The 5 exercises you’re doing wrong before you even start

IF YOU’RE hitting the gym you’re probably getting these exercises wrong. According to Tim Robards you need to start thinking in 3D, not 2D.

BEFORE we had the technology to make 3D movies like Minions and Frozen, we had to watch two-dimensional cartoons like The Simpsons and Super Ted. Or was that just me? What the hell does that have to do with exercise, you ask?

Well, many of us are only using single axis machines in the gym and missing out on the three-dimensional world we live in!

Machines are a great place to start in the gym if you have limited knowledge and need to start somewhere. They are a bit of a necessary evil to begin with but I urge you not to get stuck on them for too long. We spend long enough sitting at our desks at work to then get to the gym and follow the circuit of machines where we sit on our butts again before we get home to the couch.

When we are walking down the street and have to step off onto the kerb, or bend and twist as we pull our child out of the car seat, we need to have functional strength. If we get stuck in this two-dimensional cartoon world, we miss out on the benefits of functional training like balance, coordination and mobility.

We’ve all seen the big unit that walks past us at the gym with the massive, rigid shoulders that roll in with the turtle shell back. Sure he can rack the chest press machine but I can assure you he will be a great paying patient to the chiro, physio or surgeon that eventually has to work on his shoulder injuries or neck issues.

When we move through full range, we challenge our stabilisers, recruiting more muscles and therefore also burning more energy/fat. I’m not suggesting you give up machines but I am encouraging a balance between the two.

Rings give you more 3D movement than machines.

Five exercises you could make more functional:

Adductor/abductor machine: If you have a specific injury this can be a good rehab machine but many people believe this will target the fat burning of their soft bits on the inside and outside of the thighs. It may strengthen and build the muscles but there are better options for fat loss.

Better option: Swap it for a wide-legged goblet squat.

Behind-the-head lat pull-down: Unless you have really good mobility in your shoulders, most people compromise their posture and push their chin forward. This can lead to shoulder and neck injuries.

Better option: Keep it in front and pull down to the sternum. Work on shoulder mobility with “shoulder dislocate” exercises.

Smith Machine squat: Great to start with and get used to the movement, but we can get lazy and rely on the machine and it doesn’t move with our natural squat movement.

Better option: Free squat or front squat. Make sure you get someone to spot you or make sure you have good posture through the movement. Always start with a low weight!

Chest press: Turtle back — enough said. You miss out on so much core activation and spinal stability when seated like this.

Better option: Push-ups on rings.

Ab curl machine: With this machine, you tend to recruit your arms and lats more than your true core.

Better option: Pike curl on rings. Hands planted on ground and feet anchored into rings about 10cm off the ground in a push-up position. Raise the hips and bring the legs in straight as close to your hands as possible and return to push-up position. An unreal exercise that not only works the abs/core but also the shoulder stabilisers.

Good luck with keeping the balance with the machines and the more functional, multidimensional exercises. 3D glasses optional!

Tim Robards. Picture: Cameron Richardson

Dr Tim Robards is a chiropractor and exercise scientist (B. Med. Sc, M. Chiro) and regular news.com.au columnist. His observations and research into what people really need to live a healthy life and thrive in their environment has lead him to develop The Robards Method. You can follow Tim on Instagram and Twitter.