Are you a power lifter...?

If the answer is no, why you may need to switch your “ass to grass” squats, chest to bar bench press and deadlifts from the floor, to keep you exercising for longer in your life.

Most of us will never need to accomplish these tasks in the weight room…Yes, if you are a competitive weight lifter, you will be squatting to parallel and bringing that bar to your chest...

BUT… if you just enjoy the gym and exercise, ask the question, are these types of exercise doing me any good?

First Question…

What’s the goal?

Do you want to move better, live better, perhaps drop a few pounds, shift some body fat and have longevity of exercise and movement, so you can continue to be fit and healthy much later into life? You must first ascertain what it is you want to achieve to decide how you are going to get there. There are no wrong exercises, only appropriate or inappropriate exercises depending on context, goal and natural deviations in our own personal/ individual biomechanics.

USE T REX HATES PUSH UPS IMAGE HERE

Not every exercise suits every person.

Question a Pt or coach who prescribe any type of exercise indiscriminately, as there is no way this can be optimal to your specific targets and health.

It seems like everyone who owns an instagram account is now a “fitness expert” and will merrily instruct you how to do “x” exercise.

Remember, insta followers is no guarantee of expertise, so choose where you get your info from wisely!

Let’s take a traditional deadlift. In a nutshell, this means picking up a loaded Olympic barbell from the floor to standing with a hip width stance. If I had a penny for every time I heard.. “Deadlifts hurt my back.”

If this is the case, don’t doggedly continue to perform the exercise in exactly the same way. The deadlift is a great exercise for most people, it builds strength in the hamstrings, glutes, back, abs, grip strength, shoulder stabilisation etc...

So, can we make this exercise more appropriate/ specific, so it doesn’t hurt their back? Yes! Perhaps a wider, sumo stance might feel stronger and more comfortable? Lifting the barbell from a raised platform or rack so the individual can maintain a more neutral spine, rather than “rounding” at the bottom of the lift may feel less aggressive and safer? Not hyperextending the back at the top of the lift? e.c.t

“Olympic lifting must find the lifter.” A famous quote by Dr Stuart McGill, who is considered one of the world's top spinal specialists and researchers.

So few of us have the natural biomechanics to pull off Olympic Lifting. This begs the question why are we teaching a middle age, desk worker how to how smash clean and jerks and overhead presses?

So, what exercises should I be doing?

Well, that depends, a- what do you want to get out of your exercise and b- what type of exercise feels good.

If you are trying to lose body fat High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) would perhaps be more appropriate than pilates, but could pilates give you the joint stability and core strength to execute HIIT with better form and more control? Probably!

If your concerns are stress and anxiety, yoga and pilates, could help you manage your mental health whilst building a super strong, lean body.

Let what you like dictate what you do, if you hate running, don’t run, If yoga bores you senseless, try something else!

If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t right for your body. If you don’t feel comfortable with back squats, don’t do them, there are plenty of other options to work out those legs.

We aren’t all the same, so we shouldn’t all be exercising exactly the same.

Consider the possibility you could be exercising better and ask questions about the “why? ” from the people around you who help you manage your health and well-being, to get the best out of your body for the longest.