These aren’t evil just not in my programs for performance & Longevity!#foryou #athlete #youtubeshort

27 Apr 2026 · 1 min

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1:05

A coach lists five exercises he avoids for athletes over 30: behind-the-neck lat pulldowns, Smith-machine squats, leg-extension machines, steady-state cardio alone, and kipping pull-ups. Each risks shoulder injury, poor movement patterns, or muscle loss. He suggests barbell squats, Bulgarian split squats, varied conditioning, and strict pull-ups instead.

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5 exercises I would never program for an athlete over 30. As a coach myself, these 5 exercises I would literally never program for an athlete over 30, and most of y'all, y'all still do them. Behind the neck lat pulldowns. Now this exercise is super funny to me because your shoulder capsule is not built for that angle. It will wreck your rotator cuff all the time. I don't know why people do this. Smith machine squats. Now don't get me wrong, these are cool and all, but they lock you into a fixed path and train your joints wrong. Just use a barbell or trap bar. The next one is the leg extension machine as a primary quad exercise. It has zero carryover to athletic movements. Do a Bulgarian split squat instead. Trust me on this. Long-distance steady-state cardio as your only primary source of conditioning. It will literally spike your cortisol, eat through your damn muscles when done wrong, of course, and it literally does nothing for your explosiveness. I can't stand this one, and that's kipping pull-ups. If your shoulder health isn't elite, momentum-based movements on compromised joints is how you get injured. Isn't that common sense? Now, I'm not saying these are evil. No, no, no. I'm saying if longevity and performance are your goals, there are a lot better tools. Train smarter, not just harder. For real.