Four Workouts I Hate So I Assume You Do Too

By Gary Stern 2/5/18 1:22 PM

There are workouts that people love, and workouts that people hate. These are four workouts that I hate, and some alternatives for those that feel the same.

Front Squats

It has been said that the front squat is one of the best workouts you aren't doing. I'm not doing it because it hurts. Look at that hand and wrist placement, no thank you. I agree that it is a great workout, but how uncomfortable it is makes me shy away. If you are like me and don't like snapping your wrists off the arm, try these alternatives.

Goblet Squats

Goblet squats allow you to perform the same motion with the same posture, but without the arthritis. The only downside is the amount of weight that can be lifted becomes much lower. Because of this, I like to compliment this workout with the second alternative.

Step Ups

Its all in the name, hold weight and step up. The individual leg focus creates a great burn after the goblet squat and works great in a super set.

The second workout that really gets on my nerves is Hack Squats.

Look how unhappy this man is. Look how rigid one must be on this machine. My beef with the Hack Squat is pressure it puts on the knees. Since at no point will the leg ever be at lock out there is constant tension that your knees have the job of handling. The workout is great for building quads and glutes, but knee pain in your 20's isn't worth it. Instead try these!

Barbell Hack Squat

What do you know, the best alternative to a Hack Squat is a Hack Squat. For me personally I will always choose a bar over a machine. I feel much stronger moving the free weight than I do with machines, even if they allow plate loading. The need to use stabilizer muscles can make it a bit more difficult, but removing the rigid track makes for a much more comfortable experience. Also, if the barbell isn't your thing this workout can be done with dumb bells. Just hold a dumb bell in each hand at your side and squat!

The third workout that I cannot stand is the Barbell Curl

Be it fixed bar or barbell the Barbell Curl is not on my list of favorites. Sure it seems cool to throw plates on a big bar and start curling, but at what cost? With the barbell you are taking up a barbell that would be better used doing anything else, and with both options you wrists are in for a world of hurt. It's like compounding the issues with the previous two workouts, it's rigid and it makes you wrists feel like they are going to snap.

You're alternative, literally any other kind of curl. Hammer Curls, Alternating Dumb Bell, Preacher, EZ Bar, Rope and Pulley, Preacher Machines, do any other kind of curl they hurt less and get as good of results if not better. You know what, don't even do curls just do Rows. Yeah do Rows.

Our last and final foe has arrived, the Cable Crossover

This particular move is not on my shit list due to any physical harm that it causes, it is merely a space issue. Gyms often have a decent sized area with different pulley systems for your various workout needs. Often the center of the apparatus comes equipped with two pulleys on opposite sides of each other. Nothing irks me more than the person that takes up that entire area for Cable Crossovers. Two people could be working out, no one can use the pull up bars that are attached to the top of the frame, all because someone wants to do Cable Crossovers. Look how much space this man takes up. That's an entire wingspan and more. Don't be that person.

Flys

Instead do Dumb Bell Flys, they work the exact same muscles and all you need a bench and some dumb bells. Sure it isn't great to do in tight space but you still take up less room than Cable Crossovers.

There you have it, four workouts that I hate and I hope that you do too, as well as some alternative options to said workouts. If you like these workouts feel free to keep doing them, I'm not going to judge you. If you hate them as much as I do, have fun with your new options.