What is Digg?Sponsored by AVG
Not All Free Anti-Virus Software Is Created Equal view!
free.avg.com - 2.4 million people a week get AVG Anti-Virus Free, for the best protection against web threats.
323 Comments
- inactive, on 07/13/2008, -7/+373I think Diggers already know to avoid the gym.
- Louis11, on 07/13/2008, -8/+350So like . . . every machine at the gym?
- nobody98, on 07/13/2008, -3/+153I stay at home in front of my computer just to make sure I avoid them.
- icantseeyou, on 07/12/2008, -34/+183I used to work out 3 times a week and I think I used all of those.
Working out is bad for your health. Great link. - Wakuko, on 07/13/2008, -9/+137What's this GYM you speak about?
- TheMidnight, on 07/13/2008, -1/+97I love the gym! I take my Pokemon there to win badges.
- zephyr42, on 07/13/2008, -2/+94Free weights are really the only way to go, they're safer and they don't contort your body in ways it isn't naturally tuned to go. Also since machines are fixed there's no range of motion and no balance required.
- bixby1, on 07/13/2008, -6/+95avoided all.
- weech, on 07/13/2008, -9/+79clearly whoever wrote this article has no idea WTF he's talking about. Yes, using such machines places stress on joints and ligaments. so do free weights. they both have pro's and cons. that's like saying dont run because it'll ruin your hips..right. seriously why do people write this kinda *****? buried.
- mca1990, on 07/12/2008, -2/+57What's next? You're going to tell me Kälteen bars make me gain weight?
- chrillen, on 07/13/2008, -21/+75Working out is not bad for your health, or did you just forget the sarcasm tag?
- Alex2, on 07/13/2008, -0/+46Too much pressure on the thighs. Go for the recliner.
Better yet, just stay in bed. - ChileanGoD, on 07/13/2008, -4/+40I recommend the armchair.
- xShifty, on 07/13/2008, -0/+35He said that because he gained 40lb of muscle and lost 10lb of fat.
- scalded, on 07/13/2008, -1/+32The vending machines are still free reign.
- bunit03057, on 07/13/2008, -12/+43Notice how many of the replacement workouts are lame. "Medicine-ball throws" instead of a military press yea... ok
- spmyke, on 07/13/2008, -1/+32Typically, it’s best to avoid most nautilus-esque machines at the gym. All they try to do is mimic proven free-weight exercises, but are far less effective, instead.
- somedigg, on 07/13/2008, -1/+31bro if you just look at any athlete's training program, you will see a lot of free-weight power exercises. Moreover, if you talk to a bodybuilding professional they will tell you that compound exercises are the best for your body : squats, deadlifts and the bench press
Some more natural motion exercises : pullups, pushups, barbell shoulder press etc.
Anyways, I've been training for 2 years, gained 40lbs, lost 10 and I hardly ever use machines.
Good luck! - ohnoitstaylor, on 07/14/2008, -0/+28Given this context, saying "bro" probably extends his credibility.
- maci01, on 07/13/2008, -0/+22Not the 5th dimension *****.
- BedPost, on 07/13/2008, -1/+23Have you ever used medicine balls for workouts? They're ***** intense. Seriously. I've done the bounce the ball against the wall above you workout - it's strenuous.
- CorruptRay, on 07/13/2008, -7/+28This article is total BS.
And to everyone saying "free weights are better", they're really not unless you know exactly what you're doing. If you turn slightly wrong while doing an exercise with free weights you're going to work out a different set of muscles or no muscles at all. Machines like these isolate the group of muscles they're intended for and reduce the chances of you messing it up.
I've used 8 of these 10 machines 4+ times a week for almost 4yrs now and I've noticed great physical improvement and my spine is still intact and not all broken and curved as this article suggests it would become.
I mean comon, Chuck Norris is the spokesman for a machine that incorporates almost all of these. Chuck Norris wouldn't lie to you. - dsmx, on 07/13/2008, -2/+22GYM? What's a GYM? Oh a GYM.
- morpheus69, on 07/13/2008, -2/+21I agree this is *****, all the replacement exercises were body weight exercises...you can't build muscle without progressively increasing workload, and for that you need weight. If you feel you have to replace these machines, my suggestions would be:
1. Seated leg ext.: Barbell squats (narrow stance)
2. Military Press Machine: Dumbell military press w/palms facing (removes stress on rotator)
3 Seated Lat Pulldown: Use palms-facing bar or use cable pulldown machine
4. Pec-Dec: dumbell incline flys
5. Hip Abductor: this is an awesome machine for strengthening the hip abductor/adductor muscles...there's no reason to avoid it and no other way to hit these muscles
6. Seated Rotation: Bicycle Crunches
7. Leg Press: Barbell squats (wide stance)
8. Smith Squats: see 7
9. Roman Chair: if you're careful not to hyperextend or round the back, this is a great exercise
10. Roman Chair Situps: crunches - chaos7, on 07/13/2008, -4/+21free weights are the way to go. go to exrx.net to find all different kinds of exercises with different ways to do them.
- pkulak, on 07/13/2008, -0/+16How could they leave out the leg lift machine?
What it's supposed to do: work your abdominal muscles.
What it actually does: works your hip flexors, which is great if you're a sprinter, but is worthless if you're trying to get some stomach definition.
A better exercise: crunches. Or any exercise which draws your ribcage closer to your pelvis, which is all your abdominals are responsible for. - shogan191, on 07/13/2008, -4/+18Yes, I avoid those for sure.
- Necho, on 07/13/2008, -2/+15just a couple comments for those using the machines (btw I would agree with much of this article and although I'm not that experienced myself, I like the machines and want to relay some good information I've picked up from others)
Instead of the machine military press just use dumbbells. The shoulders are a complex muscle group and one of the most injured so free weights (which hit the "stabilizer" muscles more) are much more appropriate and not that much more inconvenient.
Squats and deadlifts are some of the best compound movements and should arguably be a part of any routine; machines are no substitute
in response to the article's comments on the "seated pec deck" try moving the seat up: this puts less stress on your shoulder joints (and moves emphasis from the pecs to the triceps and delts) but still a good workout. - ModernChem, on 07/13/2008, -3/+16I avoid them all. imo machines are for people who are too lazy to do free weights.
- dgxshiny, on 07/14/2008, -0/+12I already beat Brock.
- Dominicc2003, on 07/13/2008, -0/+12Weighted Body-weight exercises FTW.
I know technically they're not "bodyweight" if extra weight is added but you know what I mean: Do things u can do without weights, then add resistance! - mohsenxp, on 07/13/2008, -0/+11I bet you don't even go outside to run for free.
Doing nothing but cardiovascular exercise just results in losing muscle mass.
You need to incorporate some sort of weight lifting regime to build up metabolism and improve your fitness, and for many people, finding suitable resistance exercises doesn't come for free.
I know people at my gym who pay £40 a month and all they do is use the treadmill to run. Now that is a complete waste of money. - chrillen, on 07/13/2008, -2/+13At ShinRaTDR: Well bloody hell, this is just what I mean. We're going to stop people from running now just because it can ruin your knees? Might as well just sit at home so that we don't go out into the dangerous world!
- LinusTheLim, on 07/13/2008, -1/+12I have balanced 250 pounds on my shoulders and was not amazed at how much the chest and arm muscles were not being worked. I didn't expect it (squatting) to work my chest and arms. Of course balancing a weight on your shoulders will require active participation of many different muscles of the body -- probably most of them -- but that doesn't mean they are getting a workout in the sense of the word that gymgoers mean when they use the word "workout". Scratching your ass also engages your chest and arms, but I don't think anyone would call that a workout.
- TheMidnight, on 07/13/2008, -0/+11My best exercise is the one handed pelvic thrust.
- inactive, on 07/14/2008, -1/+12a/s/l
- stlcadet11, on 07/13/2008, -0/+10exactly... i squat, bench, row, press, deadlift, etc. and none of those require a machine. using free weights and doing exercises like deadlifts train your whole body and are much better for you than machines
- An1malCrackers, on 07/12/2008, -10/+20Good article.
However, I never knew that squats on a smith machine train chest and biceps, besides the legs (sarcasm). - Fracture98, on 07/13/2008, -1/+10No. I don't see the Kegelcizer.
- gfxlonghorn, on 07/13/2008, -0/+9To get stronger and bigger? I was content being the skinny kid my entire life, so I started going to the gym. It does wonders for your self esteem.
- Landgarbe, on 07/13/2008, -0/+9So the Seated Leg Press, Squats Using the Smith Machine and Leg Extension are all bad and you should do Bodyweight Squats instead? Of course this is very gentle to your joints, but I doubt you gain much muscle unless you are a beginner to weight training.
- inactive, on 07/13/2008, -0/+9Or from the cops.
- maddendude, on 07/13/2008, -3/+12you need a personal trainer to run?
- weech, on 07/13/2008, -0/+9actually running IS bad for your hips, knees, back, etc...it effects everyone differently. like any other high impact sport.
"if your [sic] an actual runner, then run."
hahaaha...your comment is right on par with the article, nice work. - m4rk0551, on 07/13/2008, -6/+15This is a garbage article. It pretty much tells you to avoid every machine in the gym. It substitutes a freaking medicine ball!? for the Seated Military Press, wow, you're going to get ripped with that medicine ball. That article and website are garbage claiming to be the best. Rely on professional bodybuilder's advice and trainers, not an internet article that isn't dedicated to bodybuilding.
- maddendude, on 07/13/2008, -0/+9I can understand all of those, but I've never had a problem with the military press, I feel that its a great workout.
- romygrr8, on 07/13/2008, -2/+10chuck Norris would kill you for saying that.
- thespiff, on 07/13/2008, -0/+8And professional bodybuilders will tell you to use free weights. Also, this article was written for the audience of the average machine-user at the gym. Most machine users are just getting started and haven't learned to use real weights yet. Medicine balls and body weight squats are about all they can handle.
- SillyRabbits, on 07/13/2008, -1/+9Not to be overly negative, but recommending exercise programs after 1 month experience is really not very helpful. If you've been doing it for 5 years, that's a different story. It could be an awful program, that causes horrible joint injuries, and you wouldn't know for many months (or longer).
- Logrusmage, on 07/13/2008, -4/+12...Machines suck? Free weights are better? No *****. Free weights give a larger ranger of motion and don't exclude supporting muscles. It takes a good, what, 5 minutes to learn to do things right, stop being lazy.
Machines are never superior to free weights. Especially for newbies (all of us). That's a well known fitness fact. -
Show 51 - 100 of 335 discussions
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is