Gyms are packed with gimmicks.
Gym membership teams are trained in how to sell to the average gym exerciser who wants to establish effective weight loss, and fancy machines make this easier.
They often don’t care about your results since your gym membership is tied-in for a year, and they’ll get you tied in again, next new years resolution season when you’re feeling guilty about eating too much.
Welcome to part 2 of 6: The worst things to do if you want to burn fat, lose weight, and improve your health.
Mistake Number 2
Relying On Machine Weights Rather Than Free Weights
So for now I want to tell you why to avoid gimmicky gadgets in the gym – machine weights.
In fact while I think about it, my colleague and the person who trained me to become a personal trainer said recently ‘ the only good thing a smith machine can be used for is hanging up my sweat towel.’
The problem with machine weights, apart from taking up all the space, is the fact they force your body to follow a certain direction – the machines direction which may not be your natural movement.
They also take the stabilising and synergistic muscles, and the fixators out of the exercise so you don’t need to balance, brace and essentially work as hard.
Back to mistake number one – less muscles being used equals less fibres being stimulated equals ineffective results.
Not only this, but the range of motion of the exercise is limited to the machines range, not to mention the strain on the joins from ‘shear’ stresses and the unnatural movement path that they encourage.
Machines may well allow you to lift big weights, but that’s because they make the exercise easier. And while machines do have their place, for perhaps certain rehabilitation techniques or more advanced hypertrophy, this is not what most people need.
Really the only machine you really should be seen on is the lat pull down, and unless your goal is rehab of a certain muscle, or hypertrophy around, for example an arthritic knee joint, then keep off the machines. Free weights and body weight exercises are the best for most health, performance and body composition goals.
Have a go and let me know how you get on. I’m sure you’ll feel the difference and quickly see the effects on your body.
Happy training,
Nico.
Discover The Rest Of This 6 Part Series
Jump To Part 1
Jump To Part 2
Jump To Part 3
Jump To Part 4
Jump To Part 5
Jump To Part 6
Further Resources
You might also like to read this ultimate weight loss guide. This is an in depth guide on what makes great nutrition and the elements that we need to focus on in our lives that will result in better health, performance and body composition. The guide includes actionable steps that you can implement into your life easily. As a supplement to the guide comes the weight loss cheat sheet which is a great start to improved eating habits. You can access it below this article.
In addition to these free resources I offer online personal training services. If you feel ready to take the next step towards consistently exercising well, and would like the confidence to know that you’re following a professionally designed and well considered training plan then online personal training is a great next step.
If your’re struggling with consistently eating well and you feel that this is really holding back your progress, then online nutrition coaching may be your next step. You can learn more about online weight loss coaching and how it can help you to build a better relationship with food and achieve better health, lose weight and perform at your best.