Not all exercises are going to agree with you. Pain, poor mobility, and lack of coordination all contribute. Here are three ways to get better at an exercise that grinds your gears:

1. Do it more! 

Doing an exercise on occasion won't give you the opportunity to improve. Increase the frequency to two or three times per week. Avoid pushing hard each time. This can be done by varying the weight and total reps. For example: day one do three sets of 10, day two do two sets of 10, and day three do three sets of five with a heavier weight. 

The goal is to get more practice, not punish yourself. 

2. Regress to something easier

If you can't do a back squat, do goblet squats. Can't do push-ups? Do them on a table or counter top. All exercises have many variations that can be used to build strength and skill to progress. 

3. Slow. Down.

A common issue we see is a lack of focus or awareness of how one is moving. Two ways to remedy this are to slow down and/or, lighten the weight. For example, if your technique is subpar during a squat, slow down and take three to five seconds to go down and the same time back up. This will give you time to assess where your body is and what to correct.

Too much weight can take your attention away from your form, reduce it if your technique is suffering. 

BONUS! Perform your exercise in front of a mirror if you're a visual learner!