5 Exercises to Skip for Better Gains

If your goal is serious muscle-building and strength gains, not all exercises deserve a spot in your workout routine.

According to sports scientist Dr. Mike Israetel, some exercises might be popular or useful in specific cases, but they’re not the best choice for optimizing hypertrophy, burning fat, or building power.

Below, we’ll break down the exercises Israetel says aren’t worth your effort—and offer better alternatives to maximize your gym time.

Read Also: The Power of Pace: How Faster Walking Boosts Health

1. Bosu Ball Exercises

The Bosu ball is often used to add instability to exercises like squats, lunges, and push-ups.

But while it might be great for improving balance and coordination, it’s counterproductive for hypertrophy.

“When you’re on the ball, your body detects instability and limits how much your muscles can contract,” explains Israetel.

This means the bigger, growth-prone muscles—like your quads or chest—aren’t being fully engaged.

Upgrade Your Routine:

• Perform squats, lunges, and push-ups on solid ground to eliminate instability and maximize muscle activation.
  
  

2. Kettlebell Swings

Kettlebell swings are excellent for cardio and general fitness, but they fall short when it comes to building muscle or improving power.

Israetel points out that most of the force produced in swings is horizontal, whereas sports and strength training prioritize vertical force.

Better Options for Power and Muscle Gains:

• Deficit Deadlifts
  
  
• Power Cleans
  
  
• Mid-Thigh Pulls
  
  

These movements directly target your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back for strength, size, and explosive power.

3. Heavy Carries

While heavy carries, like farmer’s walks, do work your traps and strengthen your skeleton, Israetel argues they aren’t the most efficient exercise for hypertrophy.

“They massively fatigue you and take a lot of energy that could be better spent on other, more productive lifts,” he explains.

Try These Instead:

• Rack Pulls
  
  
• Overhead Presses
  
  
• Deficit Deadlifts
  
  

These exercises hammer your traps and hit other muscle groups effectively, giving you more bang for your training buck.

4. Bicycle Abs

Bicycle crunches may feel like a solid ab workout, but they lack one crucial element for muscle growth—a good stretch of the abs.

Plus, they’re hard to progress with, so once you master them, you won’t see significant gains.

Stronger Core Alternatives:

• Decline Weighted Sit-Ups
  
  
• V-Ups
  
  

These moves allow for added resistance and a fuller range of motion, making them superior for developing visible, strong abs.

5. Turkish Get-Ups

Israetel calls the Turkish get-up “a parlor trick.” While it requires shoulder mobility, light leg strength, and coordination, he argues it lacks focus on any one area and isn’t particularly effective for building strength or size.

Replace with These Moves:

• Deep Barbell Squats
  
  
• Barbell Overhead Presses
  
  

These exercises challenge your lower-body strength and upper-body stability more comprehensively—and with far more load-bearing potential.

Read Also: 6 Easy Ways to Stay Active When Life Gets Busy

Focus on What Works

No exercise is inherently “bad,” but some are far less effective for advanced goals like hypertrophy or building raw power.

By swapping out these overrated movements for more targeted alternatives, you’ll build muscle, strength, and endurance far more efficiently.

Source: menshealth

The opinions shared in the GymNation blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.