6 Exercise Machines You Should Do Without
StayHealthy2009
Posts: 25
THE SMITH MACHINE
The myth: This machine—which looks like a squat rack with a built-in bar that runs on guides—gives you all the benefits of squats, but none of the risk that comes from holding a heavy barbell across your back. That’s because the bar can easily be secured at any point during the movement.
The truth: Because the bar runs on guides, you can only move straight up and down as you squat—instead of down and back, as you would in a free-weight squat. The result: An unnatural movement that puts extra stress on your knees and lower back. Need another reason to skip the Smith? Canadian researchers found that traditional squats produced almost 50 percent more muscle activity in the quadriceps than squats done on a Smith machine.
The alternative: If you’re not comfortable with barbell squats, simply do the exercise while holding dumbbells at arm’s length next to your sides. You won’t need a spotter, and your body will be free to move through the natural motion of the squat.
THE SEATED ROTATION MACHINE
The myth: Twisting on this machine helps melt your love handles.
The truth: It works the muscles under your love handles, but will do little to reduce the fat that covers them. What’s more, because your pelvis doesn't move as you rotate your upper body, this exercise can put excessive twisting forces on the spine.
The alternative: As long as you don’t expect to shrink your love handles, you can use rotational exercises to work your obliques. But here’s the secret to safety: Before you do any rotational exercises, brace your abs forcefully—as if you’re about to be punched in the gut—and hold them that way as you do the movement. This limits your range of motion and helps to keep you from rotating excessively at your lower spine.
THE SEATED HIP ABDUCTOR MACHINE
The myth: This machine is the best way to work your out thighs, including your glutes.
The truth: Because you’re seated, it trains a movement that has no functional use. And if done with excessive weight and jerky technique, it can put undue pressure on your spine.
The alternative: Work the same muscles, but while standing. Simply loop a resistance band around both legs, and position the band just below your knees. Now take small steps to your left for 20 feet. Then side-step back to your right for 20 feet. That’s one set. This is much harder than it sounds, but you can do it anywhere, and it’s also a great warm-up for any sport.
THE PEC DECK
The myth: It’s a super safe and very effective way to work your chest muscles.
The truth: This apparatus, also called the chest fly machine, can overstretch the front of your shoulder and cause the muscles around the rear of your shoulder to stiffen. The result: Doing this movement frequently can lead to shoulder impingement syndrome.
The alternatives: Forget the machine, and stick with exercises such as the pushup, dumbbell bench press and dumbbell incline press; they’re easier on your shoulders and the best way to build your chest overall. In fact, Truman State University researchers found that pectoral muscles are activated for 23 percent less time during the chest fly, compared with the bench press.
THE BEHIND THE NECK LAT PULL-DOWN
The myth: The best way to perform the lat pulldown is to pull the bar behind your head, down to your upper back
The truth: Unless you have very flexible shoulders, this exercise is difficult to do correctly, and can increase your risk for shoulder impingement syndrome—a painful condition in which the muscles or tendons of your rotator cuff become entrapped in your shoulder joint.
The alternative: Simple—just pull the bar in front of your head, down to your collarbone. You’ll work your back just as hard, but with less risk for injury.
THE SEATED LEG EXTENSION
The myth: It’s the safest way to work your quadriceps, or thigh muscles.
The truth: Physiologists at the Mayo Clinic determined that leg extensions place significantly more stress on your knees than squats. Why? Because the resistance is placed near your ankles, which leads to high amounts of torque being applied to your knee joint every time you lower the weight. What’s more, Auburn University scientists found that people who squat long-term have tighter, stronger knee ligaments than those who don’t squat at all.
The alternatives: Free weight squats, split squats, and lunges—performed with perfect form—are all better choices for working your quads and protecting your knees.
Source: Men's Health Online Magazine.
The myth: This machine—which looks like a squat rack with a built-in bar that runs on guides—gives you all the benefits of squats, but none of the risk that comes from holding a heavy barbell across your back. That’s because the bar can easily be secured at any point during the movement.
The truth: Because the bar runs on guides, you can only move straight up and down as you squat—instead of down and back, as you would in a free-weight squat. The result: An unnatural movement that puts extra stress on your knees and lower back. Need another reason to skip the Smith? Canadian researchers found that traditional squats produced almost 50 percent more muscle activity in the quadriceps than squats done on a Smith machine.
The alternative: If you’re not comfortable with barbell squats, simply do the exercise while holding dumbbells at arm’s length next to your sides. You won’t need a spotter, and your body will be free to move through the natural motion of the squat.
THE SEATED ROTATION MACHINE
The myth: Twisting on this machine helps melt your love handles.
The truth: It works the muscles under your love handles, but will do little to reduce the fat that covers them. What’s more, because your pelvis doesn't move as you rotate your upper body, this exercise can put excessive twisting forces on the spine.
The alternative: As long as you don’t expect to shrink your love handles, you can use rotational exercises to work your obliques. But here’s the secret to safety: Before you do any rotational exercises, brace your abs forcefully—as if you’re about to be punched in the gut—and hold them that way as you do the movement. This limits your range of motion and helps to keep you from rotating excessively at your lower spine.
THE SEATED HIP ABDUCTOR MACHINE
The myth: This machine is the best way to work your out thighs, including your glutes.
The truth: Because you’re seated, it trains a movement that has no functional use. And if done with excessive weight and jerky technique, it can put undue pressure on your spine.
The alternative: Work the same muscles, but while standing. Simply loop a resistance band around both legs, and position the band just below your knees. Now take small steps to your left for 20 feet. Then side-step back to your right for 20 feet. That’s one set. This is much harder than it sounds, but you can do it anywhere, and it’s also a great warm-up for any sport.
THE PEC DECK
The myth: It’s a super safe and very effective way to work your chest muscles.
The truth: This apparatus, also called the chest fly machine, can overstretch the front of your shoulder and cause the muscles around the rear of your shoulder to stiffen. The result: Doing this movement frequently can lead to shoulder impingement syndrome.
The alternatives: Forget the machine, and stick with exercises such as the pushup, dumbbell bench press and dumbbell incline press; they’re easier on your shoulders and the best way to build your chest overall. In fact, Truman State University researchers found that pectoral muscles are activated for 23 percent less time during the chest fly, compared with the bench press.
THE BEHIND THE NECK LAT PULL-DOWN
The myth: The best way to perform the lat pulldown is to pull the bar behind your head, down to your upper back
The truth: Unless you have very flexible shoulders, this exercise is difficult to do correctly, and can increase your risk for shoulder impingement syndrome—a painful condition in which the muscles or tendons of your rotator cuff become entrapped in your shoulder joint.
The alternative: Simple—just pull the bar in front of your head, down to your collarbone. You’ll work your back just as hard, but with less risk for injury.
THE SEATED LEG EXTENSION
The myth: It’s the safest way to work your quadriceps, or thigh muscles.
The truth: Physiologists at the Mayo Clinic determined that leg extensions place significantly more stress on your knees than squats. Why? Because the resistance is placed near your ankles, which leads to high amounts of torque being applied to your knee joint every time you lower the weight. What’s more, Auburn University scientists found that people who squat long-term have tighter, stronger knee ligaments than those who don’t squat at all.
The alternatives: Free weight squats, split squats, and lunges—performed with perfect form—are all better choices for working your quads and protecting your knees.
Source: Men's Health Online Magazine.
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Replies
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That is a really interesting article, thanks. I use some of those machines but will now stop and do the alternative exercises!0
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Great information! I do use the leg extension because it does place stress on the knees. I had knee surgery about 3 years ago and my knee continued to hurt until I strengthened it enough through exercise. The most effective exercise - the leg extension - but with a moderate amount of weight.0
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Great information! I do use the leg extension because it does place stress on the knees. I had knee surgery about 3 years ago and my knee continued to hurt until I strengthened it enough through exercise. The most effective exercise - the leg extension - but with a moderate amount of weight.
One leg at a time, using only the last 45 degrees or so of extension--Terminal Knee Extensions--can be very effective for certain conditions.0 -
Great article. I have preached the uselessness of the Smith Machine for years. You lose all the effects of the stabilizer muscles that come into play when doing military presses, squats, etc. Go lighter if necessary, but use the 'free' part of the free weights to your advantage. ---Squats - THE BEST exercise in existence...0
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I like to use some of these machines but don't put much weight on. I don't want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger anyway, although I can do the accent (comes naturally :laugh: ) But I like the alternatives and will try some of them.0
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SMITH MACHINE:
World renowned strength coach Charles Poliquin also wrote an article about the dangers of the smith machine for squats. The ideal behind his message is the same as you posted. You are locked into a set position which creates force against both sides of your knees at the same time. So you have pressure pushing from the front and back of your knees!
As far as the trunk rotations,I have read that by using heavy weight resistance you are actually building the muscle under your love handles which in turn makes them bulge out as the muscle grows. So when you shed that fat, your muscles are protruding more. A simple trick is a broom handle doing trunk rotations.
Most machines are universal but sadly dont fit everyones body composition. So we have to get the closest adjustment to our height, leg length etc ...as we can which isnt always best as it doesnt necessarily isolate the specific muscles involved. Isolation work is better used with dumbells as you can focus on the muscle involved. Go light, even if all the Arnolds are standing next to you heaving up the heavy dummbells. What you will notice is they are using more than the muscle group involved just to look good as opposed to correct from and function (guilty as charged). There are prescribed exercises lioke cheat curls to add mass, use more weight to force your muscles to grow, but they are done sparingly. Work on strict form, even if you use a machine, concentrate on the muscle involved.0 -
Just came across this post-I wasn't aware that all these machines were better avoided-thanks for posting!0
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