How to love the exercises you hate

Everyone has exercises they perform grudgingly or even avoid. "Even though the movements are beneficial, you hate them because they can be difficult or too challenging," says Vijay A. Daryanani, a certified personal trainer and a physical therapist with Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation. "However, by modifying the movements and adjusting your expectations, you can begin to enjoy the exercises you usually struggle with." Here's a look at three common exercises men often hate, why they need to do them, and how to learn to love them.

Squats

Squats activate all major leg muscles at once: the quads and hamstrings (thighs), gluteals (buttocks), and gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris (calves). "Squats can help you build and maintain a stronger lower body, which makes overall movement easier and safer and allows you to stay active and avoid injuries," says Daryanani.

Why you hate them. Since most men suffer from tight hip flexors and hamstrings, squatting low can be difficult, and if done incorrectly, squats can cause back pain.

Learn to love them. Daryanani points out that you essentially perform a squat any time you sit and stand. "Therefore, you can get many of the same benefits from regular squats by performing sit-to-stand exercises," he says. "They provide support and are easy to perform, so you can avoid awkward movements that may put stress on your back."

Here's how to do it: Sit in a chair with your feet hip-width apart and place your hands on your thighs. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Exhale as you slowly stand. Then slowly sit in a controlled movement. Take three to five seconds to stand and sit, making sure not to use momentum.

To make it easier, use a chair with arms and put your hands on the chair's arms as you stand. For a challenge, do the exercise with your arms crossed in front of your chest, hold a dumbbell or heavy book with both hands at chest level, or hold a dumbbell in each hand. Using a lower chair also can increase the difficulty.

Push-ups

The old-school push-up is a multipurpose exercise that engages your body from top to bottom by using the arms, chest, core, hips, and legs.

Why you hate them. Push-ups often are used as a measure of strength and vitality. "If you can't do many, or if you struggle, you may see this as a sign of weakness, so you avoid even trying," says Daryanani. Also, push-ups were long viewed in the military and gym classes as punishment, so the exercise has an aura of negativity.

Learn to love them. "Push-ups easily can be modified in many ways so anyone can successfully do them with confidence," says Daryanani. For instance, begin with push-ups done at an angle against a wall or kitchen counter. "By positioning yourself closer or farther away from the wall or counter and changing the angle, you can increase or decrease the difficulty," says Daryanani. "This way, you can focus on engaging the muscles and can perform with better form." When you are ready to move to the floor, begin with knee push-ups.

Eventually, you can work up to regular push-ups. And never worry how many you can do at one time. "Proper execution and form, where you can feel your muscles fully engaged, is what's important," says Daryanani. "It's always better to do five good push-ups than 10 bad ones."

Bridges

Another great all-in-one move, the bridge works the buttocks, back, and core — where some of your most powerful muscles are. "You engage these muscles whenever you roll over, get off the floor, or lift heavy objects," says Daryanani.

To perform a bridge, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart and parallel to each other. Place your arms at your sides, palms down. Relax your shoulders against the floor. Tighten your buttocks, then lift your hips up off the floor as high as is comfortable. Hold for five seconds, then return to the starting position.

Why you hate them. Bridges can feel awkward at first, especially if you have tight or weak core or back muscles. "Plus, they are not something individuals are accustomed to doing regularly outside of a yoga class," says Daryanani.

Learn to love them. If you can't lift your hips very high or if arching your back is too difficult, place bolsters or pillows under your back for support. "This way, you can hold the pose longer and reduce the risk of straining your back," says Daryanani. Another option is to lift your hips just high enough to engage your muscles, which may be only a few inches.

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