Exercises Performed Incorrectly

[John Izzo]

Hey guys/gals:

I'm working on a project and was wondering for your input. What are some exercises that are performed incorrectly?

What deviations are typically common when they are performed wrong?

Thanks in advance.

[Matthew]

Just last night I was helping a guy with his squat form. He was going straight down and bringing his knees way forward, his knees were caving in, and he was on his toes.

The other problem I see a lot is people doing quarter squats.

I saw one guy trying to do a single arm preacher curl with a loaded barbell. That didn't go very well.

I also see a lot of partial ROM chin ups and dumbbell/barbell curls.

Smith machine squats/bench press/shoulder press. It's not really a problem with their form, just the fact that they're doing smith machine squats/bench press/shoulder presses.

Oh and people leaning way back when doing pulldowns, I mean, just use the seated row machine!

[K Manley]

Usually I see gollum-esque spinal flexion on any form of deadlift.

[rem1956]

From what I have observed, many ab exercises are performed incorrectly. Instead of isolating the ab muscles, people depend on the momentum of their body to assist them. I've observed hanging leg raises done with the whole body swinging as the legs are raised up, as opposed to one individual (I envy!) who is perfectly still, and only raises his legs with his upper body not moving at all.

Also, I've noticed many exercises the exerciser fails to use the full range of motion. On a bench press, I've seen guys do high reps, but without full range of motion. Locking elbows is bad, but not utilizing the complete range of motion also results in bad form.

The other most common mistake I've noticed is people who are trying to squeeze out more reps than they can do with proper form. Instead of keeping the muscle group isolated, they arch backs, bend legs, lean into the weight, etc.

[rgv]

bench press with really flared arms or not going down far enough.

standing barbell curls where they swing their body back with each rep and/or also keeping their elbows static.

pull/chin ups that don't fully extend all the way down.

pushdowns where the whole arm comes up and the person "throws" it down towards the ground instead of extending about their elbow.

rows where the back is bent over and/or the weight is pulled to high or low.

[drs]

I took the liberty of correcting someone I knew well when they were doing lat pull downs behind their head.

Right or wrong, people should know the risks (loading the spine) of the fully flexed position (weight descended) in the leg press. A back is a terrible thing to waste.

[jijin]

Originally Posted by K Manley

Usually I see gollum-esque spinal flexion on any form of deadlift.

I've seen those kind of spinal flexion with people performing barbell rows and good mornings!

Lat pulldowns performed like a full body seated row (i.e body leans back to almost horizontal with each rep)

Seated rows done as if the person was on a rowing machine

squats and deadlifts are always done wrongly in my gym (quarter squats, rounded backs, etc). I've only ever seen 2 guys doing it properly

half bench presses where the bar just travels till the arms are 90 degrees

chinups and pullups where the rep begins with the arms at 90 degrees and end after the person has moved about 2-3 inches

[duffeymt]

Romanian deadlifts where the hips aren't being the driving force of the movement, not activating the hamstrings to their fullest potential.

[laxcdn]

Wow I see lots of comments about form when I have read articles and books that tell me that they are doing some of the right things and you guys say it is wrong. ie

half bench presses where the bar just travels till the arms are 90 degrees
Scrawny to Brawny Mike Meija tells you not to go past parallel to protect the shoulder.

bench press with really flared arms or not going down far enough
keeping your arms flared works more of the chest and keeping them in works the triceps more

when they were doing lat pull downs behind their head.
If it works for them. I have done those and upright rows and miltary behind the head. Depends on the person and if it bothers their shouders or not.

[Jimbo]

Watched a big fellow doing front squats the other day. He was leaning forward the whole time with his elbows pointed towards the floor. I don't know how he held onto the bar. Was an impressive show of strength to do what he was doing..but looked horribly awkward.

You see a LOT of people doing full body rock curls.

In regards to bench press..I read above someone mentioning not using full range of motion. But..I never come all the way down to my chest. I leave an inch or so. This keeps you from stressing your shoulders and is intentional on my part.

So sometimes what looks like a "cheat" is by design.

[rem1956]

What I was referring to was doing a bench press, but in actually the bar was only moving about 6-8 inches total. Kinda a pumping action, real rapid and very limited in the ROM. As a side note, the guy was grunting like mad. Reminded me of that little steam engine. I think I can. I think I can. I think.......

[Matthew]

when they were doing lat pull downs behind their head.
If it works for them. I have done those and upright rows and miltary behind the head. Depends on the person and if it bothers their shouders or not.

It's not even that, I've heard this many times in Injury Management. Tilt your head forward and feel the back of your neck with your hand. What do you feel?

Bone. You're exposing one of your vertebrae, C-7. This is basically the spot that people lower the bar too during a behind the neck military press or pulldown. Guess what happens if that bar drops, or if you lower the bar too far by mistake?

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by laxcdn

Wow I see lots of comments about form when I have read articles and books that tell me that they are doing some of the right things and you guys say it is wrong. ie

half bench presses where the bar just travels till the arms are 90 degrees
Scrawny to Brawny Mike Meija tells you not to go past parallel to protect the shoulder.

bench press with really flared arms or not going down far enough
keeping your arms flared works more of the chest and keeping them in works the triceps more

when they were doing lat pull downs behind their head.
If it works for them. I have done those and upright rows and miltary behind the head. Depends on the person and if it bothers their shouders or not.

Thank you.

I just pointed out about the bench press form..but I agree with your last comment in regards to lat pull downs too. Doing pull down behind my head actually feels more natural for me and has never bothered my shoulders.

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by rem1956

What I was referring to was doing a bench press, but in actually the bar was only moving about 6-8 inches total. Kinda a pumping action, real rapid and very limited in the ROM. As a side note, the guy was grunting like mad. Reminded me of that little steam engine. I think I can. I think I can. I think.......

LOL yeah..that's a different animal.

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by mAtThEw

It's not even that, I've heard this many times in Injury Management. Tilt your head forward and feel the back of your neck with your hand. What do you feel?

Bone. You're exposing one of your vertebrae, C-7. This is basically the spot that people lower the bar too during a behind the neck military press or pulldown. Guess what happens if that bar drops, or if you lower the bar too far by mistake?

I agree doing military press behind the head is crazy. But not lat pulldowns. I have never/will never do M press behind head.

[Matthew]

To me, a lat pulldown would be more comfortable in front and a military press would be more comfortable behind, because the lat pulldown starts in front and the military you have to move your head back and forth to keep from hitting yourself. That said, I wouldn't do anything behind my neck. It's just not natural, in real life if I'm pulling something towards me I'm going to want to be looking at it.

[karky]

I would be interrested to see something explaining how the shoulderblades should be in a row / different optiones for shoulder blades stuff. . like

Ive heard different things, let them go forward at the end, then start the movement by retracting and then bringing the elbows back towards the body, keeping them retracted during the entire set.. etc. And i always see alot of people not retracting their shoulderblades at all during rows.. i dunno how they do it, but they do it :p

[Steve-O-68]

Seated rows where the person leans way back, turning it into a pseudo-upright row.

Military press with excessive lumbar/thorasic extension.

Wide grip squats. Rotators are too tight to bring hands in close.

Lunges with a narrow step. Front heel coming off the ground and knee shooting waaaay past the toes.