Tuesday, 30 August 2011
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Exercise Machines to Avoid
Did you know that there are some weight machines at your gym that could cause you injury even when you're using it correctly? Women's Health put together a list of ten machines to avoid when you're working out. This might mean I need to put my plans to jump right back into the circuit at my gym on hold.
Seated leg extension machine - This can put undue strain on the ligaments and tendons surrounding the kneecaps, because it's strengthening a movement that the legs aren't designed to do. I knew there was a reason I hate this machine! Seated shoulder press machine - This puts undue stress on your shoulders, putting the joints in "vulnerable biomechanical positions." It also doesn't let you use your hips to help your shoulders, which is the natural way to push something overhead.
Seated behind-the-neck lat pull-down machine - Wait, they make machines to do a lat pull-downs the wrong way? Well, avoid them, because they can cause pinching in the shoulder joint and damage the rotator cuff if your shoulders aren't flexible enough.
Seated chest fly machine - Here's another machine that pus the shoulder in an unstable position. This places undue stress on the shoulder joint and its connective tissue.
Seated hip abductor machine - Being seated means this machine trains a movement that has no functional use (ya know, I have noticed that while using this one). It can put excessive pressure on the spine if done with too much weight and bad technique.
Seated rotation machine - This puts too much twisting force on the spine, since your pelvis doesn't move.
Seated leg press machine - "It often forces the spine to flex without engaging any of the necessary stabilization muscles of the hips, glutes, shoulders, and lower back." Ugh, definitely have to revise my workout!
Smith machine squats - Because it makes for linear movements as opposed to natural, arched movements, this machine puts stress on the knees, shoulders, and lower back.
Roman chair back extension machine - You put pressure on the spine by repeatedly flexing your back while it's supporting weight, which increases the chances of damaging your disks.
Roman chair sit-up - "The crunching motion can put undue stress on the lower back when it is in a vulnerable rounded position." Does that mean we can avoid all crunches and sit-ups? Not that planks are any more fun, but hey.
Click here for the original list, which includes alternate exercises to do instead.
Do you use any of these machines? Had you been aware of their dangers?
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About the Author
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- From: darci
- About Me: I'm a New York native attending the University of Miami (go Canes!). I love Cherry Coke, all '80s pop culture, the Olympics, snow, and a good story. I hate running, have been known to eat junk food after I finish up at the gym, and have an ongoing rivalry with the Jacob's Ladder. I'm my own brand of health nut!
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Comments (26)
because there's no pictures I have no idea what any of these machines are, the names don't help because at my gym all the names of the machines are either not there or in french.
@xXthisisthebeginningXx@xanga - basically ignore any work out device that even remotely resembles the first two pictures. Dumbbells and barbells will always be superior.
I actually love the leg extension machine because the sitting position makes it slightly easier for me to do that workout while being able to tell if I'm hyperextending my knees. When my hyperextension caused issues, I used that machine all the time just to tell when my knees should stop and as a result my knees stopped hyperextending so much and they re-straightened my muscles around the kneecap that had stopped holding my kneecap in place basically. Yeah you have to be careful with it but I'm not going to stop using that machine.
A lot of these machines actually sounded like things you can avoid by listening to your body, like the hip abductor and the chest fly. I injure easily and I've never had an issue with these machines because I don't push them, I just do enough to get some decent strength training in. I'm also confused as to how the seated leg press forces the spine to flex. Never noticed it doing anything odd to my spine since it works out the legs and your back should be straight. I actually love some of these machines. People just have to be careful, like with any machine and workout.
I just use barbells and dumbbells. I hate using the machines lol.
Huh. I always thought those machines felt pretty awkward.
I go "natural" when I do my exercises. Things like squats, pushups (yuck!), lunges (double yuck!), standing calf raises, barbells, and dumbbells. I also do crunches on the ball, planks, cat raises, seal kicks, reverse crunches, and kettlebell (obliques) for my abs. I limit my use of machines when I can. I think they tend to make my ass fatter instead of my whole body fitter.
Um, machines are designed for isolation exercises. This is to be expected. @xXthisisthebeginningXx@xanga - @flyfox65@xanga - Dumbbells and barbells are not always superior. Just depends what your goals are.
I can agree with most of this article. However, i think there can be a time and place for each machine if used correctly. Pro's and cons to using machines and free weights.
Thanks for this caveat.
My personal trainer has me using all of these and he hasn't informed of any of there dangers. I'm pretty sure body builders use right many of these machines also..
My personal trainer was sure to explain how to position myself to avoid straining or over-extending any of the joints involved. Lighter weights with more repetitions is better than high weights any day.
There are dangers with excessive use or if you use the machines with too much weight, but they're meant to isolate certain areas that (duh) you don't work out on their own.
Theyre only bad if you do them incorrectly, but since many of the people who will read this probably are doing it incorrectly: nice article. :)
You just made a list of all the machines I generally avoid at the gym because they feel unnatural and uncomfortable. Sweet.
Always so easy to injure oneself...
seated leg extension is my favourite machine. I think that whether using free weights or machines you must always check your form. Machines are useful in that they provide support to prevent straining, for example my back is better supported in the shoulder press machine then when I use free weights (even though I prefer the dumbells when working shoulders). What I do like is that this article shows where the injuries could occur, and if you're feeling pain you may have the incorrect form or be using weights that are too heavy.
The leg extension one really makes sense. I have horrid knees as a product of long distance running and that machine always killed me. I figured it was just because I had really weak knees and I needed to work them out... now I know. And the one with the leg press. I get that too. Because after days I worked out on it, my hips would kill me. (I have bad hips too) Kinda sucks though, I liked those machines even though they brought me all that pain.
pictures??????????????????????????????????????????????? normal people do not know the names of the machines, y'know.
NOOO I love my seated hip abductor machine!!! :( :( :(
well I guess its time to break out the thigh master instead hahaha
One of my track coaches in high school told us which machines weren't good for us: Roman chair back extension machine and Seated leg extension machine. We used to just use free weights and non-machine exercises.
I knew I hated weight training in high school for a flippin reason... I HATED those machines... though I liked the bicycle and the treadmill.... but i like lifting the barbells much better... the machines just never felt right.
Don't avoid them, just do them correctly.
I don't use any of those but the seated hip abductor. Sure it's not a movement you ever have to do in real life, but the muscle(s) it works is one that you do have to use for various types of movements. It's just about strengthening the muscles in question.
It's like someone saying not to do yoga because the poses you take are never taken on a day-to-day basis. (It'd be pretty interesting if they were, no?) That's a terrible reason not to do a particular type of workout.
@raspberryjade@xanga - I'm tagging you in this comment because you're so upset about the machine, hahaha. I think you should still use it!
Machines are garbage always. With proper form dumbbells and free weights will always be more effective and safe to use. Machines are a one size fits all deal, it is unrealistic.
HATE HATE HATE the fly machine. I couldn't do it because my shoulders would kill and feel like my shoulder was going to pop out.