6 Exercises That May Actually Be Harming You

While exercises are directly linked to a better lifestyle, not every excise is actually beneficial for you. There are some exercises that may do more harm than good. It is natural to feel some discomfort after a good exercise session but you must be mindful of causing damage to your bones and muscles.

Take a look at 6 exercises that may actually be harming you.

Exercises That May Actually Be Harming You

1. Machine Leg Extensions

Fitness trainers have said that this exercise can actually cause irreversible knee damage. The simple reason for this is that the machine places your knee on a wrong angle. The knees may not be able to support the weight at this angle. You should opt for squats or deadlifts instead. In addition, lungs and step-ups can also help build quad strength.

2. Ab Machines

While these look more comfortable than sit-ups, they may actually not be beneficial in toning your abs. You can go for planks to achieve a much better result. The ab machines can also lead to poor posture and muscle imbalances.

3. The Elliptical

The elliptical doesn’t use the natural body motion to work your body. Workouts that use natural motions like running, bending, or jumping are much more effective for toning muscles. The elliptical may burn calories but it is very easy to slack off on the elliptical.

For alternative exercises, you can go for the rowing machine instead. Not only will it get your heart rate up but also work on your upper body and back.

4. Adductor Machines

The adductor machines allow you to use a lot of weight and leave you feeling stronger. However, though they give a serious burn, these exercises can be dangerous. It puts your body through movements that aren’t remotely familiar to those in real life. The muscles these machine targets are stabilizers for standing or moving around.

Squats, step-ups, or lunges provide the same benefits while also increasing endurance.

5. Triceps Dips

The triceps dips don’t necessarily strengthen your triceps. Instead, they may result in injuring your shoulder rotator cuff. This is a long term painful affliction that is best avoided. A cable pushup or triceps push-up will lead to much better results.

6. Very Light Dumbbells

Light Dumbbells can miss the whole point of the exercise. If you don’t challenge yourself while lifting the dumbbells, there is not much use to doing them. You can level up to heavier weights but getting content just results in wasted time rather than an effective exercise session.

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