Top 5 Worst Gym Machines

By Kelly Turner on July 25th, 2009

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I’m not a big fan of gym machines in general.  Machines isolate muscles which means your only work one muscle at a time.  It forces you to stay in proper form so your stabilizing muscles aren’t built along with the muscle, which means your core and functional movement suffer. Free weights, and cable machines allow you to move freely through space, so all your muscles work in unison to get faster and more effective results.

That being said, machines are fine if you enjoy them.  They allow you to safely pile on weight with less risk of injury, so if this is your goal, knock yourself out.  There are, however, machines that SUCK (that’s the professional terminology.)  Many are either dangerous, ineffective, or just completely unnecessary.

Here are my top 5 offenders:

Abductor/Adductor Machines

Aside from just being a vehicle for women to flash their crotches at the rest of the gym, these machines are ridiculous.  People think they slim the thighs, but sorry to say, not even close.  The abductor machine (where you squeeze your legs together against resistance) is said to work the inner thigh muscles (the abductors) turns out, you don’t even use your abductor muscles for this movement at all- its all deep, interior hip rotator muscles. Interior means way below the surface, so no visible results will be seen.  Conversely, the Abductor machine (where you spread your legs against resistance) is touted for slimming the outer thighs (the Abductors) but again, nope- just works the interior hip rotators.  Verdict: Keep your legs shut. This machine is unnecessary and ineffective. To work these muscles squeeze a medicine ball between your knees or wrap a resistance band around your legs just above the knees during squats.

Knee Extension Machine

This one works your quads, but all I experience is knee pain. Not knee joint pain, but the pain that is experienced when an extremely overweight child climbs into Santa’s lap.  The pressure against the back of your knees as your raise the weigh squahes  your knees so much you’ll lose feeling in your toes. Aside from that, it strictly works the quad muscle.  Great, if you are body builder looking for specific muscle symmetry and definition but for most of us, we just want to get the hell out of the gym.  Verdict: Stick to squats and lunges.  They work the quads in a addition to the rest of your leg muscles and won’t crush your patella. This machine is less effective and painful.

Seated Calf Raises

This machine is a little more rare, but I see it popping up more and more places.  Aside from rocking around like an idiot on one those playground horses, the pad presses so tightly against your knees I get flashes of Nancy Kerrigan circa 1994.  In addition to the discomfort, this machine is ineffective.  Being in the sitting position automatically shortens your calf muscles so you can’t use it through its full range of motion, and takes your hamstring out of the equation, which is used during traditional standing calf raises.  Verdict: Leave the on the playground.  This machine is ineffective and unnecessary.  To work your calf, and your hamstring and improve balance, stand on a step holding a dumbbell and do your calf raises.

Ab Twisters

I don’t even know what the hell this thing is supposed to do.  Its advertised to work your abs, but sitting and spinning is probably the worst thing you could do for your spine.  There are so many small muscles in your back, obliques and abs that are not equipped to deal with twisting against weight that instead of getting a six pack, you’ll end up in a back brace.  Verdict: Dangerous! Just stay away.

Seated Ab Cruncher

This is another one that spells trouble for your back.  Curling forward against resistance not only doesn’t target your abs, but it puts tons of unnecessary pressure on your lower back. In addition, we all have enough problems with poor posture- doing exercises that only further that position is detrimental to overall balance.Verdict: ineffective and dangerous. Just stick to regular, non machine ab exercises, do your cardio and you’ll get the abs you want.