Useless Gym Exercise Machines

Whether you're debating joining a gym, or are experienced, there are certain useless gym exercise machines that deserve your attention. Our society has become machine-driven. Generally, machines save time and produce desired results.

However, correct exercise involves the whole body. Machines aren't capable of "thinking" holistically.

It will serve your best interests and avert serious injuries to stop depending upon useless gym exercise machines.

Elliptical Machine

A 2008 issue of "Men's Health" cautions to distrust the elliptical machine because it reflects an inaccurate number of calories burned by about 1/3.

For example: the person, who believes to have worked-off 600 calories, actually burned about 400 calories. This serves to encourage a weight loss plateau, leaving the user puzzled about "why".

Although this machine is touted to be helpful for people with bad knees, the truth is, when one does intervals on the elliptical machine, it promotes hyper extension of the knee.

However, it is human nature to choose the easy workout. Cheaper and better alternatives that focus on intervals are bike riding, running in place or jumping jacks.

Leg Extension Machine

Frank G. Shellock, Ph.D. studied patients who had dislocated patellas (kneecap) to determine benefits of leg extensions vs.single-leg squats. The study concluded: Patella displacement more prominent when doing leg extensions vs. single-leg squats.

When doing single-leg squats, the femur (thigh bone) rotated underneath the patella, as opposed to rotating on the patella with leg extensions.

If you're experiencing a burning sensation and/or soreness in knees, consider the single-leg squat instead of using the leg extension machine.

Our humanness comes into play again, believing that "more is better". When working on a leg extension machine, less is better. Performing them explosively may be at the expense of your knee cartilage.

Abs Machine

The abs machine is yet another useless, and potentially dangerous, gym exercise machine. Given, this machine is likely less stressful than sit-ups or crunches if you sustained a previous back injury. The question is - why would one want to do crunches or sit-ups considering the potential of neck and back pain?

Further, continued use poses an injury risk to your spine. For correct stabilization of the spine, one should preserve a straight-line position from hips to shoulders. Plank stabilization exercises and upper body twists will serve the ultimate goal of rock-hard abs, without being detrimental to health.

Pec Fly Machine

Men can get rather vain about their pecs. But, before using the pec fly machine, beware of certain health risks. The machine forces one into a position, which excludes the use of stabilizing muscles surrounding the shoulders. By forcing the shoulder joint into an unnatural position, one may tear their pecs and/or damage the rotator cuff muscles.

Rather than resorting to this gym exercise machine, perform various push-ups or other pushing/pulling exercises in equal amounts. It the person is hunchbacked, they should include more pulling than pushing exercise in the beginning.

Useless Gym Exercise Machines

Useless gym exercise machines perpetuate the eternal myth known as "spot reduction". Unfortunately, no single exercise will focus on a single muscle or body part. Ab machine exercises won't rid you of belly fat; thigh machine exercises won't miraculously manifest sexy legs.

Eat right and include a variety of correct exercises in your regime to keep fit.


diamondback fitness 500er rear drive elliptical trainer, trupace e200 elliptical large, life fitness ct9500hr classic rear drive cross trainer elliptical, proform strideselect 600 elliptical trainer, diamondback fitness 900er rear drive elliptical trainer, magnetic elliptical trainer, precor efx 556 elliptical with hr version 2, afg 2 0 ae dual action elliptical trainer, ironman 1850 elliptical trainer, largo rollerless rear drive elliptical trainer machine, precor efx 5 31 premium series elliptical fitness crosstrainer, sole fitness e98 elliptical, sunny elite elliptical trainer, masai fitness elliptical trainer, stamina avari gx 8 cross trainer elliptical, afg 3 0 ae dual action elliptical trainer, streetstrider summit 8r galaxy black, proform 790 e elliptical, proform 1100 e elliptical, afg 18 0 axt ascent trainer