Health And General Life Care: [Supertraining] Re: Free weights and machine weights

[Supertraining] Re: Free weights and machine weights

Monday, 21 January 2008

0 comments

Hi All,

Maybe we need to break up this discussion, along with the 1 set vs. multiple sets thread, into those who train for performance and those who train fitness clients.

Certainly for performance(training of athletes) the bulk of the work should be done with free weights- for the stability aspect of firing the accessory muscles around joints, the better use of the stretch shortening cycle, and development of maximal strength, machines alone won't get the job done. We know there are professional teams using 1 set routines on machines- but they are clearly in a "don't screw them up" mode with regards to the athletes they are training. Clearly, whatever Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin does in the weight room is secondary to their spectacular skills on the ice. BUT, any world class athlete needs to stay strong and stay healthy to continue their game-time wizardry- free weight workouts needed!!

By the same token, when training athletes for high performance, who need to perform repeated high intensity sub-maximal efforts (but close to maximal efforts given the small increment of time available in game situations) multiple sets of lower reps with heavy weights is the most beneficial training mode. We are training the nerves to contract muscles with more force in a shorter period of time-that to me is what performance training is all about.

Now, there are many fitness oriented trainers on this list, and for many of their clients, a machine based program is a fine option. I personally train my friends who have better fitness as a goal like athletes anyway, but not everyone wants that. Not everyone wants to look like Charles Atlas, they just want to look/ feel better than they did yesterday..

So I wouldn't advocate eliminating machines entirely. My athletes make friends with the glute-ham machine very early in their training lives with me. And my gym has a decent variety of machines for people who don't want to jump into free weights, for whatever reason. For these "fitness" folks, 1-2 sets on a machine based circuit will help them achieve their goals, feel good about themselves and so on.

Another example would be running vs. almost any other cardio machine workout. Running beats the bike, the elliptical, arc trainers, Tony Little's
Gazelle(LOL) or whatever. BUT not everybody likes to run, wants to run or is physically able to run- so we have a variety of machines to get the job done. However, if you're an athlete, you must train by running. Our hockey players who spend the majority of training time on the bike do not get the explosion on ice that players who train with sprinting get.

One last note- if anyone had THE answer to all of this, we'd all be doing the same routines, with the same equipment, on the same training days. One of the great things about this profession, and this list, is there are many opinions, methods and ways to achieve the good results we're looking for. And the result would be a pretty boring profession, with no challenge to it at all......

Mark Powell, MS, ATC, CSCS
Camillus, NY

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