A fitness trainer has revealed seven exercises he would never recommend to his clients.
Greg Justice, an exercise physiologist in Kansas City, Missouri, told DailyMail.com that the trendy CrossFit workout’s kipping-pull-ups and leg-day staple leg presses have little value.
These exercises offer little value compared to alternatives or put a person at risk for injury.
The number of Americans who hit the gym regularly is on the rise, with visits to major fitness chains are up 30 percent since 2019, according to a recent report.
Many are also working towards their summer bodies, as early April signals that summer is just around the corner.
Here are seven workouts he would NEVER recommend to a client:
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
While HIIT training is valuable, Mr Justice warns that not everyone has a body that can meet that demand (file photo)
HIIT has gained a reputation over the past few years for burning calories quickly.
This exercise usually lasts 10-30 minutes and involves short bursts of intense activity with low-intensity recovery periods.
Activities range from sprinting, cycling, jumping rope and other bodyweight exercises.
A study examined the calories burned during 30-minute HIIT sessions and found that HIIT burned 25 to 30 percent more calories than strength training, running, and cycling.
But too much of a good thing can be dangerous. While Mr Justice is a fan of HIIT for experienced clients, he warns against going too fast for beginners and advanced users.
“High intensity is relative to the individual, and it’s important not to overdo it,” says Justice.
a 2021 study in the journal Cell Metabolism found that although subjects experienced better performance early in the study, they showed signs of mitochondrial dysfunction.
In other words, not enough energy was produced to power cells, which disrupted metabolism.
Researchers recommended watching closely how the body would respond to this type of training.
Chicken pull-ups
Kipping pull-ups are a popular CrossFit exercise, but Mr Justice warns it has no benefits over regular pull-ups (file photo)
Popularized in recent years by CrossFit, kipping pull-ups are designed to swing the body to gain momentum.
It involves “power swinging” their core and lower body forward with great intensity to bring their chin over the bar.
The fitness instructor warns that these pull-ups carry the risk of injury.
“Kipping pull-ups are a risky exercise that can potentially cause shoulder injuries because the swinging motion pulls your shoulders violently with each rep,” says Justice.
A 2018 study in the Journal of Australian Strength & Conditioning found that kipping pull-ups activate fewer muscle groups than standard pull-ups.
Standard pull-ups, on the other hand, are slower and more controlled, leaving less room for error.
Mr Justice recommends sticking to a basic pull-up instead.
“They can be difficult to do, but there are ways to help you through the range of motion,” he explained.
For those unable to do a pull-up on their own, he recommends using a weight-assisted machine.
“Standard pull-ups work your lats, rhomboids, triceps, and biceps, so it’s a very efficient and effective exercise,” says Justice.
The fitness trainer warns that flexing lunges can put extra force on the ankle and knee and cause fatigue
Curtsy Lunges
This variation of a standard lunge involves holding the lower body in a bending position in an attempt to stabilize hip strength.
This move has also been shown to strengthen the inner thigh. However, Mr Justice warns that it can be easy to mis-execute.
“It causes the plant base to rotate at the ankle and knee. Even if it’s demonstrated the “right” way, there’s still torque. Most people don’t have the mobility around their ankle and knee to support this exercise,” says Justice.
In addition, it can be difficult to keep your hips straight.
Alternatively, Justice recommends a side lunge because it “targets the same muscles and is much easier on the joints.”
Leg press
Leg presses can help build important muscles in the legs. But the extra weight that comes with it can be too much for those who are not used to it.
“The biggest problem I see with the leg press is the tendency to put too much weight on the machine, which can potentially cause the pelvis to rotate away from the backrest when you lower the weight. This can cause a hernia,” Justice said TODAY.
A herniated disc occurs when a fragment of the rubbery bits between a person’s spinal cord gets misplaced and pinches one of the spinal nerves.
The leg press is the staple of many leg day workouts, but Mr Justice warns it can lead to muscle instability as it doesn’t properly work the back of the legs
The leg press can also compromise a person’s overall muscle stability because it doesn’t put enough emphasis on the vital muscle groups like hamstrings and glutes in the back of the leg.
As a replacement, Justice recommended the Bulgarian Split Squat.
This gives the body more overall stability.
“You have to engage the whole body throughout the process, and that translates to real life movements or recreational sports,” said Justice TODAY.
Bench Triceps Dips
Triceps dips on the bench can put unnecessary strain on the shoulder joints and lead to injury, Mr. Justic
For those with access to a weight bench, this move has become an accessible warm-up before lifting weights.
It involves sitting on a bench with hands next to thighs, walking your feet out, straightening your legs and lifting your buttocks off the bench.
You then hold the position with arms outstretched. From there, lower the body as far as possible.
Mr Justice avoids giving clients this exercise because it can be dangerous for the shoulder joints.
While performing the activity, the shoulder joint can become unstable, which increases the risk of injury.
“I prefer to have my clients bench press, which is a much safer alternative and works the same muscles,” says Justice.
American kettlebell swing
American kettlebells have become increasingly popular in home fitness routines.
While there are many exercises that can be done safely with this tool, the fitness trainer tells his clients not to try kettlebell swings.
Mr Justice warns US kettlebell workouts could put someone at risk for a torn rotator cuff due to wide range of motion
For this move, a person swings the ball from between their legs to above their head.
He mentions “the excessive range of motion” associated with this move.
In addition, lifting the kettlebell incorrectly can lead to muscle strain and even tearing of the rotator cuff.
“Since kettlebell training is about training your hip hinge, I train my clients in the Russian version,” says Justice.
“With the Russian version, you don’t swing the kettlebell above eye level, and it’s much safer for your shoulder and thoracic spine.”
Ballistic stretching
Stretching is an important part of any workout routine. It helps prevent injuries and wakes up the body before the hard work begins.
However, there is a wrong way to stretch.
Ballistic stretching can actually increase a person’s risk of injury, warns Mr Justice
Justice calls ballistic stretching, or the bouncing or otherwise moving of the body beyond its normal range of motion while stretching, “an injury waiting to happen.”
“Bounce puts a strain on your muscles and can lead to tears,” says Justice. “It’s much better to do dynamic stretches to warm up and static stretches to cool down.”
For example, consider doing hip circles, arm circles, or arm swings during your warmup instead of ballistic stretches.
During the cooldown, an overhand triceps stretch or biceps stretch can loosen up your body after physical activity.