The Biggest Fitness Mistake Most Men Make, According To Physical Therapists |
When it comes to men’s fitness routines, it’s probably safe to say each one looks a bit different. Some men may prefer exercise products that help them get “fit” while doing something else. Some may have “gym anxiety,” keeping their workouts short, off to the side or at home. Some may focus more on one body part or type of movement, or prefer one machine to its counterpart.
But when it comes to a common no-go that many men do at the gym, physical therapists agree on a clear answer. Ahead, they share the the major fitness mistake, its risks and how to work out in a way that’s both effective and safe.
Men often overly focus on muscle gain and ignore ‘movement quality’
The common fitness mistake among men is “focusing solely on strength or hypertrophy (i.e., muscle gain) without building a foundation of movement quality,” said Andy Fata-Chan, a New York City-based physical therapist, coach and founder of Moment Physical Therapy & Performance. “It’s not that focusing on strength and muscle gain is bad — it’s the lack of variability in a person’s program.”
He explained that there are three different planes of motion, which include the sagittal (up and down) motion, frontal (side to side) motion and rotational (in a circle) motion. “Most people do sagittal-plane-focused exercises on two legs without incorporating all the other variations that can improve their foundation,” Fata-Chan said.
Some helpful exercises and movements, broken down into the different planes of motion, include:
Sagittal (up and down): back squats and bicep curlsFrontal (side to side): arm and leg raises to the side, side shuffles, side lunges and side bendsRotational/transverse (sometimes in a circle): spinal rotation, limb rotation and shoulder and hip movements, such as using a bench press, doing a pushup, or hip abductions/adductionsRenee Moran, a physical therapist........