“[Planks] are an exercise lazy people made up to give themselves the illusion they’re training their abs. They’re doing nothing at all,” hypertrophy expert Dr. Mike Israetel said in a recent YouTube video.
Is it a hot take? Possibly. But he didn’t stop there. Here are five exercises Dr. Israetel says to avoid, along with better alternatives to replace them with:.
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Ditch Planks for Ab Rollouts
Planks are suboptimal for strength and hypertrophy because they only involve isometric contractions (i.e., tensing muscles without moving). Concentric and eccentric contractions, or isotonic reps, are more effective for muscle development. Isotonic training transfers to functional activities and daily tasks better.
Ab rollouts offer a wide range of motion, with the most tension in the stretched position and the least during the concentric contraction. Flexing muscles under load contributes to growth; studies indicate that stretching against resistance is a vital growth factor. (1) Ab rollouts also train the lats, rear delts, and triceps, so you get more bang for your buck.
Superman or Super Fail?
Unless one is limited in what back exercises they can perform, there are many, many better alternatives with more effective ranges of motion than the Superman.
[Supermans] are debasing; I don’t know what they’re for.
—Dr. Mike Israetel
Supermans cannot be loaded or progressed. Dr. Israetel recommends flexion rows instead, which combine a straight-leg deadlift and a bent-over row.
Rack Pulls: Delusional Strength?
Dr. Israetel does not believe in those who claim rack pulls — which he says “put a barbell on a nice high rack to delude oneself into thinking they’re strong” — are a game-changer for huge traps. He thinks it’s a cop-out, stating, “people are too lazy to bend over.”
Snatch-grip deficit deadlifts are a better variation, according to Dr. Mike. You’ll need a sturdy platform to stand several inches above the ground.
How to do snatch-grip deficit deadlifts
- Squat and grab the bar with a wide grip.
- Pull the bar in, and lift the glutes in the air.
- Actively arch the back while standing up.
- Lower the weight to the floor by allowing the back to round.
- Repeat for reps.
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Triceps Kickbacks & Unilateral Dumbbell Press
While triceps kickbacks potentially offer good concentric contractions, they provide little to no eccentric tension. Since the stretch plays a key role in muscle growth, use triceps kickbacks sparingly or avoid them altogether.
Swap triceps kickbacks for skull crushers or lying triceps extensions. Skull crushers feature a superior stretch and a better resistance curve. Warm up sufficiently and remain conservative with load choices to accommodate elbow comfort and health.
Dr. Israetel affirmed that unilateral static alternating shoulder presses fatigue the non-working arm, resulting in reduced performance. If you want to keep the exercise in your programming, use machines instead of dumbbells. Don’t extend the non-working arm — only grip the handle for stability at the bottom of the movement without tension.
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Reference
- Maeo S, Wu Y, Huang M, Sakurai H, Kusagawa Y, Sugiyama T, Kanehisa H, Isaka T. Triceps brachii hypertrophy is substantially greater after elbow extension training performed in the overhead versus neutral arm position. Eur J Sport Sci. 2023 Jul;23(7):1240-1250. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2022.2100279. Epub 2022 Aug 11. PMID: 35819335.
Featured image via Shutterstock/Riderfoot
