If you're on a weight loss journey, you want to make the most of your time and effort. That's why it's important to choose exercises that will be effective and efficient. Caley Crawford, director of training and experience for Row House, shares some exercises that may not be the best for weight loss. While these exercises aren't necessarily bad, there are better alternatives that will help you reach your goals faster. According to Crawford, it's important to know your desired outcome and build the right program for you.
Weight Loss: The Key Lies in a Healthy Combination of Cardio and Strength Training
Beaumont Health explains that shedding excess weight requires a combination of sculpting lean muscle and burning calories. To achieve this goal, incorporating strength work and cardio into your fitness regimen is crucial.
For a time-efficient routine, Crawford suggests total-body workouts that target all of your muscles while providing both strength and conditioning benefits within 30 minutes to an hour. To maximize your results, it is recommended to prioritize strength training first as it is necessary to build muscle and burn fat. Afterwards, focus on your cardio or conditioning aspect.
For strength training, Crawford recommends functional exercises like hip hinges, squats, and lunges. As for the conditioning portion, she suggests pairing moves together to "accomplish the most work" in minimal time. To increase the intensity of your workouts, add resistance and tempo. Total-body moves like burpees and rowing engage multiple muscle groups, resulting in quicker heart efficiency and conditioning results.
These are the worst exercises for weight loss:
Crawford shares four exercises you should consider ditching and replacing with more efficient moves that support weight loss.
1) Doing Cardio on the Elliptical
According to Crawford, the elliptical machine does not provide resistance while increasing heart rate. Additionally, the resistance on the elliptical typically slows you down, making it an ineffective choice for a cardiovascular workout.
Instead of using the elliptical, consider rowing as an alternative. Rowing allows for a greater amount of resistance and intensity while simultaneously elevating your heart rate. Crawford emphasizes the exponential resistance of a Concept2 rowing machine, adding that you won't reach a point where you "max out" on it, as the user can always generate more resistance. Rowing provides both cardio and strength benefits while engaging your entire body in a full range of motion in the hips, knees, and ankles, which is not the case with the elliptical machine.
2) Lat Pulldowns
Crawford recommends replacing the lat pulldown machine with pull-ups, even if you require assistance. According to her, pull-ups engage more muscles and are more functional. Compared to the lat pulldown, pull-ups involve a greater activation of your core muscles.
3) Classic Pushups
While traditional pushups are effective, Crawford suggests incorporating hand-release pushups to activate a full range of motion. She notes that many individuals tend to perform half pushups, where they don't go all the way down to the ground, but it is better to perform a full range of motion to build strength more efficiently.
4) Climbing Steps on the Stair Master
To maximize your lower-body workout, Crawford recommends substituting walking lunges for the stair master. Lunges offer a wider range of motion and engage more muscles, while still providing the lower-body strength and glute work that the stair master offers. Crawford also notes that lunges will help you become better at walking up stairs, whereas using the stair master does not necessarily make you proficient at lunges.