Are Machines Safer than Free Weights?

This is a question that I've asked many colleagues and although there are only two different answers, I get an array of explanations. Afterall, it is a complex question and thus deserves a complex answer. And like any good debate, the best answer, and usually most annoying is...it depends.

The reason this question is so complicated is because I could point out 5 people training on machines and 5 people using free weights per day and all 10 are unsafe. Again, for the most part, it's not the exercises, it's the application of exercises that matters. However, the issue that I have when I hear that people are "starting out" on machines, is that they assume this is ultimately the safest option. First off, for the most part, anything that puts you in a seated posture already increases the compressive and shearing forces on your spine from that of standing (McGill, 2002). Most machines are poorly designed and already have you seated in a posterior pelvic rotation that we know will consistently contribute to disc bulging and future low back problems.

And that's just the spine. Most upper body machines are still going to allow for a ton of scapular instability, and in fact, if you haven't been trained properly you'll probably default into protraction of the scapulae. When this happens, you are again putting the shoulder at risk of one of many injuries: A-C joint stress, impingement, rotator cuff strains, labral tears, etc.

I hope the "staff" aren't teaching the members how to do a lat pulldown.

I guess the better question is, if both methods are equally safe, what is going to be the best choice for your health, strength and fitness? For 99.9% of the population, this is going to be the use of free weights while standing on the ground...the flat ground! I heard a great quote this weekend from Ori Hofmekler, whose seminar on "Surviving" I attended this past weekend: "All of our ancestors were athletes." In other words, we should be training like athletes: multi-joint, lifting, flexing, extending, twisting, etc. Can you imagine the cavemen sitting on a bench doing a concentration curl or sitting on a leg extension machine working on their vastus medialis?

Cliff Harvey performing a clean grip overhead squat.

So, we as trainer's MUST be able to take a brand new client and begin to teach them the fundamental movement patterns to get them started on a path to a strong, healthy, and fit life. If you cannot squat, deadlift, clean, swing, pull, push, or lunge, then learn from someone who can, go and practice for 20+hours and then teach your clients. But do this NOW...not tomorrow, because in the meantime, your client is teaching herself how to do a prone hamstring curl - possibly the most useless exercise for an otherwise healthy individual.

Training with free weights allows the individual to develop adaptations that will apply and transfer to many other lifts, athletic scenarios, and lifestyle patterns: Resisting extreme spine positions, fighting gravity, neutral and stable scapulae, core integration, rooting of energy into the floor, rotational power, etc. I'm waiting for a machine that can do this. As Stu McGill (2002) says regarding machines, "Training in a proprioceptively starved environment does not challenge the system needed to ensure that no single tissue experiences damaging overload."

Jim Talo performing a single arm kettlebell swing - another great multi-joint lift.

If you are a beginner, seek out a professional - but make sure you do your homework and don't just look up a trainer in some fitness magazine index. Find out their credentials, ask them why they do certain things, and challenge their knowledge. A good strength coach should not have to start you on a machine if you are just starting out!

References

McGill, S (2006). Ultimate Back Fitness & Performance, 3rd edition, Backfitpro Inc.

Talk at the Running Room

I will be giving a talk on the importance of core stability and integration in running for the Running Room's Running Clinic. The talk will take place on Feb. 2nd at 6:30-7pm at the Running Room on Broadway and Granville (between Granville and Fir). If you are in the group, I encourage you to come out and take part in this interactive talk that will address certain myths of core training, the importance and proper integration of core stability, and outline a few key exercises that can get you started immediately to improve performance.

If you'd like to book me in for a talk or workshop, please feel free to contact me at paul.hemsworth83@gmail.com. You can also check out humanmotion.ca for upcoming workshops and courses.

Mike Boyle put's your body into perspective

This week I decided to post a blog from strength and conditioning coach Mike Boyle from functionalstrengthcoach3.com. It is funny how we like to say that health is a major priority in life, yet we don't tend to treat it like a major priority. So, here's Mike's post, hopefully it will put things into perspective for you - enjoy!

Imagine you are sixteen years old and your parents give you your first car. They also give you simple instructions. There is one small hitch, you only get one car, you can never get another. Never. No trade-ins, no trade-ups. Nothing

Ask yourself how would you maintain that car? My guess is you would be meticulous. Frequent oil changes, proper fuel, etc. Now imagine if your parents also told you that none of the replacement parts for this car would ever work as well as the original parts. Not only that, the replacement parts would be expensive to install and cause you to have decreased use of your car for the rest of the cars useful life? In other words, the car would continue to run but, not at the same speed and with the efficiency you were used to.

Wow, now would we ever put a lot of time and effort into maintenance if that were the case.

After reading the above example ask yourself another question. Why is the human body different? Why do we act as if we don’t care about the one body we were given. Same deal. You only get one body. No returns or trade-ins. Sure, we can replace parts but boy it’s a lot of work and it hurts. Besides, the stuff they put in never works as well as the original “factory” parts. The replacement knee or hip doesn’t give you the same feel and performance as the original part.

Think about it. One body. You determine the mileage? You set the maintenance plan?

No refunds, no warranties, no do-overs?

How about this perspective? One of my clients is a very successful businessman. He often is asked to speak to various groups. One thing he tells every group is that you are going to spend time and money on your health. The truth is the process can be a proactive one or a reactive one. Money spent on your health can take the form of a personal trainer, massage therapist and a gym membership or, it can be money spent on cardiologists, anesthesiologists, and plastic surgeons. Either way, you will spend money.

Same goes for time. You can go to the gym or, to the doctors office. It’s up to you. Either way, you will spend time. Some people say things like “I hate to work out”. Try sitting in the emergency room for a few hours and then get back to me. Working out may not seem so bad. Much like a car, a little preventative maintenance can go a long way. However, in so many ways the body is better than a car. With some good hard work you can turn back the odometer on the body. I wrote an article a while back ( Strength Training- The Fountain of Youth) that discussed a study done by McMaster University which showed that muscle tissue of older subjects actually changed at the cellular level and looked more like the younger control subjects after strength training.

Do me a favor, spend some time on preventative maintenance, it beats the heck out of the alternative. Just remember, you will spend both time and money.

Mike Boyle
http://www.FunctionalStrengthCoach3.com