| Two of the worst exercises to do in the gym | | | | have a strong and stable lower back and flexible mid |
| There are a few exercises that do more harm than | | | | back and hips, not the other way around. |
| good. After all, the last thing you want to do is become | | | | 2. Sit-ups |
| injured so it's good to know which exercises hurt you | | | | First of all, if you are doing sit-ups to strengthen your |
| rather than help you. Here are two of the worst | | | | core-STOP! |
| exercises you could possibly do to wreck your back | | | | I will not go into great detail in this post about the |
| and shoulders and neck. The first 'worst exercise 'I | | | | correct way to strengthen your core but I have written |
| wrote about is how you should never do sit-ups and | | | | about the best alternative to sit-ups in my website. |
| here is today's exercise that you should never do and | | | | Remember that your core muscles are not just your |
| why not. | | | | stomach muscles. In order to strengthen your core to |
| 1. Lat pull downs behind your head | | | | stabilize and protect your back there are two other |
| Here is an exercise that you see people doing often | | | | extremely important muscle groups that also need to |
| and it's very damaging to the shoulders and the neck. | | | | be addressed. If you are just strengthening your |
| The shoulders get pulled back way too far which | | | | stomach muscles you are setting yourself up for |
| overstretches the ligaments and capsule. You definitely | | | | imbalances in the area where it is imperative that you |
| do not want this! Ligaments should be tight to keep the | | | | have balance, stability and muscle endurance. |
| joints stable and once they are over stretched they | | | | The main reason you should not be doing sit-ups is |
| don't tend to shrink back. Ligament laxity can then | | | | because it damages your back! The posterior forces |
| easily lead to rotator cuff problems. I am sure many of | | | | that are produced on your lower back discs are |
| you know of someone who has dislocated his | | | | enormous! What this means is, do enough sit-ups and |
| shoulder not once but 2 or 3 times and then eventually | | | | you will be on a short course to lower back pain and if |
| needed surgery; this is because the joint has become | | | | enough damage is done you will more than likely get |
| very unstable due to the ligament laxity. You want tight | | | | sciatica. Sciatica is where the nerve is being pressed |
| ligaments but flexible muscles and tendons. The other | | | | or 'impinged'. |
| problem with doing lat pull downs behind your head is | | | | You already know that you should bend forwards with |
| that it puts your neck in a forward position which is | | | | a straight back so that you don't cause damage |
| exactly what you do not want. This creates great | | | | however a sit-up is doing the same motion as what |
| strain on the cervical discs and ligaments and can lead | | | | you try to avoid when standing and bending. |
| to neck pain, shoulder pain, rotator cuff tears, | | | | The National Institute for Occupational Health and |
| impingements etc. | | | | Safety recommends that no more than 3400 newtons |
| The alternative to this is doing the lat pull downs in | | | | should be placed on the lower back because this or |
| front of your head, bringing the bar to your chest. | | | | more than this amount of force is harmful to the lower |
| Remember though to keep your back in a neutral | | | | back. Well guess what, a sit-up produces 3413 |
| position. To do this you need to use your abdominal | | | | newtons of force. This means that every sit-up that |
| muscles which means you are now also activating you | | | | you do is potentially damaging your back! |
| core. The majority of people do this exercise with their | | | | There are much better alternatives to doing sit-ups |
| back over arched and that puts pressure on the lower | | | | that will strengthen your stomach muscles without the |
| back tissues and facet joints leading to lower back | | | | harmful effects to your back. Feel free to check them |
| problems. I wrote about the core muscle in a previous | | | | out |
| blog and it's especially important that you are using | | | | But for now, |
| your core muscles when doing your workout. | | | | I will be out there watching your back... |
| Remember, for a healthy lower back its vital that you | | | | |