Rise of the machines

We see them everywhere.  Machines have officially taken over.  It seems like if you are at the gym you are made to feel that unless you are using these specific and sometimes complicated machines, well then you are not really working out.  They are lined up many times according to specific muscle groups and you are encouraged to go from one to the next down the line until you are done with the whole circuit.  I am not saying there’s no benefit to working out this way but I am not sure we need to complicate the workout process.  I am a huge believer in free weights.  You can do everything with them and not risk any kind of disproportionate muscle distribution.  Let me explain.  Imagine you are doing a bench press using the machine.  Since you are moving the whole contraption, if one arm is stronger, it’s easy for the stronger one to overcompensate without you even realizing it.  However, if you were using a barbell, the stronger arm pushing harder would result in a balance problem and will prompt you to adjust the pressure in the weaker arm.  The same is the case with treadmill versus running outside.  Most people who have only run on treadmills say that once they started running outside, they found it harder.  The machines were overcompensating without you even knowing it.  I think we need to go back to basics.

A scene from Rocky IV comes to mind…

https://youtu.be/eEGXFumwUQw

Drago was using all these complicated machines and was like a machine himself, whereas Rocky was all heart and using whatever he could find to work his body (very functional!), even running in the snow.  We know how that story ends.  Machines lose.