Panel Discussion: Do machines still have a place in our CEx and performance enhancement programs?
I look forward to everyone's insights and hope that you will not only comment, but "share" this post with your peers. The more professionals interacting, the better the discussion will be.
Moderated by Brent Brookbush DPT, PT, MS, PES, CES, CSCS, ACSM H/FS
This Panel Discussion was originally posted on my facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/brent.brookbush - on October 14th, 2012
Jemimah Simms Machines should be treated as training wheels.
October 14 at 11:19amBrent Brookbush Training wheels for what Jemimah Simms? Could their be other selections that reduce our need for equipment and be more effective, or should everyone start on machines?
October 14 at 11:27amJemimah Simms Better trainers? I've used machines when I've had a person who just couldn't understand what I was trying to tell them. There was nothing I could so. Or unless there is another issue;pregnancy or a severe spinal issue where they are cleared for exercise but its in everyone's best interest to keep an extra component of stability or something along those lines.
October 14 at 11:34am
Brent Brookbush Good Points Jemimah Simms, I find myself using machines less, partly because their cumbersome and not available for home use… but You make a solid point.
October 14 at 11:36am
Yusuf Boyd Machines have their place, if you have an individual who's currently is stabilization phase and cannot perform body weight ex with proper form then a machine would probably be the place to start for a week or two to increase strength to where they can. Same goes for CEx but performance enhancement I say not but with hesitation because you could possibly have the same scenario as above. For ex, a 12 yr old soccer athlete beginning a PE program. We have to be careful how we approach, personally I avoid machines and devise ways to achieve the goal without them but I've been doing this for almost 20 yrs so there is an experience factor. In regards to CEx, be careful…especially with leg ext for that "ACL rehab"…sorry Brent I had too
October 14 at 11:38am
Jemimah Simms I don't like the ROM most have. And for the short ladies like myself, some of those machines are cruel.
October 14 at 11:40am
Jemimah Simms A PT or a personal trainer should be able to get a 12 year old strong without machines.
October 14 at 11:44am
Brent Brookbush Hey Yusuf Boyd,
Just had my knee scoped last week (as much as I hate to admit it). Now that I have some personal experience to back my knowledge base I must say the leg extension would scare the heck out of me. I don't want to be forced through a painful ROM… I think heel slides, quad sets, and other terminal extension type exercise (TKE's) are just as effective and less risky… Thoughts?
October 14 at 11:56am
Yusuf Boyd Brent this are the exercises I use everyday with those populations. They are very effective and provide more benefit than the leg ext machine….one good thing about that machine is that it keeps my books full …individuals don't progress and they should and either have residual issues or perform poorly then we get to rehab them properly…anywho, let's just throw away all the leg ext, leg curl, abd/Adduction, tricep press, and abdominal machines on earth…thoughts?
October 14 at 12:11pm
Jemimah Simms all you would need is a physio ball and some therabands. done deal
October 14 at 12:13pm
Adam Horak Lets do keep the shrug machine though, and possibly the neck flexion and extension.
October 14 at 12:44pm
Jemimah Simms why would you keep next ext and flex?
October 14 at 12:47pm
Karam Al-hamdani for that kind of a knee issue I would start with Russian current strengthening first smile then maybe some isokinetic leg extensions??
The BIG reason why machines exist are for sales tactics and to limit the range of motion so as to assume that the member doesn't hurt him/herself. "Very big assumption"
Here is the circle of death…… Member joins gym gets assessed refuses personal training claiming he can do it on his own and can use the machines, he doesn't get results in the long run quits the gym saying gym x sucks I joined trained for a year used the machines and did not get any results.
If I had a gym I would put a squat rack with pull up bar a power block some elastics a medicine ball a Trx a tire a therapy table a Swiss ball some turf a ladder oh and can't forget a power plate smile oh and a computer to check the panel discussions and keep myself informed.
October 14 at 1:21pm
Yusuf Boyd That place sounds familiar…
October 14
Brent Brookbush I with you Yusuf Boyd, and Karam Al-hamdani I love your selections… I think I might add a multi-cable column machine and some release and balance tools, but I can't argue with your use of a computer smile
October 14
Bryan Yam If we are strictly talking about PE & CE gym and not a franchise then NO machines. Joe Defranco, California strength gym, are a few great gyms out there with no need for such nonsense. A machine can never truly reproduce human movement or function. You…See More
October 14 at 6:01pm
Brent Brookbush Thanks for the unbridled opinion Bryan Yam. I think we could also add in some bands, cable column machines, airex pads and dyna disks, but I do find less and less need for machines. It may not be appropriate for this discussion, but we could have a great debate on whether Olympic Lifts are truly functional and should be included in our essential movement pattern repertoire.
October 14