Best Ways to Injure Yourself in the Gym

This article has a sarcastic tint to it, but it's educational and gets it's point across well. If you really want to injure yourself while working out be sure you're doing the majority of the following:

1)Perform latt pulldowns heavy, behind your neck with a very wide grip, causing excessive external rotation on your shoulders. Then do several sets and keep increasing the weight.

2)Do some aerobic or jogging type activity in the same shoes you wear around the house. It does wonders for shin splints, knees and back problems.

3)Do not warm up at all before lifting heavy weights. Lift "cold".

4)Attempt squats with heavy weight before you can squat your own body weight. Squat with your knees bent inward and the back flexed.

5)When you finish the squats in number four add more weight and do it again.

6) Workout really hard daily, especially if you're lifting. Never take a day off for recovery.

7) Do a set of back hyperextensions holding a 25 lb weight close to your chest. Perform the movement going as far up and down as possible. The more weight and range of motion the better.

8)Do a set of dynamic (walking) lunges with your waist bent forward and all your weight over your knees. Even better hold some hand held weights. If your knees hurt, you know you're doing them right.

9)Leg press as many 45's as possible with no proper warm-up. The heavy leg presses will impressively load and flex the position of your lower back.

10)Join an advanced aerobics class when you are a beginning level student.

11)Pick up a new peice of equipment you've had no instruction on and really give it a go. Work it hard and furious.

12)Watch the "hard core lifters" for tips and then try them. These are the guys who lift heavy with poor technique and spend a lot of time sitting between sets. Model these guys and you'll learn all sorts of unique ways to weight train.

13) Take an aerobics class with a high level of choreography when you have two left feet. This encourages tripping on both your left feet and maybe a sprain too.

14)Hire a personal trainer and do a lot of the stuff mentioned above. After all, they are experts, right?

Remember, the above list is simply an eye opener. Everthing on this list is something you should not do. Unfortunately, these items are still commonly seen in gyms and many people are not aware they are not safe practices. If you are not sure what constitues a safe workout practice ask a staff member at your health club. Beware, however, that not all staff are properly educated, even the personal trainers.

Dr. Lanny Schaffer is an Exercise Physiologist and the President of The International Academy. To find more cutting edge fitness ideas go to http://www.aerobics-exercise-coach.com