Why the health
club "machines" are inefficient
By Phil Kaplan
Having worked in the
health club industry for near 20 years, I've seen the same
scenario replay itself tens of thousands of times. Someone
buys a new membership and is granted "a free session with
a trainer." A questionably credentialed young man or woman
proceeds to lead this person through a series of machines
(a circuit) teaching them to perform movements as you would
teach a trained monkey to do tricks. The trainer has mastered
the art of counting backwards from 15 as the new member performs
repetition after repetition. "14 more, 13 more, 12 more, …."
At the end of the circuit the trainer shakes hands with the
member, explains that he or she is available for $50 an hour
for future sessions, and in most cases leaves the new member
completely unsupervised from that point forward.
Over 20 years, lots
of people have been shown, "the machines." I meet these people
on a regular basis, and when they describe their routines,
they demonstrate the movements simulating use of the actual
machine.. "Well, Phil, first I do this one (they raise their
hands overhead), then I do this one (they push out to the
front) and then I do this one (they perform an imaginary pulldown
from some unspecified space overhead). As they proceed through
their explanations and their choreographed routine, they sincerely
believe they have been working out efficiently. Interestingly,
most people set appointments to meet with me because they've
failed to achieve results. Here's the reality. If you're looking
to improve form and function, if you're looking to have a
body that continues to perform at its best, believing solely
in "the machines" can be a result-stifling trap.
This is not to insinuate
the health club machines are inherently bad. They aren't.
Even with their potential benefit of muscle stimulation, they
do not ask the body to move as the body moves in the real
world. Envision a seated chest press movement where your back
is firmly supported by a pad, your legs are fixed in place
with your hips at a 90-degree angle of flexion, and you thrust
some handles out in front of you until your arms are fully
extended. Where in the real world does that movement take
place? For most of us, it doesn't.
Real world movement
initiates at the body's center of gravity, stimulated by contraction
of the musculature of "the core." The "core" refers to the
deep lying abdominal and lower back muscles that work to support
the midsection, to stabilize during twisting movements, and
to maintain balance as you bend, lift, reach, or throw. In
real world movement the back is not supported by a pad, thus
for optimal benefit exercise should involve some freedom of
movement, allowing the low back muscles and abdominal muscles
to develop functionally.
Performance is not
limited to any particular muscle or muscle group. If I were
to ask you what muscles you use when you walk across a room,
your first inclination would likely be to identify the leg
muscles. Someone with a bit of anatomical background might
specify the quadriceps, the hamstrings, the gastrocnemius,
and perhaps even the gluteus maximus. If the walk were limited
to contraction of those muscles . . . it wouldn't be a walk
at all! It would be more of a face first belly flop or a side
tipover, neither of which I would recommend. If you weren't
using your abdominal muscles and your spinal erectors to hold
you upright, you'd fall flat on your face. If you weren't
using the muscles of the shoulder in order to swing your arms,
you wouldn't be able to maintain balance. Real world movement
involves a symphony of muscle contractions. "The machines"
isolate muscles. Machine movements can serve as a part of
an effective routine, but certainly should not be the whole.
Why do I feel this
perspective is so important to share? I've seen far too many
cases of connective tissue disorders and overuse syndromes
from individuals committed to years of working out on the
circuit equipment. Most machines concentrate the force on
a single joint or a pair of joints. By performing movements
using dumbbells, medicine balls, and other forms of resistance,
you spread the workload throughout your body and facilitate
far greater muscle stimulation. You also find the exercise
carries into every aspect of your life requiring movement,
making daily tasks less of a burden. You find getting out
of your car requires less effort. Lifting a bag of groceries
or a child becomes simpler. Your golf swing or tennis backhand
develop a sense of flow.
In summary, the machines
have their place, and can certainly be integrated into a sound
exercise program, but give me a pair of dumbbells, a stability
ball, and some elastic tubing and I can teach anyone to achieve
exceptional results at home. Be selective in who you reach
out to for guidance and direction. The fitness industry is
not regulated by any mandates so there are many practitioners
who are limited in their knowledge of performance, of safety
issues, and of exercise prescription.
You may find the following
tips helpful when evaluating prescription of an exercise regimen:
If you seek out a
trainer, look for certification through The American Council
on Exercise (ACE), the American College of Sports Medicine
(ACSM), or the National Strength & Conditioning Association
(NSCA).
Recognize that you
don't necessarily need a trainer to take you through every
workout. A qualified trainer should act as an educator and
should empower you to exercise on your own if you so desire.
If an exercise routine
is being designed for your specific needs, be sure to discuss
any acute or chronic issues that might be aggravated by implementation
of the wrong exercises.
If you are experiencing
pain or discomfort in the hips, knees, shoulders, or elbows
while performing specific exercises, discontinue the exercise
and seek professional or medical evaluation.
Make certain during
your exercise routine that you are performing movements requiring
balance, movements that propel your body through space or
ask you to shift your center of gravity.
Be certain to include
exercises such as hip lifts or hanging leg raises to strengthen
the core muscles.
Remember, a complete
routine will involve both resistance training and aerobic
movement.
If you are asked to
perform a given movement, understand precisely what muscles
are being worked and how those muscles can be best stimulated
without risk.
Too much too soon
is a common mistake leading to overtraining and potential
injury. If you're new to exercise, or haven't exercised for
some time, start out with moderate sessions both in volume
and intensity.
Finally, practice
counting backwards from 15 on your own. That protects you
from the unqualified trainer who preaches the need for rep
counting services.
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