7 Unexpected Dangers to Avoid at the Gym

Backward Lat Pulldowns

The instruction panel on this machine may show a seated figure pulling the bar down behind his head and neck. Ignore it. As almost all trainers will tell you, pulling behind the head requires the shoulder flexibility of a Cirque du Soleil performer. Those of us who spend our days hunched over keyboards risk injuring our stiff shoulders and tearing our rotator cuffs by following those outdated directions.

Be safe: Effectively strengthen your lats by pulling the weighted bar in front of your face and down to your collarbone, says Jessica Matthews, an exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. Same machine, different move, better results.