The workout machines are good. You can usually find one in most gyms for just about any exercise under the sun. Does that mean that they are not weak, or that every machine in your gym is worth your time?
It’s not possible. It’s plain and simple, some exercise machines are more useful for resting your phone than for getting stronger. Other machines make lifting difficult, reinforce bad habits, or are poorly designed.
If your workouts include a lot of machine-based exercises, it’s time to reject modernity tradition. There are seven exercise machines that you can cut out and replace with something better.
Worst Gym Machines
The content on BarBend should not be taken as medical advice. It is always a good idea to consult with a medical professional when starting a new training regimen. We are not doctors.
First, a Disclaimer
It doesn’t mean that an exercise or piece of equipment isn’t useful. There are very few fitness methods that aren’t applicable to someone.
If you like a piece of exercise machinery so much that you want to keep using it, you have the right to do so.
You should keep in mind that not every piece of gym equipment is well-designed and that you should make some changes to it.
The leg press is one of the best ways to load up your knee extensors with the most weight possible.
The viability of a piece of gym equipment is only one of many factors.
The leg press doesn’t have a lot going for it outside of being able to lift heavy.
Why It’s Bad
Loadability is great for creating progressive overload, but the leg press isn’t as good as other movements.
- You may find it difficult to get a good range of motion going on the leg press if you’re on the larger side, as your thighs will collide with your torso.
- The angle of the foot plate can make it difficult to sink into deep flexion if you have limited ankle mobility.
- If you go ultra-heavy, you may encounter some uncomfortable compressive force on your pelvis and lower back.
Instead, Try…
A hack squat machine is usually located next to a leg press in most commercial gyms.
The design of the hack squat allows you to squat deeper, which can help offset the reduced load.
The back seat of the hack squat provides a lot of support to the torso and pelvis for beginners.
You can experiment with other things if you don’t enjoy using a hack squat.
- Box Squat
- Trap Bar Deadlift
- Leg Extension
Even with your own body weight, dips can be difficult. Those working on their calisthenics game will be happy to know that there is a machine that replicates the movement pattern.
The dip machine is more of a press down motion than a standard dip. It works your chest and triceps, but doesn’t offer many of the qualities of the dip.
Why It’s Bad
If you want to dip freely, you need to have enough shoulder mobility to deal with loaded hyperextension.
If you work through an injury or have a low tolerance to the range, this posture can be difficult.
- The fixed handles force you to press down in a way that may not align with your structure.
- If you load up heavy enough, you might find it difficult to keep your behind planted on the seat.
- Your upper arm drifting behind your torso may be an uncomfortable or painful posture in some cases.
Instead, Try…
If you enjoy the movement pattern but don’t want to do standard dips, you can use the incline press instead.
The same muscles that are used in the dip machine are used in the hex press.
You can blast your chest and tris with the following moves.
- Close-Grip Push-Up
- JM Press
- Medicine Ball Chest Press
Since most oblique movements require stabilizing your entire body from head to toe, it can be difficult to effectively target your obliques.
A torso twister is a clever solution to that problem. The contraption is not practical and may be dangerous.
Why It’s Bad
The oblique-focused Ab machine, where you sit in a seat and turn your lower body from side to side, won’t hurt you. Your spine isn’t the one that twists.
- The setup of the machine isn’t transferable to many real-world scenarios.
- Twisting your pelvis under load isn’t a movement pattern most gymgoers are accustomed to, and may lack the control to execute it properly.
- There’s a degree of torsion (twisting force) placed on the spine during the exercise, which may be a red flag for certain populations.
Instead, Try…
There are many ways to train your torso that don’t require you to use complicated machinery.
It’s a great early replacement. It requires only your body weight, so you can do it wherever you please.
You can use these moves to train your obliques.
- Dumbbell Side Bend
- Side Plank
- Side-to-Side Medicine Ball Slam
- Russian Twist
The preacher curl is one of the best bicep exercises out there, and the machine variant isn’t bad either. It doesn’t mean it’s the best way to blow up your arms
Why It’s Bad
The preacher station is better than most of the other machines in the gym. The construction of the station is its weakest point.
- Biceps activation drops off dramatically in the top half of the movement. (1)
- Most preacher curl machines have stationary handles, which removes the ability to supinate your palm as you curl — one of the biceps’ main anatomical functions.
- You might find the arm pad to be at too slight of an angle to really engage your biceps to their fullest.
Instead, Try…
The preacher station is comfortable on your shoulders and the handles allow you to point your palms at the ceiling. You could find more success from the dumbbell spider curl if you don’t have that.
Dumbbells give you more freedom of movement at the shoulder, elbow, and wrist than you would get with the same posture. You have the option to try out.
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl
- Standing Cable Curl
- EZ-Bar Preacher Curl
The Smith machine is a high value piece of equipment. Versatility is not the only thing that makes its design leave something to be desired.
Why It’s Bad
The Smith’s on-rails are the biggest issue. The Smith is a poor tool to learn to use due to its rigidity.
- The locked-in path of the bar prevents you from moving freely with the weight in a way that aligns with your anatomy.
- The bar only moves up and down, which limits your access to exercises performed in other planes of motion.
- You can’t really perform standing overhead pressing of any kind due to the height of the frame.
Instead, Try…
The Smith machine is convenient to set up and work with, but if you want to do most exercises, you should use a barbell.
Going straight for the barbell is something you might want to think about.
- Deadlift
- Back Squat
- Bench Press
- Overhead Press
- Row
If chest development and strength is a priority for you, the machine variant of the chest press is fine.
The machine leaves a lot to be desired and there are better ways to work out your pecs.
Why It’s Bad
How you press is influenced by your shoulder structure. The chest press machine puts your pecs on rails.
- Most chest press machines have a narrow upper back pad, which makes it difficult to stabilize your scapula.
- The handles of the machine may not be set at an angle that is comfortable for your wrists or elbows.
- Many press machines simply move forward and backward, which omits humeral adduction entirely — drawing your arm across your body, one of the main functions of the pecs.
Instead, Try…
Power to you if you can find a pin or plate- loaded chest press machine that is compatible with your body. If your chest is a priority in the gym, you should ditch the thing.
The dumbbell floor press is a good way to strengthen the pecs since you can press both up and in, while lifting from the floor.
You can also go for that if you don’t like that one.
- Standing Cable Chest Press
- Bench Press
- Weighted Push-Up
The best way to reveal a tight and toned midsection is by using the sit-up machine, if you want to get into a good shape. The sit-up machine works your core, but it isn’t the best way to train it.
Why It’s Bad
Most sit-up or crunch machines have a foldable bench that can be moved with you as you flex your spine, as well as a pair of handles for you to grab onto.
The best core workout can’t be done if neither are present.
- The design of the back pad may not align well with how you actually curl your spine when you perform a crunch or sit-up.
- You may be encouraged to pull on the handles with your arms instead of focusing on contracting your abdominals.
- The handles make it very easy to load up on too much weight and turn the movement into an isometric arm exercise instead.
Instead, Try…
There are a lot of exercises you can do to develop your abdominals. The weighted exercise ball crunch is a better substitute for the sit-up.
The setup and execution of this movement are similar to the machine sit-up, but the medicine ball gives you a softer surface for your spine to Curl against.
You can’t pull yourself up with your arms if you hold the resistance in front of your body.
The movements do a good job.
- Cable Crunch
- Jackknife
- Hanging Leg Raise
- Ab Rollout
Machines vs. Free Weights — What the Science Says
Exercise machines have their place in the gym, they tend to cover a majority of the gym floor, so they must be doing something right.
It doesn’t mean that your exercise routine needs to start and end with them. Understanding the why and when of machine work can help you maximize your workouts.
Machines Are More Beginner-Friendly
If you’re new to resistance training, workout machines are a great option. Most exercise machines come with instructions for proper use so you don’t have to worry about stabilizing the weight.
The weight room has training wheels in it. They don’t pedal for you, but they help you keep your balance.
According to some literature, beginners will often make similar strength and muscle gains from working with machines.
Machines Are Less Functional Than Free Weights
Lifting something on rails is not something you can do in the real world. Lifting isn’t just one-dimensional, from grocery bags to boxes of christmas decorations to a wheelbarrow filled with dirt.
According to a position paper by the American College of Sports Medicine, exercise machines don’t work as well as free weights in improving bodily coordination.
Free Weights Raise Testosterone More
Some evidence suggests that working out with free weights can improve your free testosterone concentration more than using machines.
This evidence isn’t universally applicable and the degree of difference isn’t significant enough to make a decision over. It seems to be a point in favor of the barbell.
Machines Activate Less Muscle
When using a free weight like a dumbbell, you have to both move the implement in space through the proper range of motion and make sure it doesn’t move in the wrong direction.
Exercise machines are on rails and only move in one direction.
The removal of the need for stabilization will result in less overall muscle activity.
Good form in the gym can help you make progress at a faster rate.
Free weights prevail over machines. It has been found that free weights teach motor patterning better than machines and that you will develop better and more refined lifting technique over time.
Machines Are More Convenient
One of the worst parts of an exercise machine is that it can only be used by one person at a time, while a pair of dumbbells can be used by anyone. The machines get points for their ease of access.
Setting up for an exercise like the dumbbell bench press can be difficult if you are trying to lift in a crowded gym or are late for work.
There are exercise machines in this regard. It is easy to train with them if the station is open.
Your Takeaways
You can lose fat, gain muscle, or get stronger at a commercial gym. Some exercise machines don’t work for certain goals and might not be worth including in your program.
- Exercise machines place your movement “on rails”, forcing you to lift in a way that may not align with your body.
- Some machines aren’t well-made for the exercise, whether by providing insufficient support, improperly-designed handles, or other features.
- Machine work requires less stability and is more convenient than using free weights, but you lose out on some muscle activation and real-world carryover as well.
Terminate the Machines
It shouldn’t be a “this or that” situation when using exercise equipment. Dumbbells or barbells are tools and should be understood by a smart and productive gymgoer. Tools that can be used in the right way can be useful.
Quality is important and not all exercise machines are worth their salt. If they don’t serve your needs, you can’t leave them in your workouts.
References
- Oliveira, L. F., Matta, T. T., Alves, D. S., Garcia, M. A., & Vieira, T. M. (2009). Effect of the shoulder position on the biceps brachii emg in different dumbbell curls. Journal of sports science & medicine, 8(1), 24–29.
- Aerenhouts, D., & D’Hondt, E. (2020). Using Machines or Free Weights for Resistance Training in Novice Males? A Randomized Parallel Trial. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(21), 7848.
- American College of Sports Medicine (2009). American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 41(3), 687–708.
- Schwanbeck, S. R., Cornish, S. M., Barss, T., & Chilibeck, P. D. (2020). Effects of Training With Free Weights Versus Machines on Muscle Mass, Strength, Free Testosterone, and Free Cortisol Levels. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 34(7), 1851–1859.
- Schick, E. E., Coburn, J. W., Brown, L. E., Judelson, D. A., Khamoui, A. V., Tran, T. T., & Uribe, B. P. (2010). A comparison of muscle activation between a Smith machine and free weight bench press. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 24(3), 779–784.
- McCaw, Steven T.; Friday, Jeffrey J.. A Comparison of Muscle Activity Between a Free Weight and Machine Bench Press. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: November 1994 – Volume 8 – Issue 4 – p 259-264
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