3 Dangerous Exercises (With Substitutions)

3 Dangerous Exercises (with Substitutions)

Maybe I’m just an getting old… but I’m really, REALLY over these silly “Gung Ho” challenges that have 100 pull-ups, 100 burpees, 80 lunges, blah, blah, blah.

Don’t get me wrong. I have previously set challenges for my clients. The difference though; I’d be watching every single rep to ensure they weren’t going to hurt themselves. 

Unless you’re an insane, freakish athlete (or alien)… NO ONE can do 100 pull-ups with perfect form. 

Seeing this madness, I decided to put together this list of exercises to STOP doing right now if you’re serious about getting in shape while NOT destroying your body. 

Exercise #1 – Side Bends

This silly exercise will wreak havoc on your lower back. This is when you hold a dumbbell at your side and you bend at your waist to the side. 

It’s awkward. It’s dangerous. Just stop it.

The solution – T-Spine Rotations, Land mine twists, Side Plank/Knee Tucks.

T-Spine Rotations

Landmine Twists

Side Plank Knee Tucks

Exercise #2 – Abundance of Lunges

I said “abundance”, not totally avoid this exercise. Lunges are brilliant! I do them. My clients have done them. However, they are NOT for everybody.

Look, this is an amazing exercise.

But doing 100’s of them does no good if your form is horrible.

And if you’re 40-50lbs overweight with knee issues, they can be especially dangerous.

I also guarantee that if you do just 10 of them using NO weight with perfect form, you’ll get more benefits from that than you would from 100 “sloppy” lunges with weights.

With my coaching clients, I give them access to my exercise video library that has coaching cues and how to get more out of every rep. However, this will shed some light…

1) Your rear knee should be just a few inches from touching the ground
2) Go at a slow tempo (taking 2-3 seconds to lower yourself and 1 second to come up)
3) Driving through your lead leg through the HEEL of your foot to return to the start position
4) Focus on engaging and contracting your glutes
5) Keep your upper body nice and tall with a proud posture (keep those shoulders back)

It will blow your mind when you do them right – I guarantee it. 

Walking Lunges

Exercise #3 – Lying Leg Lifts

Even I have been guilty in the past of giving this exercise to my clients. You’ll see this move a lot in bootcamps and group classes. It’s when you lie on your back and lift your legs off the ground. Sure, you work your abs. But you also put a ton of stress on your lower back. 

The risk for reward is NOT worth it. 

Instead, you can do:

Forward Ball Roll Outs or Knee Drops With Stability ball

Forward Ball Rollouts

Knee Drops with Stability Ball

Need Help……?

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Keep pumpin!

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