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Regular exercise is essential for improving your heart health, increasing your metabolism, and making it easier to maintain a calorie deficit for weight loss. From cardio to strength training, there are any number of workouts you could complete in order to hit your allotted 30 minutes each day, but it’s important to recognize that some forms of exercise are naturally going to be more beneficial to your body than others.
While many of the machines at the gym may seem tempting to turn to for achieving muscle growth, there are some which, according to trainers, actually make very little of an impact on your workout and are better swapped out for a different, more effective exercise. We checked in with CPT Kate Meier to determine once which machines at the gym aren’t actually worth your time—this is what she had to say.
Seated Ab Machine
Toned, tight abs are a common goal to work towards in the gym, but according to Meier, the seated ab machine is not the way to do it. “The idea behind this machine is that it will strengthen your core and give you abs. What it is actually doing is putting unnecessary stress on the lumbar area of the back with every twist,” she warns.
“A seated position is also not ideal for core movements. The core is not just the six pack muscles but also the deeper stabilizing muscles and when sitting it is hard to engage those muscles,” she adds. Instead of using the ab machine, try practicing planks or the standing cable machine in order to target the muscles deep within your core. This is the best way to build up your abs for visible results rather than merely bulking up your midsection.
Smith Machine
Squats are an essential exercise for building up your glutes for a rounded and firm butt, and while the Smith machine can help to relieve some of the pressure of a regular barbell squat, it is also far less effective. “Squats are easier on a Smith machine because the machine keeps the bar on a guided path and stabilizes it for you. This means that the core muscles do not need to be engaged and the body is now moving in positions where strength and stabilization may not have been achieved yet,” explains Meier.
“Not only are you putting the body at risk but also robbing yourself of activating more muscles and burning more calories,” she notes. Rather than using the Smith machine, try using dumbbells for your squat workouts in order to build up the amount that you can hold without putting your body at risk of injury. Plus, it will force you to engage your core which can help strengthen your ab muscles as well.
Leg Extension
Typically used to strengthen the thigh muscles, the leg extension machine can actually put dangerous pressure on your knees which may potentially cause injury. “The machine puts the knee joint and muscles of the thigh in a position that is unnatural. There is no other time when you will have resistance pushing straight down on your extended knee,” warns Meier. “The quad muscles of the knee joint are not meant to work in isolation but with the hamstrings and muscles of the hip. This will lead to imbalances that could potentially cause injuries.”
To better target these muscles without the use of a machine, integrating weighted step ups and walking lunges into your workout can be just as useful without putting your joints at risk.
