{"id":2223,"date":"2025-02-18T07:56:24","date_gmt":"2025-02-17T20:56:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/7-common-exercise-mistakes-and-how-to-correct-them.html"},"modified":"2025-02-18T07:56:24","modified_gmt":"2025-02-17T20:56:24","slug":"7-common-exercise-mistakes-and-how-to-correct-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/7-common-exercise-mistakes-and-how-to-correct-them.html","title":{"rendered":"7 Common Exercise Mistakes and How to Correct Them"},"content":{"rendered":"

Beyond sheer power and brute strength, gifted athletes are masters of body mechanics: weight distribution, fluidity, efficiency.<\/p>\n

But when you look around the average gym, you see a whole lot of the exact opposite: wasted motion, lousy alignment, shoddy body mechanics, and poor\u00a0overall form on even the most common exercises.<\/p>\n

Never mind that these weightlifters may be getting a pump or a burn in their muscles \u2014 they\u2019re also practicing bad movement patterns that can eventually lead to diminishing results at best, and\u00a0poor posture, bad alignment, and physical\u00a0harm\u00a0at worst.<\/p>\n

Below are seven common exercises that most weightlifters get wrong \u2014 along with how you can clean up your technique on each.<\/p>\n

Follow our tips and you\u2019ll not only\u00a0build more muscle\u00a0and athleticism, but you\u2019ll also improve\u00a0proprioception \u2014\u00a0your sense of body position and alignment \u2014 which can reduce your risk of injury and enhance athletic performance.<\/p>\n

Your joints will thank you.<\/p>\n

7 Common Exercises for Strength That You\u2019re Probably Doing\u00a0Wrong<\/h2>\n

1. Biceps Curl<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n

The problem:\u00a0<\/h3>\n

Too much body English.<\/p>\n

Curls should be simple \u2014 they only require you to move one joint. But lordy, do people figure out ways to screw them up.<\/p>\n

They thrust their hips forward to swing the weight upward. They move their upper arms forward to cheat their way through the sticking point. They lift the weight all the way up to their shoulders.<\/p>\n

And in the process, they shortchange their results and (worse) increase their risk of injury.<\/p>\n

\"7<\/p>\n

How to fix it:\u00a0<\/h3>\n

Don\u2019t worry about lifting big weights. Instead, focus on form and using weights that aren\u2019t so heavy they force you to compromise it.<\/p>\n

In practice, that means not allowing your elbows to leave your sides, your hips to move, or the weights to touch your shoulders.<\/p>\n

If you do the\u00a0exercise properly, they won\u2019t get that far. The only parts of your body that should move are your forearms and hands.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how to do\u00a0a perfect curl:<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0<\/strong>Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, your hips in line with shoulders and ankles, your back flat, and your eyes looking straight ahead.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Hold a pair of\u00a0dumbbells\u00a0at arm\u2019s length by your thighs, palms forward.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Keeping your elbows tucked, curl the weights as high as you can without moving your upper arms. Pause, and then lower the weights back to the starting position.<\/p>\n

2. Dip<\/h3>\n

\"exercises<\/p>\n

The problem:<\/strong>\u00a0Keeping your torso vertical, flaring your elbows, not dropping low enough<\/p>\n

The first two mistakes are very tough on your shoulders. The third one is a cheat that limits the effectiveness of the move.<\/p>\n

\"7<\/p>\n

How to fix it:\u00a0<\/h3>\n

A correctly executed dip is an incredibly effective upper-body builder that nails your triceps and works your chest.<\/p>\n

Do it wrong and you\u2019re in for a world of hurt \u2014 not to mention looking and feeling awkward as hell.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Grab the handles of a dip station and lift yourself so that your arms are straight. Cross your ankles behind you. This is your starting position.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Keeping your forearms vertical and elbows tucked (not flared), allow your torso to lean forward as you lower your body until your upper arms dip just below parallel to the floor.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Reverse the movement to return to the starting position.<\/p>\n

Make it easier:<\/strong>\u00a0Strap an\u00a0exercise band\u00a0between the bars and place a knee or two in the loop as you perform the exercise. The band will help lift you out of the low position.<\/p>\n

3. Pull-Up<\/h3>\n

\"7<\/p>\n

The problem:\u00a0Not completing the full range of motion.<\/p>\n

Most people fail to straighten their arms fully at the bottom of the pull-up (a position called a dead hang), and many fail to pull themselves high enough as well.<\/p>\n

This robs you of much of the muscle-building potential of this\u00a0always-effective, super-tough exercise.<\/p>\n

How to fix it:\u00a0\u2026is pretty obvious \u2014 try to pull your upper chest to the bar (or at least your chin), and lower yourself all the way back to a dead hang during each rep.<\/p>\n

If only it were that easy.<\/p>\n

While one of the more common exercises, the pull-up is still one of the toughest body-weight moves most gym-goers practice regularly.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0key to doing multiple pull-ups, as with any other exercise, is to reduce the weight you\u2019re using.<\/p>\n

On the pull-up, you can accomplish that with a\u00a0Chin-Up Max\u00a0assistance band, which hooks onto the\u00a0pull-up bar\u00a0and loops around your feet.<\/p>\n

As you lower your body, the band stretches \u2014 giving you more help on the way up.<\/p>\n

4. Overhead Dumbbell Press<\/h3>\n

\"7<\/p>\n

The problem:<\/strong>\u00a0Arching your back excessively, flaring your elbows, tilting your forearms inward, poor shoulder mobility<\/p>\n

\"7<\/p>\n

How to fix it:\u00a0Leaning backward is your body\u2019s way of pulling your chest muscles in on the pressing action and compensating for a lack of shoulder mobility.<\/p>\n

Keep the focus on your shoulders by trying to stay bolt upright as you press.<\/p>\n

Just as important, people often incorrectly perform the move with their palms forward and elbows flared out to the sides as if holding a barbell.<\/p>\n

That position increases the strain on your shoulders, and thus your risk of injury. A much\u00a0safer, more effective variation\u00a0is to start with your elbows tucked and palms facing each other, pressing the weights directly above your shoulders.<\/p>\n

Which brings us to another important point: If, when pressing the weights above your shoulders, you\u2019re unable to bring your biceps beside your ears without arching your back or craning your neck, you shouldn\u2019t perform the move at all.<\/p>\n

At least, not until you\u00a0develop the shoulder mobility\u00a0required to do it properly.<\/p>\n

5. Squat<\/h3>\n

\"7<\/p>\n

The problem:\u00a0Bending forward, not squatting low enough, allowing your knees to cave inward<\/p>\n

\"7<\/p>\n

How to fix it:\u00a0Toddlers squat with ease. For the rest of us, though,\u00a0squatting with good form\u00a0is a tall order; years of sitting \u2014 or more accurately, slouching \u2014 in front of a TV, in a car, at a desk, etc., have ruined us for this once normal and effortless movement pattern.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, modern life rarely asks us to perform a low squat unsupported, so most people lack the core strength and hip\/ankle mobility necessary to comfortably assume this position.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Start by making yourself \u201ctall and skinny,\u201d standing upright with your feet hip- to shoulder-width apart. Your weight should be on your heels \u2014 evenly distributed between left and right \u2014 throughout the movement.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Keeping your back flat, push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor (or as low as you can get them).<\/p>\n

Keep your head aligned with your spine (you should be looking at a spot several feet in front of you on the floor at the bottom of the move), and don\u2019t let your knees cave inward.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Reverse the movement to return to the starting position.<\/p>\n

For those who have trouble dropping all the way down into a full squat due to poor ankle and\/or hip mobility, withhold adding weight until you can perform\u00a0the body-weight version\u00a0using proper form.<\/p>\n

6. Plank<\/h3>\n

\"7<\/p>\n

The problem:\u00a0Many people raise their hips too high, or allow them to sag, increasing strain on the lower back<\/p>\n

\"7<\/p>\n

How to fix it:\u00a0To feel what it\u2019s like to nail\u00a0proper form on the plank\u00a0\u2014 stand with your back to a wall and your heels against the baseboard.<\/p>\n

Your butt, upper back, and the back of your head should touch the wall.<\/p>\n

This is the position your legs, trunk, and head should assume when you perform plank variations: a straight line from your head to your heels.<\/p>\n

Additionally, make sure your weight is on your forearms, your elbows are directly below your shoulders, your core is braced, and your glutes are clenched. Your feet should be hip-width apart.<\/p>\n

Having trouble finding that position when you\u2019re horizontal?<\/p>\n

Grab a long dowel and have a training partner place it on your back. The dowel should touch your glutes, upper back, head, and heels \u2014 just like the wall does when you stand.<\/p>\n

7. Push-Up<\/h3>\n

\"7<\/p>\n

The problem:\u00a0Flared elbows, sagging hips<\/p>\n

Many people press their elbows out to the side (more than 45 degrees relative to their torsos) as they lower themselves to the floor. That\u2019s hard on your shoulders.<\/p>\n

They also allow their hips to droop, which is hard on the lower back.<\/p>\n

\"7<\/p>\n

How to fix it:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Assume a plank position \u2014 this time with your arms straight and your hands in line with (but slightly wider than) your shoulders. Clench your glutes and brace your core to keep your body straight from head to heels.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Keeping your head in line with your spine (look down, not forward) and elbows tucked, lower your body until your chest is within a few inches of the floor.<\/p>\n

When you do the move properly, your head, elbows, and upper body form an arrow shape (as opposed to a \u201cT\u201d) when viewed from above.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Pause, and then push yourself back up to the starting position as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n

If you find the classic push-up too tough, perform the move with your hands on a sturdy, elevated surface (box, bench, etc.), and gradually move closer to the floor as you become stronger.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a better option than knee push-ups, which don\u2019t condition the right movement pattern or activate all of the right muscles to build the strength you\u2019ll need to perform the standard push-up with good form.<\/p>\n

Practice makes perfect, and there\u2019s no better practice for the aforementioned moves than Beachbody\u2019s library of hundreds of workouts on\u00a0Beachbody On Demand.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Beyond sheer power and brute strength, gifted athletes are masters of body mechanics: weight distribution, fluidity, efficiency. But when you look around the average gym, you see a whole lot of the exact opposite: wasted motion, lousy alignment, shoddy body mechanics, and poor\u00a0overall form on even the most common exercises. Never mind that these weightlifters […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2224,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[17],"class_list":["post-2223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fitness","tag-fitness"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2223","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2223"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2223\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2225,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2223\/revisions\/2225"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2224"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}