We all have them…those exercises we just don’t like, the ones we don’t want to do, the ones we aren’t good at. Whatever your reason is for avoiding a specific exercise there are situations where we all do it. Even health and fitness professionals have exercises we avoid. So today, I’m throwing my hands in the air to tell you the three exercises that I don’t like, and why I try to do them anyways (even if it’s not as often as I would like or know I should).
- Bulgarian Split Squat
Does anyone actually enjoy this exercise? I see this one being done in the gym ALL the time (and often incorrectly). The difficulty that comes with this movement is probably for me the reason why I don’t enjoy it. It’s tough to set up, it requires the right height of bench or box and it requires proper form. Why should we do it? Because it is a great quad dominant exercise that will also target a bit of glutes. It’s also a unilateral exercise (one sided) exercise which can improve balance and stability. Do I think there is benefit to the Bulgarian Split Squats, yes absolutely! I believe that it can be a challenge and something that all of us should be working to improve, however I also don’t think it’s worth adding to your routine if you struggle to complete the movement correctly. To set yourself up for a Bulgarian Split Squat place your foot on an elevated surface and drop your knee right to the floor. This will help set you up the correct distance from the bench. I always recommend learning this exercise without weight first, take the time and get yourself comfortable with the movement before you add weights. You also want to ensure that you are leaning forward with the Bulgarian Split Squat. This is slightly contradictory to many other squat movements where the cue is generally to keep your chest up. Struggling with the Bulgarian Split Squat? Start by mastering those lunges on the floor, especially if balance is something your struggling with. Squats and lunges are also great exercises to build quad strength so you don’t necessarily need Bulgarian Split Squats. However they can be useful if your someone who likes to change things up.
2. Pushups
Ahh…the dreaded pushup. The exercise we all love to hate (or at least I do). Pushups are one of the toughest exercises to get right…trust me when I say that form wise I have struggled with pushups for years…and I still do to this day. Not only is the pushup a great chest exercise but it also targets your core, back, shoulders…you get the gist. The pushup is an amazing full body exercise and you don’t need a single piece of equipment to do it (at most a chair or a wall). Why do I hate it…you guessed right again the form is damn hard to nail…but that doesn’t mean that I don’t use this exercise…in fact I try to do pushups once a week (even if that means I’m just tacking them on to the end of a workout). Because they are that good. But Ashlee…you just said pushups are hard to do with good form. This is where incline versions of pushups come in. The less of an incline you are on the easier the pushup will be (but by no means will they be super easy)! If you’re struggling with pushups try elevating on a chair…if you’re still struggling move to elevating on the wall. We always want to perform pushups with the best form possible so take advantage of the elevation to perfect that form then slowly start to lower that incline as you improve. Pushups make the least favourite exercise list…but I know how important they are and you should include them in your workouts too!
3. Step Ups
Yep…for number 3 I’m going with Step Ups. This is probably the one I’m the worst at incorporating regularly if I’m being honest (yep…we trainers aren’t perfect either)! Why is the step up important…tell me the last time that stepped up on to something. Unless you live and work in a place with no stairs, you’ve probably walked up and/or down a set of stairs today…which is one of the reasons step ups are important. As a young, healthy adult this may sound like a silly thing, but as you age stairs can become more difficult so incorporating them into your workouts can help you maintain your strength and ability to do them consistently later in life. Step ups are also a great exercise to build strength and stability in your lower body (quads, glutes, hamstrings) which is important for general overall health. Struggling with step ups? Start by decreasing the size of the step you are using. Yes believe it or not you don’t need a massively tall box to step up on to, especially if you are struggling with them. You can also begin this movement without weight and as you get more comfortable with the movement add weight. When performing a step up make sure that you are placing your entire foot onto the box you stepping up on to (not just the front half of your foot) and lean forward over your knees to drive through your planted foot. As you return to the floor step down don’t jump down. As your step ups begin to improve you can increase the height of the step you are doing as well as the amount of weight you are using.
There you have it…my 3 least favourite exercises and the reasons I still try to incorporate them anyways. It can be difficult to make yourself do something that you don’t enjoy. In fact a lot of the time I talk about how if you don’t enjoy fitness then you are less likely to stick to it and while that’s true I do believe in some situations you may have to consistently complete exercises that you aren’t crazy about. Pairing them with things that you do enjoy can help you stick to a consistent routine while you still benefit from the exercises you are doing. Sound off in the comments…what is your least favourite exercise? Do you incorporate it? Are you going to now?
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