3 Mistakes People Make with Body-Weight Exercises—and How to Correct Them

Reviewed by Dietitian Madeline Peck, RDN, CDN

Key Points

• Focus on learning the correct form before progressing the difficulty of the exercise.

• Proper muscle engagement, positioning and meeting yourself where you’re at are key for body-weight exercises.

• Strength training supports healthy aging, injury prevention and better balance.

Body-weight exercises are often touted as being a beginner-friendly way to start strength training. They have a low barrier to entry because they require no equipment or gym membership. But if your form is off, even simple moves like pushups, squats and planks can put extra stress on your joints and muscles, increasing your risk of aches or injury.

“Many believe [because] they aren’t adding weight that form doesn’t matter as much, and this is incorrect,” says Jon Cerf, CPT. “Making sure that the correct posture and alignment are in place is key before doing any workout, even if it’s body-weight exercises.”

To learn more, we spoke with fitness and physical therapy experts to identify the most common mistakes people make with body-weight training and how to correct them. Here’s what you need to know.

Mistake #1: Doing Exercises You’re Not Ready for Yet

“The biggest mistake I see across the board is people starting at a level they’re not ready for,” says trainer Nik Signore, NASM, CES. “When people skip that step, they either get hurt or they just stop progressing and get discouraged. That’s actually the bigger risk—not injury, but people quitting because they feel like they’re failing, when in reality they just started in the wrong place.”

If you jump straight into performing full pushups, pull-ups or deep squats without first mastering the fundamental movement pattern and building the strength, mobility and body awareness required to do them safely, the movement may break down, leading to a lack of progress and frustration.

Adopting a long-term mindset and progressing gradually can help correct this. “The first step is choosing a version of the exercise that allows you to maintain good form from beginning to end,” says Theresa Marko, PT, D.P.T., M.S. Take pushups, for example. Marko recommends a gradual progression by starting with a wall press, then a counter pushup, followed by a modified floor pushup with knees supported and finally a full pushup once you’re ready.

Mistake #2: Performing Moves with Improper Form

As with any exercise, performing body-weight moves with improper form can force your body to compensate by recruiting muscles that aren’t meant to carry the load, thereby increasing injury risk. Body-weight exercises are no different.

Cerf notes that improper form happens often with squats and pushups. Proper squat form generally starts with keeping your knees over your toes (never past them), maintaining a neutral spine and using a shoulder-width stance. “If you can’t hit depth with your heels on the floor and a neutral spine, start with a box squat or a goblet squat to learn the pattern before you load it,” Signore advises.

When you’re ready for traditional pushups, be mindful of your core and arm positioning. Place your hands about shoulder-width apart. Signore says to avoid letting your hips sag toward the floor or letting your elbows flare out to the sides. “A pushup is really a moving plank,” he explains. “If your plank isn’t solid, your pushups won’t be either.”

Mistake #3: Passive Planks

The plank is a foundational core-strengthening exercise that looks simple on the surface. You’re not moving or lifting anything; you’re just holding still. However, assuming it is easy is exactly what makes it easy to do incorrectly.

Start by correctly positioning your arms. “Exercises like planks often have people putting their hands or elbows too far in front of them, placing extra stress on the shoulders and neck,” says Marko. “Elbows should be stacked directly under the shoulders, with your body forming a straight line from head to toe.”

Once you have your elbows aligned and your body in a straight line, think about how you are engaging your muscles. “A real plank is an active exercise. You should be actively squeezing your glutes, bracing your core like you’re about to take a hit, driving your elbows down into the floor to engage your lats and abs, and keeping your legs flexed. If you’re doing it right, 30 seconds should feel like a lot,” explains Signore.

Health Benefits of Strength Training

• Supports healthy aging. Body-weight exercises are an effective form of strength training and can help you build and maintain muscle mass at any age. This is essential, as muscle loss accelerates with age and consistent strength training can help slow it down.

• It may support daily function and independence. Strength training builds the muscles used for pushing, lifting and carrying to help support your body during daily activities, which can help you stay active and independent as you age.

• It can improve balance and reduce injury risk. Incorporating a variety of body-weight exercises that train your entire body can help improve balance.

• It’s accessible to nearly everyone. Body-weight strength training requires no equipment or gym membership. Thanks to a variety of modification options for body-weight exercises, they can be done by most people of any age or fitness level.

Our Expert Take

Body-weight exercises are highly versatile and accessible to most people. When done consistently and with proper form, they can provide benefits for balance, healthy aging and injury prevention. However, experts say there are some common mistakes to look out for when doing body-weight training. These include doing exercises you’re not ready for yet, performing exercises with incorrect form, and not pushing yourself during planks. If you’re unsure how to get started, speak with a physical therapist or personal trainer who can evaluate where you are and design a customized program based on your needs.

Read the original article on EatingWell