Some exercise movements are easy, others are difficult but manageable. But there are always a few that we really abhor. Some are so reviled that they have their own merchandise with phrases like «Burpees hate you too.» If you’re not the «no pain, no gain» type, is it okay to just skip the burpee or one of your other least favorite moves?
“There are certain moves that some people will never want to do, and that’s okay. But most people underestimate themselves when it comes to fitness,” said Ashantis Jones, a mental health counselor and personal trainer in Chicago.
Trying something hard and realizing you can actually do it, Ms. Jones added, is a confidence boost with benefits that extend beyond the gym. In a 2022 study, scientists found that adults they considered unhappy reported greater life satisfaction after trying (often physical) activities outside of their comfort zone.
“No one likes to do things they’re not good at,” said Crystal Fasano, a personal trainer and Pilates instructor based in Brooklyn. But “change happens when we’re a little uncomfortable,” she said. The secret: every exercise can be modified and any version of an exercise counts.
Here are some of the most valuable and underappreciated exercises, according to a sampling of experts, and how to make them a little more engaging.
Boards
«All my clients hate planks,” Ms. Jones said. Maybe it’s because they haven’t learned how to do them correctly or they’re trying a version that’s too advanced. Unfortunately, planks are one of the most effective ways to build core strength, which supports posture, balance, and overall stability. If you ignore them, you’re really missing out.
How to adjust
The classic plank involves keeping your body horizontal, in a straight line, with your hands or forearms and toes on the ground. But that’s not the only way to do it.
“You can do forearms and knees, or hands and knees,” Ms. Jones said. You can also rest your hands on a sturdy chair or table or even a wall: Elevating your upper body takes some of the weight off the plank to make it more achievable, she added.
Jump
Whether it’s jumping jacks or squat jumps, Ms. Fasano said, many people hate jumping exercises. «Many people land very hard after jumping and don’t understand how to lessen the impact on their joints when they jump,» she said.
It’s a missed opportunity, said Maillard Howell, a personal trainer in Brooklyn and co-owner of Dean CrossFit. “Jumping improves balance and coordination. This helps us respond quickly if we slip,” he said.
How to adjust
Certain circumstances – injuries, recent surgeries, joint instability – can make jumping a bad idea. And if you suffer from certain types of pelvic floor dysfunction, especially stress incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse, it’s best to see a physical therapist first and start slowly.
But it’s hard to find a more versatile movement: Beyond balance and coordination, jumping increases your heart rate and even builds pelvic floor strength. And learning to land softly can be very helpful.
Keep your knees slightly bent when landing and try to let your toes and the balls of your feet touch first, rather than landing on a flat foot, Ms. Fasano said. Also start slowly and break the movement down. You can start with box progressions before progressing to jumps on a small box, then onto a larger box. Or, for jumping jacks, start with stepping jacks, then progress to spacing your feet just a few inches apart, before doing a wider jump.
Squats
Mr. Howell enjoys observing how people move around him, whether in a gym or on the subway. In some gyms (not his), «person is crouching,” he said. Then, on the subway, he notices that other passengers have to grab a pole to get up from a seat. These two things, he says, are linked.
Squats are a fundamental movement pattern that anyone who wants to sit and stand independently (whether from a subway seat or toilet) should do, Mr. Howell said. This doesn’t mean you have to like them, but there are ways to make them more bearable.
How to adjust
Start simple. “Sit on a bench then stand up. Do this several times,” Mr. Howell said. When you’re ready, try sitting on the bench and standing with your weight primarily on one leg for a few reps, then the other. Work your way up to an unseated squat, and when you feel good, add weight, he added.
Our ankles need to be able to flex deeply to allow our knees and hips to bend, said New Jersey physical therapist Jill Koshak-Johnson. If your ankle mobility is limited, certain exercises and standing with your heels on a wedge (available at most gyms) can help.
Deadlifts
Fear of the deadlift is more about fear than hatred, Ms. Koshak-Johnson said: “People think deadlifts are bad for the back or can aggravate existing back injuries. »
And yes, if you try a deadlift, which involves bending from the hips to lift a weight, with a heavily loaded barbell on your first visit to a gym, your back might revolt. But deadlifts done correctly are one of the best ways to strengthen your hamstrings and glutes, which «can really help take some pressure off the back,» Koshak-Johnson said.
How to adjust
Deadlifts can be much more sustained if you can address hip mobility limitations as well as pelvic floor tension or tightness, Ms. Koshak-Johnson said. Prepare for your deadlift session with a few exercises to activate the internal rotators and hip adductors. If necessary, progress to trying a hip hinge on your knees, she said, then a standing hinge. Then add weight slowly, using a pair of light dumbbells to familiarize yourself and having a trainer or knowledgeable friend monitor your form.
Burpees
No list of hated exercises would be complete without the burpee. Invented as a fitness test in the 1930s by a physiologist named Royal H. Burpee, it was later adopted by the Army and Navy and is still popular in CrossFit gyms and other sporting spaces. Many of Ms. Jones’ clients assume they can’t do them because they don’t have a CrossFit physique. But many people can make a version, they said.
“The appearance or shape of your body, someone in a larger body or a smaller body, it doesn’t matter for the burpee. The burpee doesn’t care,” they said.
How to adjust
At its core, the burpee involves moving from a standing position to a horizontal position on the floor, then getting back up again. An advanced burpee may involve squatting quickly, jumping onto a plank, performing push-ups, jumping forward into a squat, then returning to a standing position.
But you can adjust any part that feels too uncomfortable, Ms. Jones said. You can step back into a plank, skip push-ups, step forward one foot at a time, or stand without jumping.
“It doesn’t have to be fast, it can be slow,” they added. None of these difficult elements “are necessary for a burpee to be a burpee.”
Anna Maltby is a freelance health writer and personal trainer based in Brooklyn.