6 exercises to prevent pain and injury in the gym

1. Glute L-bridge

Most often in the gym and in everyday life, the hips move back and forth. For example, while walking, running, squatting, lunging. Movement in the frontal plane - from side to side - is much less common. As a result, the muscles responsible for abduction and adduction of the legs are less developed than those that flex and extend them.

The gluteal L-bridge is aimed at working out the gluteus medius muscles, which are responsible for abducting the leg to the side. Strengthening these muscles will help you increase your squats, deadlifts, and lunges, as well as take some of the stress off your lower back.

It will also show if you have problems with hip mobility and help you increase your range of motion.

Lie on the floor on your back, bend your legs and place your feet, put your hands, palms down.
Tear the pelvis off the floor and lift it as high as possible, tighten the buttocks at the top point.
Lift one leg off the floor, bend it at the knee at a right angle and pull the knee closer to the body.
Keeping the glute muscles tense, move the raised hip to the side, as if you are going to put it on the floor. Hold for a second, return to starting position and repeat.
Try to keep your pelvis in place, do not let it twist and bend.
Move slowly and under control, keep the tension in the gluteal muscles.
Do three sets of six reps for each leg.

2. Rise in a side plank with legs on a dais

People love to fold their abs and stand in the classic plank in an attempt to pump up beautiful cubes. In this case, the oblique muscles of the abdomen are often left unattended. Moreover, girls are afraid to make turns of the body so as not to spoil their waist.

However, it is an important part of the corset that stabilizes the core in a wide variety of exercises.

The side plank lift pumps your obliques well and also strengthens your inner thighs, which will have a positive effect on your squatting weights.

Find a low support, lie on your side and place one hand on your forearm.
Place your upper leg on a support, slightly bent at the knee. Straighten your lower leg.
Leaning on your elbow, climb into the side plank and bring your legs together.
Drop back down and repeat.
Do three sets of 10 times on each side.

3. Reverse plank on two benches

Strength training often overlooks exercises for the small muscles of the neck and upper back, so despite heavy deadlifts and pull-ups with weights, people are injured in everyday life from some simple movements or suffer from neck and shoulder pain.

This exercise will help strengthen the flexors of the neck, the rhomboid muscles under the trapezium, the small posterior deltas, the middle of the trapezium, and the small round muscles, part of the rotator cuff.

This reverse plank option can help you improve your posture and avoid neck and back problems.

Place two benches or two chairs (if doing at home) about shoulder-width apart.
Sit on the floor between the benches with your shoulders on them so that the edges are under your armpits.
Raise your pelvis so that the body is stretched in one line from the knees to the crown of the head.
Pull your neck up, press your elbows on the benches so that your chest comes forward.
Keep your hips high, don't let your pelvis sag.
Hold this position for 15 seconds, then rest for a minute and repeat two more times.

To increase the load, move the benches a few centimeters further apart. Even a small change will make the exercise much more difficult.

4. Row on the block with raising arms

This exercise also helps target weak back and neck muscles, improve posture, and strengthen the rotator cuff muscles for joint stability in a variety of exercises.

Sit on a low support or kneel in front of the block machine and grasp the rope handle. Straighten your back, hold the handle in outstretched hands. If you are doing at home, you can grab an expander and hook it to something just off the floor.
Pull the handle up to eye level while spreading the ropes to the sides.
Raise your arms up to full extension at the elbows, and then lower them back and repeat.
Keep your elbows wide and maintain a neutral back position: do not slouch or bend at the lower back.
Lower your shoulders, do not pull them up to your ears.
Move slowly and under control.
Do three sets of five, resting 1-2 minutes in between.

5. Rolling the medicine ball on the back

Upper-body strength exercises often cause the shoulders to become stiff: the muscles become stiff and hammered so that you can't even just get your hands behind your head. Lack of shoulder mobility will prevent you from doing many exercises, such as the barbell snatch, Turkish kettlebell lift, and medicine ball throws.

In addition, an imbalance in the body increases the risk of inflammation and pain.

Rolling the medicine ball will help stretch tough and strengthen weak muscles that are unloaded in most strength exercises.

Lie on your stomach and pick up the medball. For a start, a lightweight projectile is suitable (from 1 to 5 kg, depending on your level of training).
Hold the medball in bent arms next to your head, and spread your elbows wider to the sides.
At the same time, lift your legs and arms with the medicine ball off the floor and place the ball on your upper back. Pause briefly and return to starting position.
Keep your chin tucked in and your neck straight. The neck can automatically stretch forward towards the floor. This is a compensatory movement that should be avoided.
Keep your elbows wide at all times. If you do biceps curls instead, you will not get any benefit.
Perform three sets of 10 reps, resting 1-2 minutes in between.

6. Transferring the pancake from hand to hand

This exercise will also help you develop shoulder mobility and move freely.

Lie on the floor on your stomach, take a small pancake weighing 1, 25 kg or a bottle of water. Stretch your arms forward with the pancake.
Raise your legs and arms at the same time, wrap your right hand with the plate behind your back in a circular motion and transfer the shell to your left hand.
In the same circular motion, return the left arm with the plate to its original position and repeat.
Keep your feet flat on the floor until the end of the set.
Do it 8 times in one direction, rest for 1–2 minutes and repeat in the other direction.
Take 2-3 sets.

You can do all of these exercises separately on different days, or do them all together in one workout. Repeat each one 1-2 times a week. Gradually increase your working weights for weights, and for bodyweight movements, increase the difficulty or number of repetitions per set.