Walk by the machines, pick up some weights

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/08/2014 (4222 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Many of the most popular machines you see at the local gym are not only ineffective, they may actually be unsafe.

Here are some of the most overrated machines to avoid in order to make the best use of your time at the gym, along with some superior no-equipment necessary alternatives.

The pec fly machine, also known as the “pec deck,” targets the pectoral muscles.  The machine can put the rotator cuff at risk by forcing the shoulder joint into a precarious position. Luckily you don’t need a machine to work your chest muscles. Pushups and dips do the job quite nicely, and have the added advantage of working your entire body for better overall results.

Many people mistakenly believe that using the hip abduction and adduction machines will help to minimize and tone the inner and outer thighs, but there is no such thing as spot reduction, and the pressure on the thighs may be irritating to the hip joint. The machine actually works stabilizer muscles that aren’t meant to work on their own. To use these muscles as they were meant to work, consider single leg balance work, and lateral lunges and carries.

Leg extension and leg curl machines target the large, important muscles of the front and back of the legs, and as such, they appear to give a lot of bang for your exercise buck. The problem is these machines can create unnecessary torque on the knee by interfering with natural rotation at the joints. The machines isolate quads and hamstrings, the prime movers in these exercises, rather than working them in a functional manner. Squats, hip extensions and hip bridges are much more effective and they reduce the risk of injury when done correctly.

The Smith machine is a machine with a barbell that glides up and down inside a rack. It is very common in most gyms, but more common are faulty posture and poor biomechanics when using the machine due to the restricted bar path and false sense of security users may experience. By interfering with natural bar path and movement, this machine may increase risk of injury and stress on the joints and soft tissue. Use free weights instead of the machine and your body will recruit even more muscle.

Most abdominal machines are a waste of time, especially abdominal crunching and twisting machines. The mistaken impression that targeting abdominal muscles will magically burn belly fat makes these gym favourites, but the visibility of one’s abdominal muscles is in large due to nutrition and overall lifestyle, rather than abdominal strength. Compound exercises such as squats and pushups will work the abs in the way they are intended to work, as stabilizers.

However, if like most gym-goers, you like to finish your workout with some abs, choose holds such as planks or hollow holds.

The human body recruits muscles in many different ways, but exercise machines fall short because they isolate single muscle groups and work them in restricted, unnatural, and often uncomfortable ways. Machines are generally not conducive to overall health and physical literacy — they simply don’t help people move better. Nine times out of 10, free weights or your own body weight will serve you better than any gym machine.

Tania Tetrault Vrga is owner and head trainer at CrossFit Winnipeg. Send questions to her at www.crossfitwinnipeg.com