Wakeup Workout: Workout Do's and Don'ts

Physical therapist, and strength and conditioning specialist Joe Ciccone will be here to point out how we do sit ups, squats, push ups and rows the wrong way and then show us how to do them the right way to maximize our workout.

SQUATS
Wrong:
Feet narrow
weight on the heels
Knees coming together
Back rounding (kyphotic curve)
Neck hyperextended

Correct:
Feet shoulder width
Weight between ball of foot and heel
Knees staying aligned over foot
Back remaining slightly arched (lordotic curve)
Neck in neutral position

SIT-UPS
Wrong:
Using hip flexors to get up
Extending neck
Only using rectus abdominis
Straight plane

Correct:
Neck in neutral position
Minimizing use of hip flexors
Transverse plane
Incorporating all abdominal muscles (transverses abdominis, internal/external oblique, rectur abdominis)

PUSH-UPS
Wrong:
Hips dropping (sagging)
Elbows flaring out to the side ( too much shoulder abduction)
Incomplete range of motion and reaching with neck
Neck extension

Correct
Hips neutral position (core bracing)
Elbows at 45 angle toward body
Chest touching not neck

ROWS WITH RUBBERBANDS
Wrong
Neck extension
Keeping elbows directly at side
Not retracting shoulder blades (stuck in protraction and anterior tilt)

Correct
Neutral neck
Elbows in more abducted position
Retracting shoulder blades