Worst exercises

[Prediction...Pain]

This is my personal list of exercises I feel are just pure crap. I feel these are just very unnatural movements that can easily result in injury and also easily be replaced by different, more functional/safer exercises.

Upright Row
Shoulder Shrugs
Squats on the Smith Machine
Pec Deck Machine
Leg Extension Machine


What are yours?

[m1kee50]

Don't know about worst but I HATE skipping.

[TempleSlave]

This is my personal list of exercises I feel are just pure crap. I feel these are just very unnatural movements that can easily result in injury and also easily be replaced by different, more functional/safer exercises.

Upright Row
Shoulder Shrugs
Squats on the Smith Machine
Pec Deck Machine
Leg Extension Machine


What are yours?

It really depends what you're training for. I train people for different goals and therefore use pretty much every piece of gear in my club and most exercises.
As for the ones you mentioned:

Upright Row - close grip version very effectively emphasises upper parts of trapezius however can be stressful for your wrists if you're lacking flexibility, wide grip version is a good exercise for the whole shoulder girdle and quite safe unless your shoulder flexibility is really bad

Shruggs - not doing them myself but I can imagine that for someone with body-building approach to training and underdeveloped upper traps that can be an option to train them intensely in separation and it shouldn't be harmful as long as you maintain the balance and also do something that depresses shoulders ie lat pulldown

Pec Deck - very isolated, useful for bodybuilders, good for internal parts of chest, true can be dangerous if the machine you're using doesn't have adjustable rep range. Then, especially when using big weights, you have a good chance to rip your subscapularis or anterior delt. Pec Dec should always be used for peak part of the range of the motion. Dumbbell Fly is for the other (bottom/stretched) part of the range.

Leg Extension machines - again very isolated quad exercise, useful for me when for the sake of the program I need 1 joint leg exercise. Can't really see any danger to be honest unless your form is completely all over the place

Anything done on Smith machine (except pull ups ) - together with Chest Press and Shoulder Press machines are the most useless pieces of equipment in the gym! Unless you're disabled or coming off a serious injury.

Other than that, nearly every piece of gear and every exercise (providing the form is good!) can be utilised, one way or another. Different things can be useful for weight loss, bodybuilder or fighter trainee. Compound exercises however should be a basis of every effective training plan.

As for funny exercises I tried something called 'Sissy Squat' once and it nearly killed my otherwise healthy knees. But actually now I think I may give it another go at some point

Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx9p7mt8 ... re=related

[cosimo]

Curls. By far. Also, most little isolation and designer exercises that have been invented in the last 20 years.

People used to be so weak before they invented the reverse lateral shoulder raise wrist flex.

Fine for rehab, terrible for getting people stronger.

[TempleSlave]

Curls. By far. Also, most little isolation and designer exercises that have been invented in the last 20 years.

People used to be so weak before they invented the reverse lateral shoulder raise wrist flex.

Fine for rehab, terrible for getting people stronger.

Which curls (for which body parts and using what gear) - all of them?
What are your training goals? Give a bit of backgground.
Otherwise, you know for example myself I hate squats, mainly because they're hard and don't think they're especially useful exercise for a boxer. At least not the traditional body building version done in slow tempo with heavy weights. However, I still do some version of them for balanced overall development.

[cosimo]

Curls. By far. Also, most little isolation and designer exercises that have been invented in the last 20 years.

People used to be so weak before they invented the reverse lateral shoulder raise wrist flex.

Fine for rehab, terrible for getting people stronger.

Which curls (for which body parts and using what gear) - all of them?
What are your training goals? Give a bit of backgground.
Otherwise, you know for example myself I hate squats, mainly because they're hard and don't think they're especially useful exercise for a boxer. At least not the traditional body building version done in slow tempo with heavy weights. However, I still do some version of them for balanced overall development.

I should give some context. Obviously, any kind of movement could be defined as 'exercise', so the worst would probably be something like attaching a barbell to your scrotum and smashing a window with your face etc.

I mean in an overrated sense; in terms of most people who lift weights give them an exaggerated importance. They're not going to be bad for you, it's just I've never heard of anyone getting particularly strong from doing them (as opposed to a strong person doing them, which is different). I don't do them because I could be doing something else. I train to get get stronger.

I'm not a boxer, but if I were I wouldn't do them because I would have limited time to improve my strength, since most of my time would be spent doing all the sport-specific stuff like sparring and hitting the bag etc. I'd spend my strength training time doing things which have gotten people strong in the past and will continue to do so in the future - squats, deadlifts, press, pullups etc. The big, boring (some would say) trusted strength-improvers. Time-efficient things. I think squats would be great for a boxer. Most sprinters squat heavy, and they are obviously, well, fast. Do the squats fast, of course (do everything fast, within reason).

Edit: I think sled pushing would be a great tool for boxers actually. Didn't Foreman used to push cars? I think his son Monk learned it from him... It is a great full body strength-improver which would also improve endurance. But I digress...

here's good thread in relation to strength for boxers:

http://startingstrength.com/resources/f ... hp?t=25384

Anyway, each to their own.

[TempleSlave]

Curls. By far. Also, most little isolation and designer exercises that have been invented in the last 20 years.

People used to be so weak before they invented the reverse lateral shoulder raise wrist flex.

Fine for rehab, terrible for getting people stronger.

Which curls (for which body parts and using what gear) - all of them?
What are your training goals? Give a bit of backgground.
Otherwise, you know for example myself I hate squats, mainly because they're hard and don't think they're especially useful exercise for a boxer. At least not the traditional body building version done in slow tempo with heavy weights. However, I still do some version of them for balanced overall development.

I should give some context. Obviously, any kind of movement could be defined as 'exercise', so the worst would probably be something like attaching a barbell to your scrotum and smashing a window with your face etc.

I mean in an overrated sense; in terms of most people who lift weights give them an exaggerated importance. They're not going to be bad for you, it's just I've never heard of anyone getting particularly strong from doing them (as opposed to a strong person doing them, which is different). I don't do them because I could be doing something else. I train to get get stronger.

I'm not a boxer, but if I were I wouldn't do them because I would have limited time to improve my strength, since most of my time would be spent doing all the sport-specific stuff like sparring and hitting the bag etc. I'd spend my strength training time doing things which have gotten people strong in the past and will continue to do so in the future - squats, deadlifts, press, pullups etc. The big, boring (some would say) trusted strength-improvers. Time-efficient things. I think squats would be great for a boxer. Most sprinters squat heavy, and they are obviously, well, fast. Do the squats fast, of course (do everything fast, within reason).

Edit: I think sled pushing would be a great tool for boxers actually. Didn't Foreman used to push cars? I think his son Monk learned it from him... It is a great full body strength-improver which would also improve endurance. But I digress...

here's good thread in relation to strength for boxers:

http://startingstrength.com/resources/f ... hp?t=25384

Anyway, each to their own.

Good post. Except I'm not sure about the analogy with sprinters. Except for the importance of explosiveness of muscular contraction, it is hard to find common point. Sprinters' performance only last for up to 20 ish sec, right? That's why they can allow themselves to grow big quads and hammies. Boxers are meant to be very active for (up to) 12 times 3 mins. They're much less muscular as muscle is a tissue that needs blood to function effectively. That's why more muscle = less stamina.

[squarering]

Flipping a tractor tire. Although MMA guys use it to build the kind of streangth needed to grapple on the ground, boxers do not need that same bulk or streagnth. Also, you have different size guys flipping the same size tire and the chance of back injury is too much risk for the gain. JMO

[dberry]

This is my personal list of exercises I feel are just pure crap. I feel these are just very unnatural movements that can easily result in injury and also easily be replaced by different, more functional/safer exercises.

Upright Row
Shoulder Shrugs
Squats on the Smith Machine
Pec Deck Machine
Leg Extension Machine


What are yours?

What would you suggest to develop my trapezius?

[boxbible]

Sit-ups with the feet anchored.

The abs actually don't contract and lengthen; they just stay tight while the hip flexors do all the work. But the isometric contraction gives a serious burn making the practitioners think they are really working the abs.

But the really bad thing is that it strengthens the hip flexors so much that the opposing muscles of the lower back get strained resulting in chronic back pain.

Properly executed leg raises and crunches are by far superior to traditional sit-ups.

[TempleSlave]

This is my personal list of exercises I feel are just pure crap. I feel these are just very unnatural movements that can easily result in injury and also easily be replaced by different, more functional/safer exercises.

Upright Row
Shoulder Shrugs
Squats on the Smith Machine
Pec Deck Machine
Leg Extension Machine


What are yours?

What would you suggest to develop my trapezius?

Not that I agree with the post you're quoting but for traps you can do:
-upper fibres - shoulder press, dumbbell lateral raise
-midle fibres - all kinds of rowing exercises, bent over db lateral raise 'reverse fly'
-lower fibres - lat pull down (especially wide grip to neck), tricep dip

[TempleSlave]

Sit-ups with the feet anchored.

The abs actually don't contract and lengthen; they just stay tight while the hip flexors do all the work. But the isometric contraction gives a serious burn making the practitioners think they are really working the abs.

But the really bad thing is that it strengthens the hip flexors so much that the opposing muscles of the lower back get strained resulting in chronic back pain.

Properly executed leg raises and crunches are by far superior to traditional sit-ups.

You could argue with that. 'Well executed' sit ups will work your tfl, iliopsoas and sartorius (hip flexors) less than leg raises. Probably because the primary job of hip flexors is, guess what - hip flexing. Hip flexion is what happens when you raise your leg) :)
Rectus abdominis (abs) doesn't even deal with hip joint as it's attached to ribs and sternum on one end (insertion) and to pubic bone on the other (origin). Abs flex lumbar spine so they will engage in any exercise that involve flexing lumbar spine.
If when doing sit ups you make sure to relax your abs for split second when on the floor, then you'll avoid this 'only isometric contraction'. But true that certain (usually de-conditioned) individuals experience lower back pain when performing full sit ups.
Also, precisely hip flexors' opposing muscles are glutes (buttocks) not erector spinae (lower back).
Just some basic anatomy

[zojo]

Upright Row - Can easily hurt your shoulders
Shoulder Shrugs - that grinding you hear is not good.
Squats on the Smith Machine - Very unnatutural movement.
Pec Deck Machine - Disagree. Great exercises for beginners and you see quick gains in strength. This quick gains motivates the beginners to try more exercises.
Leg Extension Machine - Again, very unnatural.


Good choices, except the pec deck machine. Others I think are bad are:

Lunges to the front, especially with weights.
Good mornings
Preacher curls
Concentration curls (heck all curls)
Bench press makes no sense to me other than to test yourself every now and then

[Marlin]

Anything behind the neck, military press, lat pull downs, etc...

[TempleSlave]

Anything behind the neck, military press, lat pull downs, etc...

You mean you don't like them? Cause otherwise they're all good exercises.

[Marlin]

Good exercises, there is just no need to do them behind the neck, the only thing it does is raise the risk of injury.

[TempleSlave]

Good exercises, there is just no need to do them behind the neck, the only thing it does is raise the risk of injury.

The risk of injury in case of these is related to limited backward shoulder flexibility which is very common in people. Why not improve it instead of avoiding motions that challenge it?
Cable pull down behind neck is an effective exercise which on top is good for posture. Most people are (un)naturally slouched forward, with tight subscaps/anterior delts and notoriosly inactive/weak infraspinatuses, teres minors and lower traps.

[Seamus]

I know what you mean Marlin. Presses behind the neck feel uncomfortable with an empty bar. I love pulldowns though on the Hammer strength machine. The ones where you pull the grips individually to your chest.