{"id":63738,"date":"2017-11-29T07:15:40","date_gmt":"2017-11-29T12:15:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=63738"},"modified":"2017-11-30T22:17:01","modified_gmt":"2017-12-01T03:17:01","slug":"exercise-machines-common-mistakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/exercise-machines-common-mistakes\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Exercise Machines You\u2019re Using All Wrong"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo: Twenty20<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you love heading to the gym and making your rounds on the exercise machines, you\u2019re not alone. With peak gym season upon us, you might even find yourself lining up for fan favorites like the leg extension machine. But are those big hunks of metal worth the wait \u2014 or should you pave your own way with free weights<\/a>?<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 5 Exercise Machine That Aren’t Worth Your Time<\/a><\/p>\n

The Pros and Cons of Exercise Machines<\/h3>\n

First off, machines do offer some great benefits. \u201cExercise machines are convenient and are generally designed to be user-friendly,\u201d says Cris Dobrosielski, CSCS, owner of Monumental Results<\/a> in San Diego and author of Going the Distance<\/em><\/a>. They can also help build definition and endurance in muscles, Dobrosielski says.<\/p>\n

Going machine-heavy has some drawbacks, though. Depending on your body type (e.g. short or tall), the machine may not fit you correctly, Dobrosielski notes. And unlike free weights, which can move in all three planes of motion, resistance machines are on a fixed axis that will only allow you to move in one or two planes. They also isolate specific muscles, compared to more functional movements<\/a> (using dumbbells or kettlebells<\/a>, for instance) that recruit surrounding muscle groups and help fine-tune balance, stability and coordination. Most machines won\u2019t help you improve power (speed plus strength) either, Dobrosielski adds.<\/p>\n

So should you ditch exercise machines all together? Not necessarily. But there are a few mistakes to watch out for \u2014 and times when stepping off the machine to do an alternative exercise is a better option. Here are seven popular pieces of machinery, and how to better use them to your benefit.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>The 20 Worst People at the Gym, According to Trainers<\/a><\/p>\n

The 7 Most Common Exercise Machine Mistakes<\/h2>\n

1. Torso Rotation Machine<\/h3>\n

The Mistake<\/strong>: It\u2019s all too easy to set this core machine so that you\u2019re not hitting a full range of motion, which will compromise how effective it is. \u201cOn your first set, your tissues are not warmed up, so you\u2019re not as limber. However, with movement and an increase in body temperature, you\u2019ll have a natural increase in your range of motion,\u201d says Dobrosielski.<\/p>\n

The Fix<\/strong>: On your second and third set, reset the machine to allow yourself to rotate further on each side.<\/p>\n

2. Leg Extension Machine<\/h3>\n

The Mistake:<\/strong> This exercise can put a considerable strain on the knee joint<\/a>, says Dobrosielski. \u201cIt\u2019s common to take reps too fast and extend all the way down so that your heels are almost to your butt, which only stresses your patella and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL),\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

The Fix: <\/strong>If you choose to isolate your quads with the leg extension machine, Dobrosielski recommends dropping into the down position conservatively and slowly and working only the top three to six inches of the move. (You may even feel like you\u2019re not bending down enough, but that\u2019s OK.) A better exercise is box step-ups<\/a> on a six- to 12-inch box, he says.<\/p>\n

RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong>50 Butt Exercises for Strong, Sculpted Glutes<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Back Extension Machine<\/h3>\n

The Mistake: <\/strong>Holding a weight while you do it. Also, locking your knee out during the move. \u201cThis will take most of your hamstrings out of the exercise and prompt you to work almost exclusively from your lumbar spine<\/a>,\u201d says Dobrosielski. That can overload your back.<\/p>\n

The Fix: <\/strong>Keep a slight bend in your knee to tap into hamstrings. Don\u2019t add weight beyond your body weight. You can also do this move facedown on an exercise ball<\/a> with your feet up against a wall. This will better recruit your hamstrings, glutes<\/a> and lower back, he says.<\/p>\n

4. Cable Machine Torso Twist<\/h3>\n

The Mistake: <\/strong>While Dobrosielski is a fan of cable machines, they can restrict your range of motion, preventing further progress.<\/p>\n

The Fix: <\/strong>Once you\u2019ve mastered the hay bailer motion and it begins to feel easy, you may need to step away from the machine. Instead, pick up a dumbbell or kettlebell to do the move on your own. \u201cThis will make the move more advanced by asking your body to do a bit more of the work,\u201d says Dobrosielski.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>7 No-Crunch Exercises for Six-Pack Abs<\/a><\/p>\n

5. Cable Machine Chest Fly<\/h3>\n

The Mistake: <\/strong>It\u2019s common to start too far away from the machine and position your hands too far behind you. This can damage your shoulder joint, says Dobrosielski.<\/p>\n

The Fix: <\/strong>Start with the cables close to your body as you begin the move. During each rep, maintain a moderate bend in your elbows.<\/p>\n

6. Bench Press Machine<\/h3>\n

The Mistake: <\/strong>The bench press machine can also limit your range of motion. \u201cIf the back support is set too far back, you limit the depth of the move. You\u2019ll lose a significant amount of chest benefits,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

The Fix: <\/strong>Set the machine so that you get a full range of motion in your arms, meaning you can extend your arms and pull the handles back down by your chest<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Are You Foam Rolling All Wrong?<\/a><\/p>\n

7. Power Tower<\/h3>\n

The Mistake: <\/strong>For this exercise, you prop yourself up on your forearms and raise your legs for an ab workout<\/a> (aka hanging leg raises). \u201cThese are just OK for ab strength<\/a>, and they put a tremendous load on your lower back,\u201d says Dobrosielski.<\/p>\n

The Fix: <\/strong>Take your core workout to the floor for a modified leg raise, he recommends. Lay on your back, bend knees so feet are off the floor. Press your lower back into the floor to activate abdominal muscles, and slowly drop heels toward the floor (knees should remain at 90 degrees).<\/p>\n

Read More<\/strong>
\n50 Ab Exercises to Score a Stronger Core<\/a>
\nThe 15 Most Underrated Exercises, According to Trainers<\/a>
\n3 Common Plank Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Exercise machines are easy and convenient. But when used incorrectly, they can do more harm than good. These expert tips will help correct your form. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":71,"featured_media":63746,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,6,14],"tags":[289,144,83,281,341,353,154],"class_list":["post-63738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exercise","category-fitness","category-strength-training","tag-exercise","tag-injury","tag-resistance-training","tag-strength-training","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2weight-training","tag-weight-training"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/71"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63738"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63738\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63746"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}