Have you been laboriously working your muscles but not seeing any tangible results? It is likely you are not doing everyday exercises the right way. All those weight swinging, speed demon and frustratingly swayed back moves at the gym are not apt for producing results if you are not taking up the correct form.
There’s more than one way to get it done but you want to make sure you employ the right techniques, engage the pertinent muscles and avoid workout injuries. Your body is engineered to move in specific ways and even a slight misalignment can have severe repercussions. Here are a few everyday exercises that you are likely doing wrong:
Overhead Presses
One of the biggest mistakes people make when doing overhead presses is arching backwards so that their ribs pop out. This runs the risk of straining the back and causing prolonged shoulder injury. The right way is to bend your knees slightly and keep your ribs in as you strain to push the dumbbells upwards.
Lat Pull Down
This is a common everyday exercise for back training that people often get wrong. A lat pull down should work only your shoulders, the entire back and arms but people tend to slouch and roll their shoulders forward when seated. The biggest mistake is to pull/push the bar to your mid-chest or lower. Instead, the right technique is to sit straight, retract your shoulder blades and pull the bar down to your chin.
Dead Lift
The worst position to attempt a deadlift is a swayed neck with your head facing forward. This puts the body out of alignment. As the deadlift is supposed to target your hamstrings and glutes only, it is indispensable to keep your back and neck aligned in a straight line to prevent strain on the upper body. A straight back makes you more apt to tighten your glutes and hamstrings to straighten your body from a bent over to a straight posture.
Crunches
Crunches are the elixir to your quest for a coveted trimmed waist and a flat belly. However, most people end up straining their necks in the process because of an improper posture. The key is to get your head steady and not turn into a bobble head. The trick is to focus at a spot on the ceiling and continue to stare at it as you crunch. A crunch should get your upper back off the floor and not your head, without appearing to come forward.
These are some everyday exercises you are likely doing wrong, so rectify your errors and perform them the right way.
