Worst exercise you've seen

[IHateMyJob2004]

Count the things this guy is doing wrong:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oES_tMfxr8

 

[Nebor]

I still don't get not lowering the bar all the way down to your chest while benching. I shouldn't laugh but I do. I have seen guys loading up 275 and lowering the bar half way. I know the concept though, but most of the guys have like zero chest devevlopment that do that.

For some of us tall, lanky types, bringing the bar to the chest means that our upper arms go far lower than parallel to the ground, putting an enormous strain on the shoulders. Most benching related injuries are to the rotator cuffs because of this reason.

 

[Saint Nick]

I still don't get not lowering the bar all the way down to your chest while benching. I shouldn't laugh but I do. I have seen guys loading up 275 and lowering the bar half way. I know the concept though, but most of the guys have like zero chest devevlopment that do that.

For some of us tall, lanky types, bringing the bar to the chest means that our upper arms go far lower than parallel to the ground, putting an enormous strain on the shoulders. Most benching related injuries are to the rotator cuffs because of this reason.

I should probably make a separate thread for this...anyways.

I am 6' 5" and have very long arms. What Nebor is talking about, is why—I think—I brought the bar only to about 50% ROM until the other night. When I bring it down to ~1" from my chest, I feel a huge strain on my shoulders and am afraid I might dislocate my shoulder. It feels more natural for me to stop when my biceps/triceps are parallel with my body on the bench. My elbows aren't flared out at all, but 30-45 degrees. I have dislocated my right shoulder twice in the past, and really don't want to do it again. I think that is why I don't bring it to my chest.

I did make a video but I'm pretty sure I don't need anyone else to tell me I'm doing it wrong, after watching it a few times. I think I'll probably get ridiculed. What should I do? I don't want to hurt myself but I also don't want to do the exercise wrong. I'm thinking I might just deload on my bench and start bringing it down to my chest.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

For some of us tall, lanky types, bringing the bar to the chest means that our upper arms go far lower than parallel to the ground, putting an enormous strain on the shoulders. Most benching related injuries are to the rotator cuffs because of this reason.

This is true. I've seen it recommended on a number of sites. Some bodybuilders also don't go to full lockout and don't go all the way to the bottom so they keep the muscle under constant tension. Ron coleman did this but he was a strong dude too. There's a video of him squatting 800 on youtube.

 

[purbeast0]

I should probably make a separate thread for this...anyways.

I am 6' 5" and have very long arms. What Nebor is talking about, is why—I think—I brought the bar only to about 50% ROM until the other night. When I bring it down to ~1" from my chest, I feel a huge strain on my shoulders and am afraid I might dislocate my shoulder. It feels more natural for me to stop when my biceps/triceps are parallel with my body on the bench. My elbows aren't flared out at all, but 30-45 degrees. I have dislocated my right shoulder twice in the past, and really don't want to do it again. I think that is why I don't bring it to my chest.

I did make a video but I'm pretty sure I don't need anyone else to tell me I'm doing it wrong, after watching it a few times. I think I'll probably get ridiculed. What should I do? I don't want to hurt myself but I also don't want to do the exercise wrong. I'm thinking I might just deload on my bench and start bringing it down to my chest.

if this is the case, drop the weight to where it feels comfortable then work your way up from there. it feels uncomfortable because you aren't as strong in your chest as you think you are.

i have extremely long arms and used to not touch my chest then realized i was doing it wrong. had to drop weight to do it properly.

that is typically why the people you see doing this wrong and not touching their chest are guys who aren't even big and strong. they are doing it wrong so that they can feel like they can bench a lot more than they really can.

 

[purbeast0]

Count the things this guy is doing wrong:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oES_tMfxr8

that dude is going to FFUUUCCKKK his back up. slipped disc in the making.

 

[TecHNooB]

that dude is going to FFUUUCCKKK his back up. slipped disc in the making.

besides slightly rounding his back, I don't see what's terribly wrong

 

[Saint Nick]

if this is the case, drop the weight to where it feels comfortable then work your way up from there. it feels uncomfortable because you aren't as strong in your chest as you think you are.

i have extremely long arms and used to not touch my chest then realized i was doing it wrong. had to drop weight to do it properly.

that is typically why the people you see doing this wrong and not touching their chest are guys who aren't even big and strong. they are doing it wrong so that they can feel like they can bench a lot more than they really can.

Thanks, I think I'm going to drop it down to 125 on Monday and work back up again.

 

[ZOOYUKA]

The thing I see most commonly misused is the Lat Pulldown. Seriously! How hard can that be for people. People flock to it, but most do it incorrectly.

There is this scrawny kid at my gym. I give him kudos because he claims to have lost 60lbs. in 9 months, but man he does some strange stuff. The other day he was doing tri kickbacks, but wasn't working his tris at all. He would bend over the bench and just swing his arm like a pendulum and never bend his elbow.

Another time I saw him doing cable crossovers with 65lbs on each pulley. He was struggling so much it was turning more into a press than a crossover. I tried to help him by showing him correct form. I dropped the weight down to 10 lbs. and he was insulted. I told him to worry about form and then add the weight. The next set he jumped it up to 20 lbs. and went back to shitty form....

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

besides slightly rounding his back, I don't see what's terribly wrong

Head position is all messed up. Either looking in a mirror to see how great he is or he never learned proper form.

And back not straight.

 

[Whisper]

This is true. I've seen it recommended on a number of sites. Some bodybuilders also don't go to full lockout and don't go all the way to the bottom so they keep the muscle under constant tension. Ron coleman did this but he was a strong dude too. There's a video of him squatting 800 on youtube.

In all honesty, Coleman probably isn't the person I'd use as a model of proper form (check his t-bar rows sometime). I'm not at all discounting his accomplishments mind you, but when you're already that huge (i.e., you've been working out for years), and you're also getting some "chemical assistance," you can do things a bit differently than the average Joe and still get away with it.

My bodybuilder friends are about 50/50 in this respect--half have great form, and the other half do just about everything wrong that you possibly can without ending up chronically injured. Two of the guys at my former gym were horrible about this, especially on flat bench; they'd literally bounce the bar off their chest on every single rep. It was painful to watch, especially once they started getting into the 315 range. They also both really liked the smith machine for squats. But they were both huge, so it's not something you'd have guessed by just looking at them.

 

[TecHNooB]

the way I go about this 'form' business is to basically take advice that makes sense, but don't let form nazis deter you from your workout simply cuz they don't agree with your form all the time.

 

[Wyndru]

Fitocracy just posted this compilation on FB:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KSwXOnJFpk

 

[classy]

The thing I see most commonly misused is the Lat Pulldown. Seriously! How hard can that be for people. People flock to it, but most do it incorrectly.

There is this scrawny kid at my gym. I give him kudos because he claims to have lost 60lbs. in 9 months, but man he does some strange stuff. The other day he was doing tri kickbacks, but wasn't working his tris at all. He would bend over the bench and just swing his arm like a pendulum and never bend his elbow.

Another time I saw him doing cable crossovers with 65lbs on each pulley. He was struggling so much it was turning more into a press than a crossover. I tried to help him by showing him correct form. I dropped the weight down to 10 lbs. and he was insulted. I told him to worry about form and then add the weight. The next set he jumped it up to 20 lbs. and went back to shitty form....

LOL

I have seen similar stuff, just strange stuff.

 

[Wyndru]

I was going to mention the moronic ball squat exercise, but I see that was already covered. The next worse one was an instructor guiding a noob by turning a 20 lbs dumbbell (not sure exactly the weight, but it was a small dumbbell) on its side, and then having him stand and balance on it with one foot. I was like, you f@cking idiot, you should be fired. That's the stupidest crap I've seen.

Yup, people actually do this (here is a picture, not one foot, but still....squatting on it)

 

[classy]

Yup, people actually do this (here is a picture, not one foot, but still....squatting on it)

And I always laugh, because the people who do this stuff almost always have bodies that look like they have never worked out ever.

 

[RGN]

2 pages and nobody's mentioned barbell bicep curls in the squat rack?

You're all doing them aren't you?!!??

 

[TecHNooB]

2 pages and nobody's mentioned barbell bicep curls in the squat rack?

You're all doing them aren't you?!!??

when you own the equipment, who gives a fuck i did these on occasion to see if the big 3 exercises were helping my curl in any way. i wouldn't do it at the gym though.

 

[iluvdeal]

2 pages and nobody's mentioned barbell bicep curls in the squat rack?

You're all doing them aren't you?!!??

That's more of an annoyance for others, it's not going to maim you like some of the other exercises brought up. I think the only way you could be injured from doing curls in the squat rack is from other gym goers attacking you.

 

[Zivic]

Count the things this guy is doing wrong:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oES_tMfxr8

If that is the "worst" you have seen, you likely haven't spent more than a week in the gym. that isn't all that bad. Heck, I would say the worst thing I see there is using straps

I see a lot of goofy stuff with the kettle bells at my gym

 

[Zivic]

2 pages and nobody's mentioned barbell bicep curls in the squat rack?

You're all doing them aren't you?!!??

I do it. I know all 5 of the people that squat at my gym and we have limited space. so as long as they aren't there, anyone is free to use the racks as they see fit

 

[repoman0]

I'm appalled pretty often at 90% of people's form at my gym (still using my college facility) but other than that, nothing too atrocious. One other guy mentioned to me that I'm one of the very few people he sees doing squats and deadlifts correctly there and it can be a pretty crowded place.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

What is proper lat pull down form? I thought I was doing it correctly, but I am willing to learn/verify.

 

[RagingBITCH]

2 pages and nobody's mentioned barbell bicep curls in the squat rack?

You're all doing them aren't you?!!??

It's one of the few racks available for multi use exercises involving barbells. Our standard weights (barbells at various weights like 60, 65, 70) only go up to 80. Doesn't work for most people doing curls, military presses, etc. I use the rack for pretty much everything, and also for chins/pull-ups.

 

[KIAman]

I have seen a couple but here are a couple that are especially bad/funny.

1. Full body bicep curls - weight is too heavy so they heave with entire body.
2. Full body rows - weight is too heavy so they heave with entire body.
3. Half squats - weight is too heavy so they do a partial goodmorning/squat.
4. Barbell back squat jumps - they half squat, then jump, lol.
5. Static hold leg press - weight is too heavy so they lock their knees to hold the weight in the air for several seconds.