I know that free weights are better due to the fact it recruits stabilizers and other muscles…Is it ok to use hammer strength machines to replace free weight exercises. It seems to be easier on my joints( shoulders and lower back)…Any suggestions?
[quote]ThisIsMyRifle wrote:
I know that free weights are better due to the fact it recruits stabilizers and other muscles…Is it ok to use hammer strength machines to replace free weight exercises. It seems to be easier on my joints( shoulders and lower back)…Any suggestions?[/quote]
Please point to your “stabilizer” muscles.
There’s nothing wrong with machines, except out of the mouths of wanna-be-hardcore guys who weigh 170 screaming, “I never use anything that isn’t covered in rust and blood! Rrrrr!”
Hammer Strength makes some of the best stuff out there; the only machines of their’s I don’t like are the behind-the-neck shoulder and lat pull stuff. Everything else, especially their chest equipment, is pretty much the best there is.
(Actually, their pullover machine blows, too, but everyone’s pullover machine since the original Nautilus machine blows.)
The Strive machines are nice as well.
Hammer makes awesome stuff.
The Chest machines are great. They let you get full stimulation from stretch to contraction.
Harris: Are you talking about the High Row machine? That’s my favorite!
The behind-the-neck press is very awkward though.
[quote]simon-hecubus wrote:
Hammer makes awesome stuff.
The Chest machines are great. They let you get full stimulation from stretch to contraction.
Harris: Are you talking about the High Row machine? That’s my favorite!
The behind-the-neck press is very awkward though.[/quote]
Aboslutely not…I LOOOOOVE their high-row machine. I actually go to a different gym than my “home” gym every once in a while for pretty much the express purpose of using that thing.
The one I was talking about is the BTN lat pull machine. The mechanics are awful: you end up with your hands three or four inches behind your shoulder.
To the OP: check out all the HS chest stuff. One tip is to put a pad on the seat so you’re a few more inches forward. This lets you get a really good stretch without the bars hitting the bumpers.
[quote]harris447 wrote:
Please point to your “stabilizer” muscles.
[/quote]
I’m assuming by your comment that he would be pointing to every muscle that crosses the ankle, knee, hip, back, shoulder elbow and wrist?
I use the high row machine for unilateral sets on vertical push/pull day, but that’s about it. If your joints hurt when using free weights, try a lighter weight or get a trainer or someone with more experience to check out your form.
[quote]ThisIsMyRifle wrote:
I know that free weights are better due to the fact it recruits stabilizers and other muscles…Is it ok to use hammer strength machines to replace free weight exercises. It seems to be easier on my joints( shoulders and lower back)…Any suggestions?[/quote]
You know your body best. Listen to it, not a bunch of douchebags on a forum who claim to lift weights yet haven’t gained any weight in 5 years.
[quote]Modi wrote:
harris447 wrote:
Please point to your “stabilizer” muscles.
I’m assuming by your comment that he would be pointing to every muscle that crosses the ankle, knee, hip, back, shoulder elbow and wrist?[/quote]
No, by my comment, I meant that “stabilizer” muscles are a myth. They are the Loch Ness Monster of training.
I used to have a membership to a gym that had DBs that only went upto 100lbs. I used to use the HS Bench press machine as the main exercise in my chest routine. I still use it as an alternative at my current gym.
[quote]harris447 wrote:
Modi wrote:
harris447 wrote:
Please point to your “stabilizer” muscles.
I’m assuming by your comment that he would be pointing to every muscle that crosses the ankle, knee, hip, back, shoulder elbow and wrist?
No, by my comment, I meant that “stabilizer” muscles are a myth. They are the Loch Ness Monster of training.[/quote]
Lol.
[quote]harris447 wrote:
Modi wrote:
harris447 wrote:
Please point to your “stabilizer” muscles.
I’m assuming by your comment that he would be pointing to every muscle that crosses the ankle, knee, hip, back, shoulder elbow and wrist?
No, by my comment, I meant that “stabilizer” muscles are a myth. They are the Loch Ness Monster of training.[/quote]
then why does the leg press not carry across to the squat?
machines have there place, but i don’t think they should be a staple.
Machines are for fags.
Or people that have a gym membership, or people that have a shitload of money.
[quote]rainjack wrote:
Machines are for fags.
Or people that have a gym membership, or people that have a shitload of money. [/quote]
So…pretty much everyone who hasn’t moved his family to a heavily-armed, blast-resistant compound in the part of Texas the Chainsaw Massacre happened in, right?
RJ…I got a futon, babe. C’mon up: we’ll listen to Springsten records and hit on Italian chicks and there are gyms–GYMS, sir!–as far as the eye can see!
Put down the bazooka. The black helicopters ae not coming for you. Well, not today at least.
Besides, don’t you want to be somewhere that has a decent football team?
(OK, that one was a low blow and I apologize. Kinda.)
[quote]harris447 wrote:
Modi wrote:
harris447 wrote:
Please point to your “stabilizer” muscles.
I’m assuming by your comment that he would be pointing to every muscle that crosses the ankle, knee, hip, back, shoulder elbow and wrist?
No, by my comment, I meant that “stabilizer” muscles are a myth. They are the Loch Ness Monster of training.[/quote]
Am I missing something here? Are you saying that there aren’t any muscles that are engaged during exercise to stablize joints?
[quote]Modi wrote:
harris447 wrote:
Modi wrote:
harris447 wrote:
Please point to your “stabilizer” muscles.
I’m assuming by your comment that he would be pointing to every muscle that crosses the ankle, knee, hip, back, shoulder elbow and wrist?
No, by my comment, I meant that “stabilizer” muscles are a myth. They are the Loch Ness Monster of training.
Am I missing something here? Are you saying that there aren’t any muscles that are engaged during exercise to stablize joints? [/quote]
Muscles do not stabilize. They contract or remain at rest.
[quote]ThisIsMyRifle wrote:
I know that free weights are better due to the fact it recruits stabilizers and other muscles…Is it ok to use hammer strength machines to replace free weight exercises. It seems to be easier on my joints( shoulders and lower back)…Any suggestions?[/quote]
All depends on what you are training for. Machines are better suited for hypertrophy in some areas.
[quote]ThisIsMyRifle wrote:
I know that free weights are better due to the fact it recruits stabilizers and other muscles…Is it ok to use hammer strength machines to replace free weight exercises. It seems to be easier on my joints( shoulders and lower back)…Any suggestions?[/quote]
What machines are you talking about? Using only hammer and no free weights. If you’re having problems with your shoulders and lower back you should probably work on making them not hurt rather than worrying about what machine you are or aren’t using.
[quote]harris447 wrote:
Modi wrote:
harris447 wrote:
Modi wrote:
harris447 wrote:
Please point to your “stabilizer” muscles.
I’m assuming by your comment that he would be pointing to every muscle that crosses the ankle, knee, hip, back, shoulder elbow and wrist?
No, by my comment, I meant that “stabilizer” muscles are a myth. They are the Loch Ness Monster of training.
Am I missing something here? Are you saying that there aren’t any muscles that are engaged during exercise to stablize joints?
Muscles do not stabilize. They contract or remain at rest.
[/quote]
It’s not that simple. They can contract isometrically to stablize a joint. I know where you are going with this argument, but it’s a weak argument.
[quote]:
Modi wrote:
harris447 wrote:
Please point to your “stabilizer” muscles.
I’m assuming by your comment that he would be pointing to every muscle that crosses the ankle, knee, hip, back, shoulder elbow and wrist?
No, by my comment, I meant that “stabilizer” muscles are a myth. They are the Loch Ness Monster of training.
Am I missing something here? Are you saying that there aren’t any muscles that are engaged during exercise to stablize joints?
Muscles do not stabilize. They contract or remain at rest.
It’s not that simple. They can contract isometrically to stablize a joint. I know where you are going with this argument, but it’s a weak argument.[/quote]
ALL muscles are stabilizer muscles. As long as you include a good variety of exercises in your regimen and workout in good form, your joints will become more stabile. Tell all the Dogg Crapp monsters that they have weak stabilizer muscles.