Strong, well defined shoulders and biceps were the reward Judy Taylor, a NewYork City publicist in her early 40s, got from regular weight-lifting sessions. She also got constant pain in her neck, which she figured was a price worth paying — until she met a personal trainer who changed her mind. He pointed out that she was hunching her shoulders up to her ears as she did strengthening exercises. He advised her to focus on pressing her shoulder blades down into her back while pushing her chest slightly outward. And poof! — no more pain. Better yet, Judy could do more repetitions than before.

Getting the Most from Your Workout

Tricks like these make workouts work better. Knowing the secrets to performing an exercise correctly — like shifting your alignment or modulating your speed — will not only save you pain but also help you burn more calories, build strength, and avoid injury.

Real Simple consulted fitness experts and put together this guide to getting the most from 11 popular forms of exercise: walking, running, weight training, spinning, stability balls, yoga, stair-climber, elliptical trainer, swimming, rowing, and tennis.