Spring is right around the corner and everyone’s heading back into the gym to get that “summer body” looking right again. However, those who only work out three months out of the year, instead of the suggested 12, can cause harm to their bodies by using machines and doing exercises they think will get them the best (and quickest) results. With the help of blackdoctor.org, Urban Views Weekly has tips of five things people should not do at the gym:
1. Treadmill
According to blackdoctor.org, the cardio machines are the number one reason why people join gyms. The number one cardio machine is the treadmill. People often go to this machine because they feel it’s a substitute for actually using their legs. The cost of using the treadmill, though, is that people get lazy. This is why it’s a common occurrence to see people just walking in straight lines on treadmills. Blackdoctor.org recommends mixing up the treadmill workouts by increasing the incline or speed so that your legs get a different workout and you won’t get as bored with the machine.
2. Leg Press Machine
The purpose of a gym is to make people more physically active. So the question is why are so many leg machines designed so that the user sits down? The answer to this is also laziness. To get the best workout possible, do standing land exercises such as (standing) squats or lunges (blackdoctor.org). Jump roping, calf raises, and sprints also help with active leg exercises.
3. Crunches and sit-ups
The problem with abs is not only that everybody wants them; it’s that everybody tries to get them the wrong way. Often, people do crunches and sit-ups the wrong way: pulling their neck, straining their back and not getting the six-pack benefits of the workout. Instead, patrons should do alternative abdominal workouts such as planks, balancing exercises and cardio exercises that stress the core (blackdoctor.org).
4. Elliptical
After the treadmill, the elliptical is the number two cardio machine patrons gun for at the gym. However, similar to the treadmill, patrons get lazy on this machine. Blackdoctor.org highly recommends patrons not lean forward while on the elliptical. It’s better to stand up straight. Also, like treadmills, in order to escape laziness one should increase the incline and resistance to get a better workout. One last option is going to the arc trainer, a close cousin of the elliptical.
5. Settling for one arm exercise
It’s a gym, people love to show off their upper bodies during the summer, and what’s the station that gets the most attention? Of course, bench press. This isn’t the only arm machine though. Using bands and other resistance machines could reward the user with the same, if not better, results than just doing bench press.
