The five exercises you’re doing all wrong… and how to fix them

So you can do pushups, squats and other classic moves with your eyes closed. 

But what you don't know is that you might not be getting the full potential from your workout because you're doing them slightly wrong. 

Here's a few simple tips from Women's Health on the most common exercise mistakes, and how to fix them: 

Squats

Gazing down while doing a squat – which many people do instinctively – causes your body to lean forward, which can strain your lower back.

Keep your chest lifted so you can increase your reps and weights over time without causing any low-back injuries. 

 

Lunges

If you hold a dumbbell on one side of your body while doing a lunge, it means your lower back muscles and obliques have to help keep your body stable.

By doing this, you've changed your leg exercise into a core move, making your workout more efficient. 

 

Chin-ups

They should actually be called chest-ups because you should aim to pull your chest (not your chin!) to the bar to gain the full body-strengthening benefits. 

By doing this, it stops you from relying solely on your biceps and better engages the muscles around your shoulders. 

 

Bench Press

Keep your feet firmly on the floor the next time you're doing a bench press. Raising your feet or leaning them on the bench can shift as much as 30 percent off your upper body strength, significantly weakening your lift. 

 

Push-ups

Placing your hands flat on the ground while dong a push-up can seriously strain your wrists. Instead, hold onto the handles of a pair of hex-shaped dumbbells. 

This will help straighten your wrists and ease any pressure so you can work on doing as many reps as possible.