| More gym memberships are purchased in January | | | | devastating impact on your neck. Aside from the |
| than in any other month of the year. It's a | | | | possibility of injuring a disc, it puts a heavy strain |
| naturally occurring phenomenon that coincides with | | | | on your ligamentous and muscular system. This |
| the top New Year's resolution — to get in | | | | often leads to neck pain that persists for several |
| shape. Although intentions are good and efforts | | | | months at a time. |
| are valiant, in the first weeks of 2010 there will | | | | Short-step lunges. If you're going to perform a |
| be more gym-related injuries than in the rest of | | | | lunge, try to take a big step. Short-step lunges |
| the months combined. | | | | cause sheering in the knee and ankle joints, often |
| Here are the top 10 exercises to avoid and the | | | | leading to arthritis and pain. Longer strides will |
| reasons to avoid them. | | | | enlist the help of your buttocks and hamstrings |
| Behind-the-neck presses. Also known as military | | | | and ensure minimal stress is placed through the |
| presses, this position jeopardizes the rotator cuff. | | | | sensitive cartilage bearing the weight. |
| During this exercise, the rotator cuff is prone to | | | | Straight-legged dead lifts. Dead lifts are probably |
| strains and tearing. Anyone who has undergone a | | | | the most dangerous exercise for the lumbar |
| course of rotator cuff rehab can tell you this | | | | spine. The torque placed through the discs that |
| exercise is one to skip. | | | | line your spine often surpasses 1,000 pounds — |
| Deep squatting. The American population has | | | | even if you're doing low weight. Your disc will |
| enough trouble with its knees and doesn't need | | | | tolerate between 600 and 1,200 pounds depending |
| more. During a deep squat, the thin cartilage of | | | | on your body type. Pushing the limits of this |
| the kneecap grinds against the thigh bone and can | | | | exercise almost certainly guarantees a high |
| wear down easily. Once worn, the knee will | | | | probability of injury. |
| become inflamed and painful and may cause | | | | Wrist rolls. Another popular male exercises is to |
| problems for long periods of time. A better | | | | take a heavy bar and curl the wrists to build the |
| squatting option is to make sure your knees | | | | muscles of the forearms. Far too frequently |
| never pass a right angle. | | | | these weight-lifters develop carpal tunnel |
| Seated leg extensions. Especially for women who | | | | syndrome and have the potential of doing serious |
| suffer from kneecap issues much more than | | | | damage to the nerves in the wrist. A better |
| men, the leg extension machine will grind the | | | | alternative is to purchase a grip ball and do some |
| kneecap against the thigh just like a deep squat. | | | | squeezing when you have a free minute. |
| Unfortunately, there is no adjustment that can | | | | The clean-and-jerk is a useful exercise for football |
| make this exercise more user-friendly. It's best to | | | | players who play at a competitive level, but a |
| avoid it altogether. | | | | dangerous exercise for anyone new to exercising. |
| Seated stomach curls with heavy weight. Many | | | | Many people hurt their back and shoulders all in |
| gyms will have a machine that allows you to push | | | | one motion, so it's probably better to leave this |
| your chest forward while in a seated position to | | | | one aside. |
| strengthen your abdominals. This causes sheering | | | | Bench pressing for maximum weight. Unless |
| between the vertebrae and often results in a disc | | | | you're an ultimate fighter, you won't have much |
| injury. A better option is to do high-repetition, | | | | use for lifting several hundred pounds once. Don't |
| low-intensity crunches on a mat. | | | | dislocate your shoulders or strain your neck; work |
| Shoulder shrugs with heavy weight. A popular | | | | with a weight you can handle and build your |
| exercise with men, shoulder shrugs can have a | | | | strength slowly over time. |