Subhechcha Ganguly 
Training hard doesn’t always mean training smart. According to Alex, a certified personal trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), improper technique and “ego lifting” can do more harm than good — leading to stalled progress, serious injuries, and even long-term joint or bone damage.
In an Instagram video shared on November 5, Alex broke down eight common gym mistakes that could ruin your joints, emphasizing that “it’s not overtraining that ruins lifters — it’s doing dumb stuff for too long and calling it hard work.”
He highlighted that poor form in popular exercises like the bench press and behind-the-neck press are major culprits.
On the bench press, Alex warned against flaring elbows, saying, “Stop flaring your elbows out like a chicken. You’re not hitting more chest — you’re wrecking your shoulders. Tuck your elbows, set your back, and control the bar.”
As for the behind-the-neck press, he cautioned lifters to skip it altogether: “Your shoulders aren’t meant to move that way. Keep the bar in front if you want to lift for years without injury.”
Through his post, Alex reminds fitness enthusiasts that smart, controlled movements — not reckless intensity — are key to sustainable strength training and joint health.
