Moving your workouts indoors

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ANGELICA'S KITCHEN

Health and Fitness

By Greg Rothman, M.S. P.T.

Cold weather brings change, as we trade our outdoor workouts (biking, rollerblading or team sports) for indoor health clubs and gyms (treadmills, stationary bikes or free weights). But a lot of gym exercises can be harmful, especially when done incorrectly. Others are simply non-functional, forcing our body to move in unnatural ways. Below are the five worst exercises—with sound alternatives to help you prevent injury and get the most out of your workouts.

A popular gym exercise involves the “Lat Pull-Down Machine,” which many people use incorrectly by pulling the attached bar down behind their heads—probably the most common exercise mistake that people make, and one that can have dire consequences. This technique forces the shoulder joint into abduction (away from the body) and external rotation, possibly causing dislocation, tendonitis or a even rotator-cuff tear. Avoid this movement all costs.

Instead, perform the exercise correctly by grasping the bar with an overhand grip, sitting erect and leaning slightly back while maintaining the natural arch in the lower back. Then, pull the bar down in front of your body to a position just below your chin. This is an excellent exercise for the Latismus Dorsi, the largest of the back muscles.

Similarly, the “Military Press” is a popular exercise. It is performed by lifting a barbell from its perch on your shoulders behind your neck and pressing it overhead. This movement places the shoulder in the same precarious position as above, and is even more likely to cause the same problems. In fact, I don’t recommend any overhead pressing motion that uses a barbell for anyone but the most advanced lifters.

Instead, perform overhead presses using dumbbells to strengthen the Deltoids, the primary muscles of the shoulder. For greatest safely, grasp two dumbbells with a grip that is halfway between a palms-facing-forward grip and a palms-facing-each-other grip and press them above your head until your elbows are straight but not quite locked. Lower the weights to a position where your shoulders are at a right angle with your upper arms directly out to the side. Whether you do this seated or standing, make sure to maintain your low back’s natural arch.

One of the most popular abdominal machines in gyms, the “Seated Ab Rotation Machine,” may also cause injury by placing tremendous shearing forces on the vertebrae of the lower spine if not done with perfect form and control. Too often, people swing quickly from side to side on this machine, risking problems with their lumbar disks. I recommend avoiding this machine.

A great alternative is the “Bicycle Maneuver,” and it requires no equipment at all. An important study by the American Council on Exercise and San Diego State University that measured muscle output during various abdominal exercises rated it among the best for both the rectus abdominus (‘six-pack’ muscle) and the oblique muscles (the ones that rotate and bend your torso). There is a video demonstrating this exercise on my Website at www.emPowerFitnessNYC.com/bicyclecrunch.html.

Another popular machine at the gym is the “Lying Leg Curl.” While this exercise is not dangerous, it serves no functional purpose. The hamstrings have a dual function: bending your knee and extending your hip. This machine provides strength for only the former movement, not the latter movement, which is needed for functional activities like walking and running. If your goal is to be stronger while lying on your stomach and bending your knees, this exercise may be for you. Otherwise, feel free to skip it.

Instead, try performing standing hip extensions by attaching a low cable to an ankle strap and extending your hip behind you. This exercise provides a great deal of functional strength that will be helpful whether you are an athlete or just need to hail a cab during rush hour.

The “Seated Abduction/Adduction Machine” is also a poor lower-body exercise. This is the one where you sit and squeeze your thighs together or press them out to the side. This machine can place unwanted forces on the back if done incorrectly and also has no functional purpose.

Good alternatives for developing functional strength in the inner and outer thigh muscles are cross-over lunges and lateral lunges. These exercises can be performed with just your body weight—or to make them more challenging, hold dumbbells at your sides. A Google search will provide good images of how to perform these exercises correctly.

I hope that with awareness, you’ll be able to avoid all-too-common gym injuries and be more efficient as you move your exercise program indoors for the winter. Next week, I’ll talk about the five best gym exercises, which will help you build strength while adding lean muscle to keep your metabolism running at full speed.

Greg Rothman, M.S. P.T., is the owner of emPower Fitness Studios (emPowerFitnessNYC.com). He received his masters degree in physical therapy from Columbia University and has 15 years’ experience in the rehabilitation and fitness fields, most recently as the personal training manager and top-level trainer for Equinox Fitness Clubs in New York City. SEND YOUR QUESTIONS about nutrition, fitness and sports injuries/rehabilitation to Greg at emPowerFitness@aol.com.