10 Machines You Must Avoid at the Gym

Yea, that part sounded pretty bad. Any sentence that has the words sticky, steve, and "in ya" is just ridiculous.
 
Steve said:
That's a lot of reading. If you spent a lot of time in the stickies... you've got entirely too much 'Steve' in ya... and that sounds worse than it's intended, lol.

Here's an important thing to keep in mind, always, as you travel down this journey of health and fitness. Don't get sucked into the extreme mentality that many fitness articles and professionals will lead you to believe. There are VERY few black/white, either/or, right/wrong factors in this. It doesn't work like that.

The only time these extremes pop up is when you're doing something that will obviously lead to injury.

Beyond that, simply jump in and get started. Don't lose the hunger or stop the pursuit for knowledge. As you begin working out consistently, you'll see improvements. You have to. Anything above and beyond what your body is used to will cause improvement. As you progress physically and mentally you will surely find approaches that work best for you. It's a never-ending process of learning and trial & error. That can't be stressed enough.

So many people come in here and read about what ideally should be happening. It's rare when what's ideal is also what's real. The reality is this: Novices can't be expected to do everything optimally.

i) they aren't familiar with what's optimal
ii) they aren't ready for what's optimal

The bottom line, as noted above, is starting. Be confident. Be smart. If something doesn't seem right, don't do it. And ask questions. Be flexible in your thinking and your approach.
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lol. I did come across a lot of 'steve-isms'! It was all great information, but I should have just paced myself and tried not to learn it all in one sitting! I also really need to keep in mind (which is what you've been saying all along) that everyone is different and is in their own place in the race. I'm further behind than a lot of the people that you were giving councel to in the stuff I was reading...and I think I let that thought escape me at some point in my delirium last night..err.. this morning.

Well, the bottom line for me is: Thank you. I know i keep saying that, but seriously...I am so grateful to people like ya'll who are on here, selflessly helping others out and spreading "the know." Thanks for not hoarding what you've learned through experience and through others. I don't know you very well, but a big appreciative hug would be in order right about now :)
 
maleficent said:
I'm not a big fan of machines because my screwed up head says you're just gonna do it wrong and hurt yourself so dont ..
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Isn't that the whole point of using machines as opposed to free weights - so you don't hurt yourself?

Like this quote about the seated press machine...

2 Seated Military Press
It puts undue stress on the shoulders, and the movement doesn’t let you use your hips to assist your shoulders, which is the natural way to push something overhead.

Use your hips to assist your shoulders?

If you need to use your hips to push a weight overhead then for sure you're using too much weight and for sure you're going to screw up your shoulders. (Not to mention that you're going to screw up your back also). :)

Which the Seated Military Press on the machine prevents.
 
If you need to use your hips to push a weight overhead then for sure you're using too much weight and for sure you're going to screw up your shoulders. (Not to mention that you're going to screw up your back also).
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The reason the overhead press is such a great exercise is that it works the body as one piece. Your trunk & legs stabilize the weight while your shoulders, upper-chest & arms press the weight overhead. So basically the machine less efficient (I wont go as far as say dangerous) Because you are using a very small muscle group to do the job that your entire body should be involved in.
 
Mark Rippetoe would argue against your point.

You should watch the whole thing but at around the 50 second mark will suffice for my purpose:



This is all moot, however. The question is, should a novice start with machines so they don't hurt themselves with free weights?

In my experience, it completely depends.

If someone has absolutely no strength, body awareness, confidence, coach/trainer, etc.... possibly. It usually requires all the above though for me to make that suggestion.

If someone is capable though, I think it's best to start out learning right from the get-go with free weights.... obviously with correct mechanics. This is hard if you don't have good resources to decipher what correct mechanics look/feel like and/or someone with an experienced eye correcting flaws. Be that as it may, starting from scratch with free weights tends to hinder any negative proclivities that carryover from solely using machines.

With all that said, there's a time and a place for everything. I use machines almost every day that I train. They aren't evil, which I know nobody in this thread is saying. I'm just making it apparent.
 
edco76 said:
The reason the overhead press is such a great exercise is that it works the body as one piece. Your trunk & legs stabilize the weight while your shoulders, upper-chest & arms press the weight overhead. So basically the machine less efficient (I wont go as far as say dangerous) Because you are using a very small muscle group to do the job that your entire body should be involved in.
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That lack of efficiency, as you put it, though could lead to injury. Why machines have a bad rap (is it wrap or rap?) is most people who start with machines in the average gym setting never leave the machines. When you never leave the machines, often times you neglect stabilization and proprioception. When neglect things like this, you weaken some links in the chain. A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link.
 
Mark Rippetoe would argue against your point.
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Was that my point or Doc's? I gots no speakers at work.


Steve said:
That lack of efficiency, as you put it, though could lead to injury. Why machines have a bad rap (is it wrap or rap?) is most people who start with machines in the average gym setting never leave the machines. When you never leave the machines, often times you neglect stabilization and proprioception. When neglect things like this, you weaken some links in the chain. A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link.
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Agreed. When I said "I wont go as far as say dangerous" I meant I didnt want to sound like "Don't use that machine you will get injured" Injuries can and do happen everywhere. If you ever need to make a sudden stop on the elyptical you may get injured.
 
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Then, of course, there are machines, then there are machines.

True, some of those pieces of equipment found in the old YMCA type gyms were potentially dangerous.

But the newer stuff put out by top line mfgs. like Atlantis or Hammer Strength are ergonomically designed so you can't hurt yourself.

Well, lowers the chances of that happening, but I've seen some pretty strange movements being performed on them like the person was having a seizure or something.

(Ergonomic - that the right word?)
 
(Ergonomic - that the right word?)
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pro·pri·o·cep·tion (pr?'pr?-?-s?p'sh?n)
n. The unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation arising from stimuli within the body itself.

er·go·nom·ics (ûr'g?-n?m'?ks)
n.

1. (used with a sing. verb) The applied science of equipment design, as for the workplace, intended to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort. Also called biotechnology, human engineering, human factors engineering.
2. (used with a pl. verb) Design factors, as for the workplace, intended to maximize productivity by minimizing operator fatigue and discomfort: The ergonomics of the new office were felt to be optimal.

Lets all improve our vocabularies
 
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