Fitness Don'ts

What's the point of working out if you're not doing the moves correctly? Trainer Garfield Wilson of Forward Fitness and a fitness blogger for CBC's Live Right Now blog says that these mistakes could hamper your efforts.

1. Blame it on sitting at a desk all day but when you slouch with bicep curls, it puts stress on your lower lumbar. “If you’re arching your back to pull up the weight, what you’re lifting is too heavy,” says Garfield.
2. If your knees go past your toes when you sit down, you’re doing it wrong, says Garfield. “That puts a lot of pressure on your knees, especially if you have knee problems or a sore spot.” Instead, put your body weight mostly on your heels, as you move your butt down and back.
3. The first mistake women make with push-ups is not doing them, says Garfield. The second mistake is not aligning the legs, back and neck. With correct form, the head should be the highest part of the body, and when you do the push-up, everything moves down straight as a board.
4. Don’t drop your head and roll your shoulders when you push with your arms, says Wilson. “You want to push it through your shoulders and your chest.”
5. Keep your neck aligned with your spine, so that your chin isn’t extended. “If you have good alignment in your head and neck, it will be easier for you to do the exercise,” advises Garfield.
6. “When hips are too high, the load is transferred to the shoulders and is not felt in the abs as much,” says Wilson. “When the hips are too low it can put a strain on the lower back.”
7. Let your abs do the work in pulling you up, not your hands, neck or head. Using your hands to pull your head forward can strain your neck and cause lower back discomfort.