Exercise machines are simple—too simple, in fact. According to metabolic training expert BJ Gaddour, C.S.C.S., “They’ve been dumbed down to the point that they just don’t do your body much good.” Besides parking you on your butt, most machines isolate a single muscle, meaning you’ll burn fewer calories and gain less muscle mass rep for rep.
Most importantly (at least as far as medical bills are concerned), exercise machines can lead to injury. Even with their adjustable seats and pegs, finding the proper position can be close to impossible—and even then the movements just aren’t natural. “Free weights and bodyweight exercises allow your body to move in a natural range of motion,” Gaddour says. “When you fix it, it results in a limited and improper movement pattern that can be dangerous.”
Here, Gaddour shares five exercise machines you should swear off—and all-star alternatives that will give you better, faster fitness gains.
Read the article on Details.com