You’re trying to lose weight and get fit, so you work hard every day to get the best results possible. Sometimes whatever you’re doing isn’t enough, though. You shouldn’t waste your time, so we’re going to tell you which workouts you should stop doing now so you can get the results you want fast.
If you’re going to make room in your busy schedule to exercise, you want it to be worth your time. What’s the point of having a gym membership, waking up at the crack of dawn, or buying expensive workout clothes if your efforts won’t pay off? Unfortunately, many people spend their workouts focusing on exercises that either put them at risk for injury or won’t provide the results they’re hoping to achieve.
Wondering if your workout is safe and effective? Keep reading to find out what pieces of your routine you may want to reconsider, we have 5 popular workouts for you to replace.
Crunches
You want to cut down the fat on your tummy, so naturally you go for the classic crunch. You would think that doing as many crunches as possible would get you the abs you want, but that’s wrong. The traditional crunch works only a small part of your abdominal muscles and doesn’t touch your obliques or lower back.
We’ve done a post before about how important it is to make sure you work every muscle in your core to 
Thigh Adductor and Abductor
Working your inner and outer thighs on these machines is a waste of time, looks silly, and forces your legs into unnatural positions. Your goal may be to slim your thighs, but no exercise is effective at spot reduction. Don’t fall into the trap of believing you can focus in and reduce trouble areas of your body. You need to be sure that you’re engaging all of the muscles in the area you’re trying to reduce. If you’re trying to get a stronger backside, then you’re going to work out your legs, too. That’s why you need to be sure to do squats and lunges in place of this machine. Burpees are also a great way to work out your thighs.
Side Bends and Twists
Another pointless exercise many people do in their effort to shrink love handles are trying to bend from side to side or twist rapidly back and forth. Holding hand weights and bending or twisting from side to side over and over again won’t slim your belly. Rather, it can injure your lower back. Focus instead on exercises that work multiple muscles at once, such as bicycle kicks lying on your back, and you’ll burn more calories and see the results you desire.
