Kymberly Williams-Evans, MA and Alexandra Williams, MA
Build that Bust
Ready to leave behind certain moves, memories, and mad moments of 2012? Want to enter 2013 with exercises that are effective and efficient? Say sayonara to the following exercises that are useless at best, injurious at worst. Yes, you have the official Fun and Fit wand wave to refrain forever from certain moves!
Unweighted Arm Circles
We confess – we used to teach air circles ourselves back in the 80s. But they don’t actually work anything effectively. The arm circling exercise really just stresses the shoulder and wrist joints. If you want to target your biceps, triceps, or forearm, you have much better options. Comment below if you want us to make videos showing you those better upper body and arm exercises.
Standing Chest Squeezes, aka “Bust Builders”
We must, we must, we must build up our bust.
For fear, for fear, we won’t fill our brassiere.
Who recognizes that ditty from grade school PE? Did you also have to chant those words while doing chest squeezes, bust builders, or whatever you called them? As an adult have you tried standing pec work with free weights in your hands to strengthen your chest? One problem: the resistance factor is all wonky so there’s no significant pectoral work. All this exercise does is stress your shoulder joint.
Leg Lifts, Fire Hydrant Style
Don’t use this fire hydrant to put out any hot hiney flames! This so-called leg & butt exercise (it isn’t) is a useless exercise unless you want your hip to hurt. Mostly you are getting external hip rotation joint action, which has some value but not as a great glute move. You can do so many other, better exercises for your legs, and tush that don’t depend on low resistance, high repetition wafting through the air.
Click to see more exercises that DON’T work in our YouTube Playlist: Exercise No No’s – Funny, Useless, Parodies and Otherwise
To see exercises that DO work, take a look at a few of our other YouTube Playlists:
Right and Wrong Way to do Exercises
Get Better Posture and Spinal Alignment
Healthy Aging Exercises for Women Over 45
End 2012 with action that will propel you into a more fit 2013: Subscribe now to our YouTube channel and blog. Please also follow us on Twitter: AlexandraFunFit and KymberlyFunFit and Instagram: KymberlyFunFit and AlexandraFunFit. Click now on the icons above or below. We make it easy to share and subscribe!
OK, the first video clip still looks like you are topless! I had to do a double take at first.
Great tips! Let’s ditch those old moves!
Angela @ happy fit mama recently posted..New Year, New Goals
Hahah. I DO look topless, don’t I? Guess I need more skin color.
AlexandraFunFit recently posted..Walk Your Way to Weight Loss, Health, and Fitness
OMGOSH you KNOW I spent eons doing arm circles with jane fonda too…
Miz recently posted..STOP REREADING!
Us too. My first aerobics class was at the Jane Fonda studio in Beverly HIlls. I hated it. Everyone was very protective of “their” spot. But we sure did arm circles. Lame.
AlexandraFunFit recently posted..BlogTour: Cologne, Amsterdam and Gifts for Your Home
Love it! I hate all 3!
You’ll probably love to hate the others we have upcoming too, then!
AlexandraFunFit recently posted.. Boomer Time and Anytime – Double Time!
Have you seen the new rope-less jump ropes? Basically, they’re handles with short ropes attached. My supervisor bought them at a Can Fit Pro conference and has been encouraging us to use them in our classes. Can’t say that I like them much. Just feel silly (and wobbly)!
P.S. I was really hoping that burpees would be on your list. I know that they’re good for us, but they’re just so hard…
Have a wonderful and happy new year Kymberly and Alexandra!
Tamara recently posted..Review, reflect and move forward | 5 lessons from 2012
I do air-jump rope, as I hate jump ropes altogether. I’ve seen them, and they kind of make me giggle quietly to myself. But, hey, if they get people exercising! Sadly, burpees are effective for most people, so they won’t be on our list. Bummer.
AlexandraFunFit recently posted..Is Wheat-Free Better for You?
Interesting! I wouldn’t have guessed that for the last move, but it makes sense! Funny how you see so many people doing the old “trusted and true” exercises but people don’t realize it’s not effective and/or harmful! Insightful post; thanks!
Bonnie recently posted..Looking Ahead
Great, great post! I didn’t realize people seriously did arm circles as exercises. The hydrant I still see a lot of people doing. I just want to tell them to break out a side lunge or hip abduction instead (maybe even in a side plank!) if you’re aiming to work the gluteus medius. And especially so many other GREAT exercises if the goal is the lower body as a whole.
Tina @ Best Body Fitness recently posted..Not Moving It Monday: Giving In, Not Giving Up
WHAT!!!!! The fire hydrants is SOOOO 2012? Aw man, I am so bummed, LOL!!
GiGi Eats Celebrities recently posted..Santa Claus, You Have Been Naughty!
LOVE!!!!!!!!!!! You know, I never did arm circles or chest squeezes. I have been lifting since my early 20′s so maybe that is why.
I so love yo guys! Fun & informative!!!!
Jody – Fit at 55 recently posted..New Year’s Resolutions, Challenges & Scam Patrol!
Well damn! I was just doing my daily arm circles. Guess I can gain 30 seconds back of my day now.
Fun list and so glad we’re retiring some of these old excercises.
Katie @momslrb recently posted..Looking Ahead 2013