Ok, so this might sound like the next Terminator Movie – but the truth is, exercise machines could do a lot more damage than Arnie with a grenade launcher.
People know how good exercise is. A lot of people exercise. But few exercise smart.
It’s time to ring in the end of exercise machines. You know the ones, you sit in them, stick a pin onto a stack of weights and push the handles along a path pre-determined by engineers.
So what’s the alternative? Free weights. Far from the constrained limitations of ‘the machines’, free weights are just that… free.
‘The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research‘ contains an article entitled ‘Strength Outcomes in Fixed Versus Free-Form Resistance Equipment’ by Keith C Spennewyn.
Feel free to have a browse by checking out the article here. Otherwise, let us summarise.
Two groups – one did free weights, one used machines.
They exercised for 16 weeks.
…and here are the results:
- The free weights improved strength by 115%, machines only by 57% (a 58% difference).
- Balance improved a massive 245% in the free weights group, 49% on the machines (a 196% difference).
- The free weights group reported lower overall pain levels, while the machine users actually reported an increase in pain.
The take-away? Lift free weights. However… a disclaimer. Any exercise is better than no exercise. Bicep curls are a poor exercise choice for health benefits, but they are infinitely better than pointing a TV remote. But if you’re going to take the time to do something, you may as well make the most of that time.
If you’re feeling bored and fancy some extra reading, Check out the following research articles:
