As a personal trainer, it kills me to see people in the gym with form so bad that an injury seems almost inevitable. I get it though, unless you’ve invested in a personal trainer or been shown the correct technique, it can be hard to nail some exercises. You might think that you know exactly what you’re doing but there is a serious science behind even the most simple looking exercises.
Here are 5 of the most common exercises I see people performing incorrectly and how to ensure you absolutely nail them.
1. Push-ups
The mistake: People often don’t keep a straight line from their head to their toes or they let their head drop.
To master it: Keep your back straight and make sure your hips and chest are going down and up as one. Breathe in on the way down and breathe out on the way up.
2. Squats
The mistake: Arching your back or having your weight too far forward.
To master it: Make sure your heels don’t lift off the floor. Push your butt back and keep your knees out, don’t let them fall inwards.
3. Plank
The mistake: Butt in the air or hips sagging too low.
To master it: Keep everything tight and don’t let your head drop. Keep everything in a straight line from your head to your toes and don’t hold your breath.
4. Lunge
The mistake: Leaning too far forward and having your front knee track over your front toes.
To master it: Ensure that your back knee goes straight down and straight up. No forward or back movement. Your front foot should be firmly planted on the ground and your front knee should never go further forward than big toe.
Remember – slowing down and completing exercises properly through a full range of motion is always the best way to get quality results and stay injury free.
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