6 Abs Exercises That Can Cause Injury

You know these—and you’ve probably done them, with a dumbbell or plate in one hand, bending sideways back and forth like a lop-sided pendulum. Harski says they’re no bueno, because of the strain they can put on the spine by crunching it laterally (and weighing it down that way, no less).

Try this instead: farmer carries. “These force you to develop rigidity and strength by resisting lateral flexion,” he says. Basically, the opposite of what those side bends do. To do: Grasp a heavy dumbbell or plate in one hand down by your side, and walk the length of a room and back, focusing on keeping your shoulders square and not giving in to gravity.

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