Life Exercise junkies beware. - Page 4

Frankie · 04-10-2011, 11:27 PM

Healthy Living Sunday, April 10, 2011

The 6 exercise machines you must avoid

Walking into the gym and expecting a great workout is like walking into the supermarket and expecting a gourmet meal. The basic ingredients are there, but like they say in the infomercials, results may vary. With working out, as with cooking, a little bit of smarts, dedication, creativity and knowledge will make all the difference between perfect pasta and a gelatinous ball of mush.

For this list of no-no exercises, we consulted Stuart McGill, PhD, professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo, in Ontario; Nicholas DiNubile, MD, author of FrameWork: Your 7-Step Program for Healthy Muscles, Bones, and Joints; and trainer Vern Gambetta, author of Athletic Development: The Art & Science of Functional Sports Conditioning.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/healt...avoid-2470714/

1. Seated Leg Extension

What it's supposed to do: Train the quadriceps. What it actually does: It strengthens a motion your legs aren't actually designed to do, and can put undue strain on the ligaments and tendons surrounding the kneecaps.

A better exercise: One-legged body-weight squats. Lift one leg up and bend the opposite knee, dipping as far as you can, with control, while flexing at the hip, knee, and ankle. Use a rail for support until you develop requisite leg strength and balance. Aim for five to 10 reps on each leg. (If you are susceptible to knee pain, do the Bulgarian split squat instead, resting the top of one foot on a bench positioned two to three feet behind you. Descend until your thigh is parallel to the ground and then stand back up. Do five to 10 reps per leg.)

2. Seated Lat Pull-Down (Behind the Neck)

What it's supposed to do: Train lats, upper back, and biceps. What it actually does: Unless you have very flexible shoulders, it's difficult to do correctly, so it can cause pinching in the shoulder joint and damage the rotator cuff.

A better exercise: Incline pull-ups. Place a bar in the squat rack at waist height, grab the bar with both hands, and hang from the bar with your feet stretched out in front of you. Keep your torso stiff, and pull your chest to the bar 10 to 15 times. To make it harder, lower the bar; to make it easier, raise the bar.

3. Seated Hip Abductor Machine

What it's supposed to do: Train outer thighs. What it actually does: Because you are seated, it trains a movement that has no functional use. If done with excessive weight and jerky technique, it can put undue pressure on the spine.

A better exercise: Place a heavy, short, looped resistance band around your legs (at your ankles); sidestep out 20 paces and back with control. This is much harder than it sounds.

4. Seated Leg Press

What it's supposed to do: Train quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. What it actually does: It often forces the spine to flex without engaging any of the necessary stabilization muscles of the hips, glutes, shoulders, and lower back.

A better exercise: Body-weight squats. Focus on descending with control as far as you can without rounding your lower back. Aim for 15 to 20 for a set and increase sets as you develop strength.

5. Squats Using Smith Machine

What it's supposed to do: Train chest, biceps, and legs. What it actually does: The alignment of the machine—the bar is attached to a vertical sliding track—makes for linear, not natural, arched movements. This puts stress on the knees, shoulders, and lower back.

A better exercise: Body-weight or weighted squats. See "Seated Leg Press" above.

6. Roman Chair Back Extension

What it's supposed to do: Train spinal erectors. What it actually does: Repeatedly flexing the back while it's supporting weight places pressure on the spine and increases the risk of damaging your disks.

A better exercise: The bird-dog. Crouch on all fours, extend your right arm forward, and extend left leg backward. Do 10 seven-second reps, and then switch to the opposite side.

**dannybcaitlyn** · 04-11-2011, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silock

No. Do the exercises. I'm guessing they are having you use very light weight at high reps to rehab, right? The problems with these machines generally appear with higher weight. So, do your rehab, but I wouldn't make a habit out of incorporating them into your workout for a lifetime using heavier weight.

Gotcha. It is light weight but still heavy to my newly repaired knee. Like you said, probably happening from people using heavy weights for these exercises.

BigCatDaddy · 04-11-2011, 11:15 AM

My worst injury was a damn strained tendon from locking out on barbell curls. Now I'm a member of the not locking out club.

BIG_DADDY · 04-11-2011, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HemiEd

How do you find the right weight? I have seen guys hang additional weights off of the peg, beyond the 220 lb. capacity of the machine. I am only talking about 140 being too much for my old carcus. 100 is just right.

I just find it funny that anyone would want huge hips. I used it really light to develope hip strength for kicks. I never even thought of lifting heavy on it.

Silock · 04-11-2011, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIG_DADDY

It's that whole locked in thing. Free weights are better from a variety of standpoints.

110% agreement there.

Just saying that lots of people **** up their shoulders doing BB bench press, but they do it with bad form (elbows flared out, too high up on the chest, etc.) and then blame the exercise instead of their bad form.

Silock · 04-11-2011, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brock

Mostly, all machines do is take up space that could be better put to use with more benches and dumbbells. I think what they're saying about leg extensions is a crock though. Extending the leg isn't a natural motion? BS.

Not with a shitload of weight it isn't.

ModSocks · 04-11-2011, 11:22 AM

This is a conspiracy. I've known this shit for years. They create these exercise machines that dont really work so people can get discouraged and then plug themselves back into the TV. They dont want a healthy America. They want a fat and lazy America. You're easier to control that way. And most Americans have no problem being fat and lazy. It's becoming culturaly accepted.

This is exactly what CBS & Fox want. To keep you tuned in and oblivous to what the Government is doing right in front of your eyes.

Brock · 04-11-2011, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silock

Not with a shitload of weight it isn't.

Any exercise with too much weight is a bad idea.

jiveturkey · 04-11-2011, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brock

Mostly, all machines do is take up space that could be better put to use with more benches and dumbbells. I think what they're saying about leg extensions is a crock though. Extending the leg isn't a natural motion? BS.

I've always been told to avoid that exercise. With any weight it supposedly causes your knee cap to track improperly.

You use the same muscles when you squat anyway.

**Renegade** · 04-11-2011, 12:11 PM

Wow 2 pages, and not one comment on the women in pictures 1,4, and 6. This place has lost its burst.

eazyb81 · 04-11-2011, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuikSsurfer

I'm not scared... I use it because of its ease of use and safety -- as I normally workout alone.

And i've had great results from sitting Lat pulldowns (pull down to chest though, not back of neck).. I usually alternate this exercise with dips.

I workout alone as well, and just use enough weight on BB bench to do reps so I can involve my stabilizers as well. If I am feeling tired or unconfident on a set I will ask for a spot. I wait to push my weight on DB incline press.

BigCatDaddy · 04-11-2011, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renegade

Wow 2 pages, and not one comment on the women in pictures 1,4, and 6. This place has lost its burst.

6 does give me a really good idea

BigCatDaddy · 04-11-2011, 12:16 PM

The dude that won MR Kansas 2009 overall trains at my gym and pretty much all I see him do for legs are front squats on the Smith Machine...... for about 1/2 hour..

Silock · 04-11-2011, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brock

Any exercise with too much weight is a bad idea.

Sure, but you aren't going to get much out of a leg extension without using a lot of weight. We can agree that there are certain exercises which are inherently more dangerous, can't we?

Silock · 04-11-2011, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eazyb81

I workout alone as well, and just use enough weight on BB bench to do reps so I can involve my stabilizers as well. If I am feeling tired or unconfident on a set I will ask for a spot. I wait to push my weight on DB incline press.

Yeah, I get nervous if I don't use a spotter for my heavy sets. You never know what might go wrong. That's why I'll never have a home gym. Some people are afraid to ask for spots at the gym. I don't get it.

Brock · 04-11-2011, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silock

Sure, but you aren't going to get much out of a leg extension without using a lot of weight. We can agree that there are certain exercises which are inherently more dangerous, can't we?

LOL. You know as well as anyone that the number of people injured by squats is probably 1000 times that of the people injured by doing LEs.

04-10-2011, 11:27 PM
Frankie Banned Join Date: Jul 2001 Casino cash: $10004900	Exercise junkies beware. Healthy Living Sunday, April 10, 2011 The 6 exercise machines you must avoid Walking into the gym and expecting a great workout is like walking into the supermarket and expecting a gourmet meal. The basic ingredients are there, but like they say in the infomercials, results may vary. With working out, as with cooking, a little bit of smarts, dedication, creativity and knowledge will make all the difference between perfect pasta and a gelatinous ball of mush. For this list of no-no exercises, we consulted Stuart McGill, PhD, professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo, in Ontario; Nicholas DiNubile, MD, author of FrameWork: Your 7-Step Program for Healthy Muscles, Bones, and Joints; and trainer Vern Gambetta, author of Athletic Development: The Art & Science of Functional Sports Conditioning. http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/healt...avoid-2470714/ 1. Seated Leg Extension What it's supposed to do: Train the quadriceps. What it actually does: It strengthens a motion your legs aren't actually designed to do, and can put undue strain on the ligaments and tendons surrounding the kneecaps. A better exercise: One-legged body-weight squats. Lift one leg up and bend the opposite knee, dipping as far as you can, with control, while flexing at the hip, knee, and ankle. Use a rail for support until you develop requisite leg strength and balance. Aim for five to 10 reps on each leg. (If you are susceptible to knee pain, do the Bulgarian split squat instead, resting the top of one foot on a bench positioned two to three feet behind you. Descend until your thigh is parallel to the ground and then stand back up. Do five to 10 reps per leg.) 2. Seated Lat Pull-Down (Behind the Neck) What it's supposed to do: Train lats, upper back, and biceps. What it actually does: Unless you have very flexible shoulders, it's difficult to do correctly, so it can cause pinching in the shoulder joint and damage the rotator cuff. A better exercise: Incline pull-ups. Place a bar in the squat rack at waist height, grab the bar with both hands, and hang from the bar with your feet stretched out in front of you. Keep your torso stiff, and pull your chest to the bar 10 to 15 times. To make it harder, lower the bar; to make it easier, raise the bar. 3. Seated Hip Abductor Machine What it's supposed to do: Train outer thighs. What it actually does: Because you are seated, it trains a movement that has no functional use. If done with excessive weight and jerky technique, it can put undue pressure on the spine. A better exercise: Place a heavy, short, looped resistance band around your legs (at your ankles); sidestep out 20 paces and back with control. This is much harder than it sounds. 4. Seated Leg Press What it's supposed to do: Train quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. What it actually does: It often forces the spine to flex without engaging any of the necessary stabilization muscles of the hips, glutes, shoulders, and lower back. A better exercise: Body-weight squats. Focus on descending with control as far as you can without rounding your lower back. Aim for 15 to 20 for a set and increase sets as you develop strength. 5. Squats Using Smith Machine What it's supposed to do: Train chest, biceps, and legs. What it actually does: The alignment of the machine—the bar is attached to a vertical sliding track—makes for linear, not natural, arched movements. This puts stress on the knees, shoulders, and lower back. A better exercise: Body-weight or weighted squats. See "Seated Leg Press" above. 6. Roman Chair Back Extension What it's supposed to do: Train spinal erectors. What it actually does: Repeatedly flexing the back while it's supporting weight places pressure on the spine and increases the risk of damaging your disks. A better exercise: The bird-dog. Crouch on all fours, extend your right arm forward, and extend left leg backward. Do 10 seven-second reps, and then switch to the opposite side.
Posts: 26,959

04-11-2011, 11:15 AM	#47
BigCatDaddy The Beast Inside Your Head Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Parts Unknown Casino cash: $1999122	My worst injury was a damn strained tendon from locking out on barbell curls. Now I'm a member of the not locking out club.
Posts: 25,868

04-11-2011, 11:22 AM	#51
ModSocks Needs more middle fingers Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego Casino cash: $4274563	This is a conspiracy. I've known this shit for years. They create these exercise machines that dont really work so people can get discouraged and then plug themselves back into the TV. They dont want a healthy America. They want a fat and lazy America. You're easier to control that way. And most Americans have no problem being fat and lazy. It's becoming culturaly accepted. This is exactly what CBS & Fox want. To keep you tuned in and oblivous to what the Government is doing right in front of your eyes. __________________ Life is like a dick. Sometimes it gets hard for no reason, but it can't stay hard forever.
Posts: 64,342

04-11-2011, 12:11 PM	#54
Renegade Just Lurking Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Ozark Mountain Country Casino cash: $1747904	Wow 2 pages, and not one comment on the women in pictures 1,4, and 6. This place has lost its burst.
Posts: 2,007

04-11-2011, 12:16 PM	#57
BigCatDaddy The Beast Inside Your Head Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Parts Unknown Casino cash: $1999122	The dude that won MR Kansas 2009 overall trains at my gym and pretty much all I see him do for legs are front squats on the Smith Machine...... for about 1/2 hour..
Posts: 25,868