers to share workouts they avoid and suggest some alternatives they recommend.

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Workouts Trainers Won’t Do

As a disclaimer, some of the below workouts and workout moves are very popular, and do have known benefits. If you really want to do them, you might want to consider talking to a trainer about it them to make sure you're doing them in a safe, effective way that's helping you get stronger, fitter and more flexible—not in one that's putting you at risk for injury.

Behind-the-neck-press

Experts find this exercise challenging and risky, especially for untrained people seeking a casual workout. “Don't become the latest gymgoer to fall in love with the idea of lifting a barbell behind your head,” advises Stephen Sheehan, Certified Personal Trainer at YouFit Gyms. “Besides being an unsafe movement to perform, the behind-the-neck press doesn't provide nearly as much bang for your back-building buck as you might think.” This is advice echoed by Dan Jonhenry, fitness expert and personal trainer at Retro Fitness, who says, “This exercise is an unnatural movement and can cause injury to your rotator cuffs as well as your neck.” As an alternative, Jonhenry recommends exercises like the standing barbell shoulder press or upright row.

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Barre

The problem with barre is that it’s often promoted in a way that sets up unrealistic expectations. “I say this as an ex-ballet dancer—barre is marketed as being able to give women a long, lithe ballerina's body. But that is a completely false claim,” says Beth Chamberlin of Nyack Boot Camp, noting that professional ballet dancers achieve their form and physique after years of hard work and training, usually starting at a very young age. “Ballet done properly is a movement that demands precise positioning down to the fingertips. This precise movement is what creates the ballet body. Those from the outside rarely know the proper form. Not saying barre can't offer flexibility and some strength, but please don't think you will get the long lithe body of a dancer.”

Crunches

This popular exercise often doesn’t produce the results you’re seeking—and could pose a risk of injury, according to trainers. “Contrary to popular belief, crunches do not give you a six-pack, and functionally they can induce injury in the neck area from pulling on the back of the head, and the lower back from not engaging the core,” says DK Jones of Soza Fitness & Wellness. “Most people do not have proper form, if they are not being guided by a trainer. I recommend more functional exercises like planks, farmer carries, and kettlebell movements. In addition, a six-pack typically comes from eating clean, and reducing the layer of fat that covers the abs.”

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Heavy load lifting

Attempting to lift an amount of weight that’s way beyond your norm—sometimes referred to as “ego lifting"—is strongly frowned upon by trainers. Jess Evans, FightCamp trainer, notes that besides being dangerous, this can put a lot of stress on your tendons and joints. “I also would say avoid any movements that aren't natural, like a hack squat—there is nothing that we do naturally that imitates a hack squat,” Jonhenry says that there are usually better, safer ways to achieve your fitness goals. “For many gym goers, they are trying to look better and feel better. One of the best ways of accomplishing this is to hit the full range of motion of the exercise and ensure that the full kinetic chain is being stressed throughout the movement.”

Machine-based thigh exercises

“If your goal is to build functional muscle, the two exercises I wouldn’t recommend are the seated inner thigh (adductor) machine and its close cousin, the outer thigh (abductor) machine,” says Sean Ruff, NASM PES Performance Enhancement Specialist. “They don’t help with training muscles the way humans are naturally designed to move. The smaller, less superficial muscles are the ones left behind on the inner and outer thigh machines, but it’s these smaller stabilizer muscles that provide support to the larger muscles to make them move better.” Ruff notes that while these exercises aren’t necessarily dangerous or completely ineffective, there are better and more effective alternatives—some he recommends include side-to-side lunges and “Sumo stance” goblet squats.

Kipping pull-ups

These exercises—commonly incorporated into CrossFit routines—are often seen as a way to build endurance, but can cause injuries, particularly for those unaccustomed or untrained in this particular type of movement. “Doing this exploding kicking movement causes a lot of strain on your shoulders and can lead to a major injury,” says Eric McCormack, a fitness trainer from MTN Ops. “I see it almost every day—people are doing this movement without being warmed up or with poor form.” McCormack says the most important thing is that those performing this (or any other) exercise are “able to control the movement and build true strength.”

Side bends

This exercise involves holding a single dumbbell in one hand and tilting to the side. While this move is popular, it often doesn’t produce the desired results, trainers say. “People mistakenly think that this exercise will tighten their oblique muscles and make their waist appear smaller,” says Jason Kozma, fitness expert and celebrity trainer. “This is incorrect. What it actually does is bulk up the oblique muscle, creating a boxy and square waist,” which he notes is usually the opposite of what most people are hoping to achieve. Instead, he says, “It’s best to do your abdominal exercises only in the frontal plane if you’re going to be using weight.”

Next up, find out the best things to eat before a workout. 

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