Training in the gym, squats, crunches, planks, pecs: the mistakes to avoid

Have you ever heard pain in the back of the neck after a sit-up session or in the knees after a set of squats? Well if it happened, as it probably is, the problem is to blame to bad execution of the exercise. Which are the ones who are most often wrong? He tells us Elena Buscone, massage therapist, trainer, yoga and pilates teacher.

It seems an easy exercise, but it is not: the effectiveness is given by the correct execution. “Among the common mistakes, that of bring your shoulders forward, load the barbell a lot if done with tools, cross the line of the feet with the knees. This creates unnecessary tension in the neck by loading the bar a lot and if the knees are too advanced, the load shifts to the joints causing knee problems “. Do it like this. “Standing, legs shoulder-width apart, feet parallel and toes turned slightly out, look forward, barbell resting on the shoulders, perform a descent as if to sit on a chair. Fold in a controlled way knees, also, ankles up to form with the legs an angle of 90 °. Keep your back straight, abs activated, and knees in line with your feet. Return to the starting position by extending your knees and hips. Do 4 sets of 10 reps. If you want a more intense and deeper movement, increase the load on the barbell, decrease series from 4 to 3 and search for the maximum squat. Always dose the load according to your level of training “.

“We often tend to add loads to challenge ourselves, without paying enough attention to the posture of the body. The load comes after the technique, not before. Most often, the shoulders and chest they move forward and the abdominals relax. The risk of injury is lurking. As soon as the knee crosses the line of the foot, you are no longer resting on the muscles but on the joint with the risk of having discomfort. The solution? Lighter load and well positioned body so as to have a right angle between ankles and knees and between pelvis and thighs. Do it like this. Standing, standing, back and head straight, dumbbells held, take a long step forward by bending the front knee without going beyond the foot line. The rear knee flexes until it approaches the ground without ever touching. In the push-up phase, keep your back straight and your torso in line at 90 degrees. Return to the starting position by contracting the buttock and start again. Exhale in the descent phase, Inhale in ascent. Do 3 sets of 12 reps per leg with one minute of recovery between sets ”.

Among the many movements for strengthen your abs it is perhaps the best known, and the easiest to go wrong. “In both men and women, the torso flexion performed without engaging the pelvic floor it affects the spine. Do it like this. “Parts supine, back well supported, legs bent, feet close to the ground, arms crossed in front of the chest. Take your shoulder blades off the ground, bend your torso forward bringing your head towards your knees, forming a C with your back. Keep your gaze forward to protect your neck and a fixed distance between your chin and sternum when performing. Perform the exercise slowly, without jerks, exhaling as you go up, inhaling as you go down. Do 4 sets of 12 reps with 30 seconds of rest between each. If you want to make the exercise more intense, you can increase the number of repetitions or change the position of the arms. Bring them both stretched behind your head and lifted up using your abs to the maximum ”.

Always with a view to respecting the natural curvature of your skeleton, it is essential to perform the movement with precision. When doing a plank, it is essential to be careful of that the back of the neck and lower back is in line with the spine so as not to risk cervical tension and lower back discomfort. Do it like this. Lying on your stomach, rest your elbows and forearms on the ground. Then, pivoting on your toes and elbows, lift your hips and contract your abs and glutes to align your shoulders and hips. Stay in place. You will feel all the muscles of the trunk contract, but also the pectoral muscles. The thighs work to give you stability. Never drop your pelvis to the ground thus arching your back. Hold your position 20/30 seconds, recover 1 minute between sets then repeat 5 times. Once you have at least 1 minute of resistance, try to disconnect by alternating one arm at a time by stretching it forward. Thus a balance imbalance is created to be contrasted with greater abdominal tightness “.

We have been doing them for many years, without worrying about doing them well. Let’s get started now! Bench press with barbell Ideal for developing strength, mass and toning the core muscles in particular the large breastplate, it is a basic exercise, it involves several muscle and joint districts and has not only an aesthetic function. Strengthen the upper part helps protect rotator cuff and internal shoulder muscles. Do it like this. Lie down on a flat or inclined bench, legs hip-width feet flat on the ground, back supported, abdomen contracted, gaze upwards. Hold the bar with your hands a little wider than your shoulders. Starting with your arms bent, bring your shoulder blades together, inhale and gradually push the bar upwards while extending your arms. Exhale, hold the position for two seconds then slowly return to the initial phase bringing the bar back towards the breastbone. Do 3 sets of 12 reps. If you want to deepen the exercise, do the push up fast and return slowly. The work will be more intense, the better result. Never bring the bar higher than the sternum line: the elbow would go out of axis, negatively involving the rotator cuff muscles and the internal muscles of the shoulder ”.

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