5 Exercises That Are Wasting Your Time
5 Exercises That Are Wasting Your Time
Even the most avid exercisers can end up in a rut if they keep running through the same workout routine over and over again. Worse yet, they might be repeating the same ineffective moves. Not every exercise you see on a workout video—or witness another gymgoer performing—is necessarily the best at toning your body or burning calories. If you’ve been toiling away at the gym doing these time-wasting exercises, it’s time to switch up your routine:
- Crunches. The crunch is a quintessential component of any old-school workout, but experts know that it’s actually a colossal waste of time. A crunch targets only the tiny section of your abdominals involved in the action. There are far faster (and easier) ways to build a six-pack. Try planks instead. It might seem counterintuitive to take the aerobic element out of an exercise and expect to work off pudge, but holding stationary planks and side planks is actually a more effective way to strengthen your core. So skip the crunches—and sit-ups.
- Running on the treadmill. Cardio is the go-to for most new exercisers, and it’s a good way to ease into a fitness regime. With that being said, running at a snail’s pace for an hour on the treadmill will burn calories, but it’s not going to get you past a weight loss plateau. The most effective way to do that is to mix up your routine. Run for a few minutes on the treadmill and then take a break for some strength training to make your workout as worthwhile as possible.
- Leg extensions. Have you been pressing your hamstrings to the brink on the leg extension machine? Time to stop. If you have existing leg pain, the leg extension machine is only going to make it worse. It’s particularly hard on the knees. What’s more, it isn’t quite as effective at toning the body as an exercise in which the body moves and the legs stay still (not vice versa). So try squats instead if you’re attempting to shape glutes and legs.
- Reps on the hip abductor machine. You probably assume that the hip abductor machine is tightening up the outside of your thighs, maybe even combating cellulite, but that assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. The only thing this machine does is teach your body a movement that it will never have to use in real life—and potentially put stress on your spine. Steer clear. Try sidestepping 20 paces in each direction with a resistance band around your ankles for a more effective thigh workout.
- Lateral pull-downs. You probably see many of your fellow exercisers doing lateral pull-downs in which the bar lands squarely between their shoulders, behind their head. This move puts them—and you, if you follow their lead—at risk for neck and shoulder injuries. Even worse, they don’t actually build stronger muscles at all. So the next time you go to complete a set of pull-downs, keep the bar in front of you for the most effective (and safest) move.
