You can't give at least 30 minutes for exercise a day?
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
Machines VS. Free Weights....The big debate
In the world of fitness, there is currently a battle taking place.
The battle is between machine based exercises (ex. Nautilus, Selectorized Machines) and non-machine exercises (free weights, kettlebells, TRX, Bosu Ball). Some people swear by non-machine based exercise, and others are very adamant about machines. So who is right? My opinion, both can be used in an effective training program.
Let's start with non-machine based exercises.
The reason I like non-machine based exercises is because you can get more muscle involved at one time! Getting more muscle active burns calories and helps people achieve results. For example, kettlebell swings get large amounts of muscle involved. Kettlebell swings get the hamstrings, glutes, core, and back working together. Kettlebells are a great tool to get a cardio workout as well! Check out Dan Daly's (www.traindaly.com) kettlebell Metabolic Conditioning Circuit.
Also, during daily life we are hardly ever doing single joint isolation movements. When is the last time you have done a leg extension (mimicking that of the machine) in real life. Chances are, you haven't. Doing non-machine based exercise teaches your muscles to work together to complete a task. This correlates to daily life much more than a machine based exercise does. Also, athletes benefit more from non-machine based exercise because this is more comparable to actually participating in a sport.
Lastly, machines are set up to isolate muscle groups. This takes away a lot of the self stabilization needed to complete an exercise. This can result in, you guessed it, poor stability. Stability, along with mobility, is needed in many aspects of life. If we are not stable, we have an increased chance of injury. Also, an interesting fact to consider, seated exercise puts more pressure on the back than improperly lifting while standing (Movement by Gray Cook).
Ok, now that I have made the case for non-machine based exercise, let's talk about why machine based exercise has a place in an effective training program.
First, due to our daily life and choices we have made, many humans have muscle imbalances. Some of these show themselves in left to right asymmetries. Some of these show in quadriceps to hamstring strength ratios or other unbalanced ratios. Machines can be used to correct imbalances, such as the quadriceps to hamstring ratio. Doing squats will definitely work the legs. However, the quads do take more of the load. To hit those hamstrings a little more, feel free to throw in a few hamstring curls. Yes, non-machine based alternatives are available. However, it does not hurt to supplement non-machine based work with a few machine based exercises. Also, machines definitely have a place in the rehabilitation process.
An interesting article on this topic is present in the February 2012 edition of the Strength & Conditioning Journal. Take a look at the article, Do Single-Joint Exercises Enhance Functional Fitness? by Brad Schoenfeld and Bret Contreras.
In my training, I aim for mostly non-machine based exercises; however, I use machines to help me even out some imbalances or hit specific muscle groups a little more.
Just some food for thought.
The battle is between machine based exercises (ex. Nautilus, Selectorized Machines) and non-machine exercises (free weights, kettlebells, TRX, Bosu Ball). Some people swear by non-machine based exercise, and others are very adamant about machines. So who is right? My opinion, both can be used in an effective training program.
The reason I like non-machine based exercises is because you can get more muscle involved at one time! Getting more muscle active burns calories and helps people achieve results. For example, kettlebell swings get large amounts of muscle involved. Kettlebell swings get the hamstrings, glutes, core, and back working together. Kettlebells are a great tool to get a cardio workout as well! Check out Dan Daly's (www.traindaly.com) kettlebell Metabolic Conditioning Circuit.
Also, during daily life we are hardly ever doing single joint isolation movements. When is the last time you have done a leg extension (mimicking that of the machine) in real life. Chances are, you haven't. Doing non-machine based exercise teaches your muscles to work together to complete a task. This correlates to daily life much more than a machine based exercise does. Also, athletes benefit more from non-machine based exercise because this is more comparable to actually participating in a sport.
Lastly, machines are set up to isolate muscle groups. This takes away a lot of the self stabilization needed to complete an exercise. This can result in, you guessed it, poor stability. Stability, along with mobility, is needed in many aspects of life. If we are not stable, we have an increased chance of injury. Also, an interesting fact to consider, seated exercise puts more pressure on the back than improperly lifting while standing (Movement by Gray Cook).
Ok, now that I have made the case for non-machine based exercise, let's talk about why machine based exercise has a place in an effective training program.
An interesting article on this topic is present in the February 2012 edition of the Strength & Conditioning Journal. Take a look at the article, Do Single-Joint Exercises Enhance Functional Fitness? by Brad Schoenfeld and Bret Contreras.
In my training, I aim for mostly non-machine based exercises; however, I use machines to help me even out some imbalances or hit specific muscle groups a little more.
Just some food for thought.