Get ready, this is gonna hurt! The exercises most
bodybuilders focus on the most, are the ones that cause the most
problems… hopefully, you’re different.
But before we share with you what those exercise are, let’s
talk real quickly about what bodybuilding is…
The goal of bodybuilding isn’t to get as big as you can, or
at least to us it isn’t and shouldn’t be, but to build a balanced body
that is as strong as possible in every way. For example, while being
freakishly big may get people’s attention, it serves you no purpose at
all…
while on the other hand, what if you were not only big, but
also extremely strong and powerful, lightning fast, flexible, and agile
enough to kick ass if needed?
So many bodybuilders build massive amounts of muscle yet are
so unbelievably weak and inflexible… for example, we know a guy who can
bench press over 350 lbs but can’t do a measly 50 push-ups!
The point is, the exercises you choose and how you perform
them not only determine how big, strong, and flexible you are, but also
affect how your body functions and whether or not you suffer from
aches, pains, and injuries like back pain and sciatic pain.
Ok, here they are… the exercises that create the most
problems and are most likely to lead to back pain:
1. Bench Press
2. Leg Extension
So, any of your favorites on this list?
While there are others, these are the two that cause the most
damage.
There are several reasons why these exercises made our list
of the “worst bodybuilding exercises”. First, all of they target areas
that already tend to get worked a lot in everyday life and often times
are overdeveloped…
and by focusing so much on these exercises you end up
creating muscle imbalances, or worsening existing muscle imbalances,
which pull your bones and joints out of their normal position…
and this leads to uneven pressure and wear and tear on your
muscle, ligaments, tendons, bones, and joints and will sooner or later
lead a break down or injury.
For example, chronic overuse of the bench press, coupled with
little or no exercises targeting the upper back, leads to an
overdevelopment of the chest and a lack of strength and development in
the upper back…
This all too common combination leads to what we call “Turtle
Back”. You know what we’re talking about, when the shoulders are pulled
so far forward, lats are as wide as barn, and from behind, their back
looks like a giant sea turtle shell!
This “Turtle Back” posture can create neck, upper back, and
shoulder pain and injuries faster than you can pop an Advil!
Plus, how many times during your day are you forced to lie on
your back and push up a bar loaded with weights? There are so many
better exercises for chest development that not only stimulate more
muscle, but also build more usable strength.
Now let’s talk about the fabulous thigh builder, the leg
extension…
Not only does it place an unbelievable amount of strain on
the knee joint, but it also will quickly overdevelop the quads, which
are already getting far more work than their counterpart, the
hamstrings.
An imbalance between the quadriceps and hamstrings, which is
also extremely common in bodybuilders, is a key contributor to back
pain. This imbalance is easily identifiable by what people often call
“Bubble Butt” or “Ghetto Booty”.
So hopefully you can see how important it is to choose your
exercises wisely. We strongly recommend you cut out these exercises, or
at least cut back on using them and add in targeted exercises for the
opposing muscle groups and targeted stretches for those tight,
overdeveloped muscles.
The key to eliminating back pain, or any other ache, pain or
injury for that matter, is to bring your body closer to balance…
What good is muscle if you can’t use it? How many more
workouts are you going to miss because of back, neck, or shoulder pain?
How much bigger and stronger could you be if back pain and other
injuries weren’t ruining your training?
Just imagine how bad things will be 10, 20, or 30 years from
now if you don’t make changes to your training now… but don’t take our
word for it, ask some of the older bodybuilders who are paying the
price now... you can spot them easily at the gym because they limp
around trying to find something they CAN do.
Look for the next article, “Training Variations for
Pain Relief and Maximum Results” very soon and in the mean
time, if you are suffering from back pain or sciatic pain, here’s what
you need to do…
Head on over to our website http://www.losethebackpain.com
now to find out exactly what’s causing your back pain and the specific
steps you need to take to get relief fast and get back to training at
100%.
