Download - 3 Big Workout Mistakes
3 BIG WORKOUT MISTAKES
Isolation exercises include movements at only one joint in the
body. Bicep curls are an example of an isolation exercise. The
elbow is the only joint where there is movement during a bicep
curl, and the biceps muscle is the only muscle worked during
the movement. A dumbbell fl y, isolating the pectoralis major
muscle, is also a good example of a single-joint isolation exercise.
The reason isolation exercises are typically a mistake is that
they often take the place of compound, multi-joint movements.
An example of a compound movement would be a squat or
a pull-up. Compound movements involve multiple muscle
groups. The squat utilizes the quads, hamstrings, glutes and
low back. This is what I call a “big-bang” exercise because you
get a lot of “bang” for your buck training so many muscles with
just one movement. Training multiple muscle groups is just one
advantage of compound movements over isolation movements.
By training so many muscles, you will burn more calories with
compound movements. As a general rule, the bigger the muscle,
the more energy it requires to contract. It makes sense that
working so many muscle groups at one time would burn more
calories.
Studies have also shown compound movements to be superior
to isolation movements in mobilizing fat stores for energy.
This is because compound movements (especially lower body
exercises like squats and deadlifts) stimulate a stronger hormonal
response from the body. Yes, that’s right. Lifting weights causes
your body to release hormones both during and after exercise.
The function of one of these hormones, growth hormone, is to
increase the utilization of fatty acids as well as the breakdown
of body fat. This just means your body will use fat stores for
energy after your workout much more effi ciently with compound
movements (Baechle and Earle 56-57).
wor
kout
mis
take
s
BIG3
by Kurt Rawlins, CSCSKurtRawlinsFitness.com
2
1Isolation Exercises
Isolation exercises include movements at only one joint in the
body. Bicep curls are an example of an isolation exercise. The
elbow is the only joint where there is movement during a bicep
curl, and the biceps muscle is the only muscle worked during
the movement. A dumbbell fl y, isolating the pectoralis major
muscle, is also a good example of a single-joint isolation exercise.
The reason isolation exercises are typically a mistake is that
they often take the place of compound, multi-joint movements.
An example of a compound movement would be a squat or
a pull-up. Compound movements involve multiple muscle
groups. The squat utilizes the quads, hamstrings, glutes and
low back. This is what I call a “big-bang” exercise because you
get a lot of “bang” for your buck training so many muscles with
just one movement. Training multiple muscle groups is just one
advantage of compound movements over isolation movements.
By training so many muscles, you will burn more calories with
compound movements. As a general rule, the bigger the muscle,
the more energy it requires to contract. It makes sense that
working so many muscle groups at one time would burn more
calories.
Studies have also shown compound movements to be superior
to isolation movements in mobilizing fat stores for energy.
This is because compound movements (especially lower body
exercises like squats and deadlifts) stimulate a stronger hormonal
response from the body. Yes, that’s right. Lifting weights causes
your body to release hormones both during and after exercise.
The function of one of these hormones, growth hormone, is to
increase the utilization of fatty acids as well as the breakdown
of body fat. This just means your body will use fat stores for
energy after your workout much more effi ciently with compound
movements (Baechle and Earle 56-57).
wor
kout
mis
take
s
BIG3
by Kurt Rawlins, CSCSKurtRawlinsFitness.com
2
1Isolation Exercises
Over-Pushing 3No Program Change2
43
Over-pushing? Does that mean working out too hard? No, actually. I
mean literally pushing too much. Specifically, utilizing too many pressing
movements that train the front of the body while neglecting the backside of
the body. The fact that you can’t see your back in the mirror is probably one
of the main reasons it is often undertrained. Guys love to train the “beach
muscles”, i.e. the chest and arms. What a lot of guys don’t realize is that
they’re setting themselves up for some orthopedic issues in the future. If you
don’t train the back side of the body as much if not more than the front,
you create a muscle imbalance, which leads to all sorts of issues.
For starters, a weak upper and mid-back will not have adequate strength to
keep the shoulders back and down, the correct position in good posture.
Instead, the shoulders will round, and the chest cavity will cave in. If this
posture is maintained for a period of several years, the bones will actually
form to this position. Once the bones have set themselves in a rounded
shoulder position, it is virtually impossible to reverse the effects. On top
of that, rounded shoulders can lead to impaired breathing and shoulder
impingement. Poor posture in the shoulders can force the body to
compensate and lead to excessive arching in the low back, causing
the hamstrings to chronically tighten.
I bet you didn’t think doing too much bench press would tighten
your hamstrings, did you? This cause-and-effect relationship clearly
demonstrates how the human body is a “kinetic chain” and how what
happens at one part of the body can truly affect something much
farther down the chain. What now?
Make sure your pulling movements outnumber your pushing
movements 2:1, if not 3:1. For example, if you are doing a bench
press, you should do a rear deltoid movement as well another
rowing or pulling movement to compensate for the bench press.
Again, seek out a professional coach or trainer if you are unfamiliar
with postural exercises for the upper back and back of the
shoulder.
Visit KurtRawlinsFitness.com for more health & fitness tips.
Many people who weight train on a regular basis never really cycle their
workouts. By that I mean they do the same basic exercises for the same
number of sets and reps every single time they workout, for the entire month,
for the entire year, and in some cases the entire decade. Exercising in this
manner will achieve marginal results at best. This is because the body is
very intelligent, and adapts to any stimulus very quickly. Once the body
adapts to your workout, you will burn less calories to complete the
same movements. In essence, you have become efficient. You want to be
inefficient, so you can challenge your body, burn more calories, and activate
more muscle fibers. So…what may stimulate muscle strength and growth
initially will eventually yield diminishing returns. Oh no! What now?
Change your program! If you are not sure how to do this, then seek
professional guidance from a fitness coach or trainer (or just finish reading
this article). This can be done in several ways. You can alter your:
•Sets •Reps •Restperiodsbetweenexercises •Thepaceoftheexercise •Theexerciseitself
For example, if you have been doing flat barbell bench presses for the
chest and shoulders, switch it up and start doing push-ups for a month.
Or do barbell bench press on Monday, and push-ups on Wednesday.
Or instead of doing 4 sets of 5 reps on bench press, do 3 sets of 20.
Or do it on an incline. Or slow down the pace at which you do the
bench press. As you can see…there are several variables with which
to work. Choose one, two, or however many variables you want and
try changing it up for 6-8 weeks. Then change it again. Cycling your
workouts will keep your body off-guard, prevent overtraining, and
maximize results.
Note:Ifyouaretrainingforsomethingveryspecific,likemaximalstrengthorsportsperformance,thenyouneedaspecificprogramandworkoutcycle.Thesetipsareforthoseexerciserswhoareinterestedingeneralfitness.
Over-Pushing 3No Program Change2
43
Over-pushing? Does that mean working out too hard? No, actually. I
mean literally pushing too much. Specifically, utilizing too many pressing
movements that train the front of the body while neglecting the backside of
the body. The fact that you can’t see your back in the mirror is probably one
of the main reasons it is often undertrained. Guys love to train the “beach
muscles”, i.e. the chest and arms. What a lot of guys don’t realize is that
they’re setting themselves up for some orthopedic issues in the future. If you
don’t train the back side of the body as much if not more than the front,
you create a muscle imbalance, which leads to all sorts of issues.
For starters, a weak upper and mid-back will not have adequate strength to
keep the shoulders back and down, the correct position in good posture.
Instead, the shoulders will round, and the chest cavity will cave in. If this
posture is maintained for a period of several years, the bones will actually
form to this position. Once the bones have set themselves in a rounded
shoulder position, it is virtually impossible to reverse the effects. On top
of that, rounded shoulders can lead to impaired breathing and shoulder
impingement. Poor posture in the shoulders can force the body to
compensate and lead to excessive arching in the low back, causing
the hamstrings to chronically tighten.
I bet you didn’t think doing too much bench press would tighten
your hamstrings, did you? This cause-and-effect relationship clearly
demonstrates how the human body is a “kinetic chain” and how what
happens at one part of the body can truly affect something much
farther down the chain. What now?
Make sure your pulling movements outnumber your pushing
movements 2:1, if not 3:1. For example, if you are doing a bench
press, you should do a rear deltoid movement as well another
rowing or pulling movement to compensate for the bench press.
Again, seek out a professional coach or trainer if you are unfamiliar
with postural exercises for the upper back and back of the
shoulder.
Visit KurtRawlinsFitness.com for more health & fitness tips.
Many people who weight train on a regular basis never really cycle their
workouts. By that I mean they do the same basic exercises for the same
number of sets and reps every single time they workout, for the entire month,
for the entire year, and in some cases the entire decade. Exercising in this
manner will achieve marginal results at best. This is because the body is
very intelligent, and adapts to any stimulus very quickly. Once the body
adapts to your workout, you will burn less calories to complete the
same movements. In essence, you have become efficient. You want to be
inefficient, so you can challenge your body, burn more calories, and activate
more muscle fibers. So…what may stimulate muscle strength and growth
initially will eventually yield diminishing returns. Oh no! What now?
Change your program! If you are not sure how to do this, then seek
professional guidance from a fitness coach or trainer (or just finish reading
this article). This can be done in several ways. You can alter your:
•Sets •Reps •Restperiodsbetweenexercises •Thepaceoftheexercise •Theexerciseitself
For example, if you have been doing flat barbell bench presses for the
chest and shoulders, switch it up and start doing push-ups for a month.
Or do barbell bench press on Monday, and push-ups on Wednesday.
Or instead of doing 4 sets of 5 reps on bench press, do 3 sets of 20.
Or do it on an incline. Or slow down the pace at which you do the
bench press. As you can see…there are several variables with which
to work. Choose one, two, or however many variables you want and
try changing it up for 6-8 weeks. Then change it again. Cycling your
workouts will keep your body off-guard, prevent overtraining, and
maximize results.
Note:Ifyouaretrainingforsomethingveryspecific,likemaximalstrengthorsportsperformance,thenyouneedaspecificprogramandworkoutcycle.Thesetipsareforthoseexerciserswhoareinterestedingeneralfitness.