6 Workout Moves You’ve Been Doing Wrong Your Whole Life

Have you ever exercised as hard as you sweat through your final reps, only to find no muscle gains or toned figures? If so, you’re not alone. Many people struggle to achieve their health and fitness goals. And the truth may be that you’re doing exercise moves incorrectly. Having the exercise is not only vital to get the most out of your workout routine, but also to decrease the risk of injury in muscles, ligaments, tendons, and in extreme cases, bones.

Checkout the common exercise mistakes we listed below, and start working out with perfect form to avoid unnecessary injury and maximize your results.

Squats

Squats — one of the best exercises for strengthening your glutes, and one of the most difficult workout as it can be technical. Yet still many are making the mistakes that let your knees cave in as you squat. In order to do squats correctly, you need to make sure that your knees are pointing in the same direction as your toes. You also want to make sure that you are bending from your knees and go down until your knees are at least at a 90-degree angle. Finally, Push your weight backward and make sure to keep the majority of your weight in your heels. A simple trick for you: squat in front of a mirror.

Crunches

Crunches are one of the most common core exercises and are widely recommended for their ability to strengthen your core, improve your posture and reduce the risk of back pain. However, most people do crunches incorrectly, leading to muscle strain and even cause disc injuries. One common mistake that people make when doing crunches is to let their back sag towards the ground. If you do this during your crunches, you’re risking serious injury to your spine. Another thing that you should avoid is doing crunches too quickly. We all want quick results, but quick crunches won’t help you. Slow and controlled movements are better at helping you get the flat stomach you’re after.

The correct way to do a crunch is to lie on your back with your legs bent and your feet on the floor. Then, contract your abdominal muscles and curl your torso towards your thighs. The next time you do crunches, make sure to exhale as you contract your abs.

Deadlifts

Deadlifts are an excellent exercise that target your posterior chain and can help you build a stronger lower back strength and muscle, but they can also be quite dangerous if not performed correctly. Start with a lighter weight until you have the form down and make sure you have a spotter whenever possible.

To perform a deadlift correctly, stand with feet about hip-width apart, bend down, then grasp the bar with an overhand grip — hands at least shoulder-width apart. Keep the chest forward and head up, bend knees, and lift the bar by pushing through the heels.

Lunges

Lunges are a great exercise for strengthening your quads and glutes. You might be bending your knees too much or extending them too far. Lunges work best if you keep your body upright, bend your knees about 90 degrees, and step forward with one foot about roughly hip-distance from the other foot. Next, drop your body weight towards the floor and push yourself back up.

Planks

Even though planks are one of the most beneficial exercises for your abs, doing planks incorrectly can actually weaken your core.

The proper form for a plank involves keeping your body in a straight line, with no bending in your knees or elbows. You can even try lifting one foot off the ground to make the exercise even more challenging. And don’t forget to breathe! Holding a plank for a significant length of time can be tough, so exhale when you’re tensing your body and inhale when you’re relaxing it. If you have back pain or other issues that make it difficult to hold this position for long periods of time, try this variation. Position your elbows underneath your shoulders, and keep your hands about shoulder-width apart. Then lift your knees off of the floor until you’re in a high plank position. Hold this position for as long as you can without letting your upper body or knees touch the floor.

Push-ups

Pushups are a compound exercise that targets multiple muscle groups, especially the chest, arms, and shoulders. They are an excellent way to build strength and muscle. However, if you want to get the most out of this exercise, you need to do it right.

Start in a position with your hands below your shoulders and your feet together. Keeping your torso straight, bend your elbows until your chest touches the floor. Then push back up to the starting position. If you aren’t flexible enough to bend your elbows below your shoulders, try pushups with your hands on an elevated surface, like a bench or boxes.