5 Exercises I LOVE…to Hate.

So alone with a few of my fellow twitter bloggers, we have decided to come up with our own top 5 lists of exercises we love to hate. I can’t say I’ve worked out for a long period of time, but since I’ve started this whole weight lift regime, there are definitely exercises I love to hate.

Here are my TOP 5:

1) Bent over dumbbell rows.

I hate these. I don’t know why, I don’t have some story to go along with why I hate this exercise, I just do. Maybe it’s because of how awkward I look bent over, or the fact that I get really tired while doing these and start to lose form, which makes me doing some not-so-bent-over-rows. Either way, it’s a great exercise, its a popular one, but it is probably my LEAST favourite exercise out of them all.

2) Rear Lateral Raises

I hate these probably because they are similar to the above. I look AWKWARD doing these. I seriously stare at myself in the mirror and wonder what those scraggly arms are doing trying to lift up these dumbbells in an awkward way. My coordination or something MUST be off when I’m doing these, because it literally just makes me laugh at myself trying to watch my arms go up in the correct position. *sigh*.

3) Hanging leg raises.

This exercise is a killer one for your abs, but I dislike it strongly. Why? Because, unfortunately, I get clammy sweaty hands when I work out. This makes TRYING to hang very very difficult. I get about 4 reps in before I start to slip. Then gotta wipe the hands, try again. This time I get about 2 reps in before I start to lose my grip, again making me stop and wipe my hands. Then, try again. By the time I get in 12-15 reps of quality leg raises, my shorts are wet with clammy hand yumminess. Yes, I realize this made me seem like a disgusting sweat bucket in the gym but hey, it means I’m workin’ hard!

Hanging leg raises. Obviously not a photo of me, I wouldn't be able to hang on long enough for a photo.

OMG just googled leg raises and saw these! WHY HAVN'T I SEEN THESE BEFORE?! ANSWER TO MY PROBLEMS!?

4. Weighted Jump Squats

I usually do these in the middle of my leg workout, and I now know what it feels like to have the weight of the world on your shoulders. Maybe its only 12.5 lbs, but it feels like a million. These make my legs BURN. While watching myself in the mirror with these what look like LITTLE weights held up near my shoulders, and then watching me get a whopping 2cm of air is really entertaining. At least I can laugh at myself. My legs NEED to grow, and I know that these will help that, regardless of how much I hate them. They are hard, I have poor vertical, and I’d rather do them without weights…I guess I’m just, sigh, lazy when it comes to these. But I shall conquer them one jump at a time, with the weight of the world on my shoulders.

5. THE ROW MACHINE

Doing HIIT training on the rowing machine, even for 10-15 minutes was pure death and agony. Highest resistance, pushing myself to go as fast as I can for 300m, then a 20 second break, repeat this 5-6 times = death. I actually MOVE the rowing machine forward as I row, I realize I probably look like a psycho, but it’s ok. I know the term “no pain no gain” and this is what I repeatedly tell myself when I row.  I am super excited that I don’t have to do this until 6ish months when I’m in competition prep mode again. So for the next 6 months, I will LOVE this exercise and then proceed to hate it.

Measly 6 months till we meet again

Well theres my top 5 exercises I love to hate. What are your least favorite exercises and why? Check out these awesome fit ladies blogs for their take on exercises they love, to hate ( I apologize, I don’t know how to make fancy links but copy and paste these urls for a great read!)

http://www.bikiniorbust.com/2011/04/08/its-a-love-hate-thing/

http://4amaven.wordpress.com/2011/04/08/dreaded-5/

http://wholesomefitness.wordpress.com/

http://passlakeprincess.wordpress.com/

http://www.bareitallfitness.com/

http://www.thefitbee.com/

http://www.figuregirlworld.com/