Three exercises almost everyone does wrong
The pull-up, the row and the Romanian deadlift look simple. That’s exactly why they’re so often done in a way that misses their purpose.
The pull-up that turns into a shrug
When your shoulder blades don’t drop before you pull, your upper traps take over. Your shoulder goes up instead of down and back, so your back comes out of the exercise almost untouched. Chest toward the bar, elbows toward your ribs.
The row with too much body swing
Swinging with your hips makes it feel like you’re moving more weight, but it cuts your time under tension. A half-second pause at the top of every rep fixes that without a single extra set.
The Romanian deadlift that turns into a squat
If your knees travel forward, the load shifts from your hamstrings to your quads. Hips go back, knees stay almost fixed, the bar slides along your legs.