Is your workout doing you more harm than good? Peta Bee reports
Work out and you will achieve better alignment, improved posture and
lengthening of muscles that have been crunched by a sedentary lifestyle,
right? Not according to the authors of a new book, Master the Art of
Working Out, who claim that bad habits and poor technique can cause
postural problems, pulled muscles, joint stiffness and pain. Malcolm Balk,
an Alexander Technique teacher, and Andrew Shields — both qualified athletic
coaches and authors of The Art of Running — claim that even the most
basic exercises, such as press-ups and running, are often done so badly that
they can cause back and neck pain.
If you are working out three times a week or more it can take as little as six
months for injury to set in, particularly if you have vulnerabilities in
certain parts of your body.
Equipment is often the cause of injuries in people who don’t use it properly
and can also reduce the effectiveness of your workout by up to 15 per cent,
says Sammy Margo, of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists. “If you go
hell for leather, you are asking for trouble,” she says. “Fitness training
should be about quality, not quantity.”
PRESS-UPS
Typical mistakes This is another exercise that is routinely performed
badly in gyms, Balk says. “A poor starting position in a press-up is
directly related to poor posture when standing. Dropping the hips creates an
exaggerated arch in the lower back, which compromises the integrity of the
spine as well as restricting movement in the lower ribs. In turn, this
limits breathing.” Dropping the head as you move towards the floor is
another bad habit, creating unnecessary strain in the shoulders and upper
back.
What to do Imagine your head is leading a “lengthening” of your spine;
don’t stiffen the body to maintain a correct position. Instead of raising
the shoulder blades to push yourself back up, try to rebound off the hands.
“At the start of each repetition, pause to release any tension,” Shields
says.
EXERCISE BIKE
Typical mistakes A University of Texas study found that many people
have the seat of a stationary bike set so low that their legs are cramped,
or so high that they have to pedal on tiptoe. Having it too low crunches
your body uncomfortably, which can eventually lead to shortening and
compression of the spine. Supporting your weight by leaning too heavily on
the handlebars can lead to excessive strain in the upper body.
What to do To find the correct pedal height, place the ball of the foot
on a pedal, with the leg extended and with a slight bend. Make sure that the
handlebars are not too close, causing you to hunch your back, or too far
forward, causing you to overreach and put excessive weight on your arms.
“Always take time to set up your bike,” Shields says. “If you need to, make a
note of the settings and carry it with you.”
In Spinning classes, don’t be afraid to use an upright stance (standing on the
pedals) when performing “hill climbs” as this will lessen tension in the
upper body and allow the legs to work harder.
SQUATS
Typical mistakes “When you watch this exercise being performed, you can
see why it has a reputation as being bad for backs, knees or both,” says
Shields. “Most people stick out their bottom and that causes the spine to
tilt in the lumbar region, eventually causing postural weaknesses.”
With the lower back arched, head crunched so far back that it practically
touches the shoulders and eyes fixed on the ceiling, it can cause tightening
in every part of the body from the neck down.
What to do To master the squat, first try to do it without holding any
weights. Make sure that your neck is not tense, lengthen your torso while
retaining the spine’s natural S-shape, release your knees out over the toes
and keep your heels on the ground.
“Done properly, the squat will help the spine to do what it’s meant to do
ordinarily, namely to lengthen and become stronger,” says Mike Banks, the
chief physiotherapist at Chelsea Football Club for 12 years and now based at
the Marlow Club, a gym in Buckinghamshire.
ROWING MACHINE
Typical mistakes “A lot of people have appallingly bad technique on
this piece of equipment,” says Shields. “They use an aggressive movement,
with an arched back, that is nothing like the technique used by Olympic
rowers. The result is spinal curvature and a lot of tension through the
neck.”
Watching the display panel at the front of the machine is also a bad habit,
says Patrick Pearson, an Olympic rowing coach and an Alexander Technique
teacher. “Because the panel is usually positioned below eye level, the
temptation to pull down is almost irresistible,” he says. “The result is
that we usually tighten our muscles in some way.”
What to do Put tape over the display panel to avoid focusing on it,
Pearson advises, “except for the bits displaying time on the machine and
rating (stroke per minute), which should be set at 18 to 26 to start with”.
Sammy Margo says to keep the back upright, and the head, neck and arms
relaxed throughout a stroke. “Push strongly with the legs and rock the body
gently forward from the hips,” she says.
TREADMILL RUNNING
Typical mistakes Because the head weighs about 10lb, a nodding movement
à la Paula Radcliffe is going to place a tremendous load on the body,
creating tension in the shoulders and putting pressure on the spine.
“Foot-slapping is common on treadmills as people struggle to adjust their foot
patterns, but you are jarring your whole system,” says Margo. Another common
mistake is flopping hands, assuming it means a relaxed style. But it creates
tension, as the shoulders tighten to pick up the slack.
What to do Loosen your neck so that your head extends gently forward.
This helps to lengthen the spine, which releases muscles and joints to
improve body alignment. Focusing your gaze about 30 yards ahead can help to
keep your head steady. Practise running lightly and quietly, landing on the
balls of your feet. “If you put your heel down in front of you, it acts as a
brake,” says Balk. “By keeping your legs below you and your body weight on
the balls of your feet, you reduce impact and increase speed.”
ABDOMINAL CRUNCHES
Typical mistakes When many people do a crunch, it is the neck and upper
back that do most of the work. As the head is pulled forward by the
supporting hands, the spine becomes compressed. Struggling to get your
elbows past your knees causes tension in the front of the body. “Swiss balls
are also a recipe for disaster,” Shields says. “If you perform an exercise
wrongly on the floor, the bad effects are magnified on the ball.”
What to do Shields says that placing a folded top or a towel under your
head helps to prevent neck tension. “Placing your hands across the chest
reduces the tendency to yank forward the head and neck.” Moving the upper
body a few centimetres is all that is needed to execute a crunch
successfully. Ensure that you feel the abdominal muscles tighten before
sitting up.
Master the Art of Working Out , by Malcolm Balk and Andrew Shields (Collins &
Brown, £12.99), is available at £11.69, free p&p, from timesonline.co.uk/booksfirstbuy; or phone 0870 1608080 X
Excellent sound advice
Simon Owen, London,