safe & unsafe weight exercises ??

[nikkita]

Hi to everyone!

Last week on the gym while doing walking lunges, a trainer mentioned me that there are some exercises that have been categorized as unsafe for certain joints. He said that walking lunges was one of them, and that it was better to do them in the same place with dumbells, barbell, smith or step up.

I have been concerned with what he told me, and would like to ask if any of you know about which are these "unsafe" exercises and why, or if there is any webpage where I can read more about it.

thanks in advance to any insight you may give me

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

Any exercise can be unsafe, if done improperly. Squats are harmful to the knees if you don't use proper form (i.e., breaking parallel), and to the lumbar spine if you lean forward too much and don't have a solid center of gravity.

Honestly, the most productive exercises also pose the greatest threat:

Flat Bench - Rotator cuff injuries
Squats - Low back & knee injuries
Deadlifts - Back injuries, bicep tears, nose bleeds
Cleans - Forget it, you need good technique or you're not doing these at all

As for lunges, I dunno. I don't like them. I did them...twice? Squats and RDLs are much more functional.

 

[Protobuilder]

What he said. You can get injured w/ any exercise if your form stinks, you aren't paying attention, etc. That said, some exercises DO pose a higher RISK of injury than others (e.g., if a barbell is overhead, there is a RISK that it could fall on your skull). A trainer is probably used to making his advice fit the gen'l person who walks through the door . . . so he or she says "don't do exercise X" just b/c he knows that most people WILL hurt themselves b/c they DON'T know what they're doing. That doesn't mean the exercise WILL injure you necessarily, it just means that the trainer is taking the path of least resistance -- it's easier to tell people NOT to squat than try to teach every Tom, Dick and Harry who walks through the door how to squat, which could take months, and which will probably leave about 50% injured in some way. Easier just to say "Don't Squat."

I think walking lunges will be fine IF IF IF you know what you're doing. It is tough to keep your balance though and could screw up your knees or back if you lose balance and twist or something.