Great video. Why did you say you wouldn’t use workout gloves? I don’t use them but I wanted to know why you say not too. Just curious. Again thank you for the video, very helpful.
Awesome thankyou have full recovery been researching couple years Been dicked around by gym jocks for five years setting up home training so happy grateful support very cool fast tracked research can focus on training 😌😌🙏🙏😎😎🥳🥳
Yup, exact same for me. I used to get some knee issue with squatting heavy and I still don't have any knee sleeves. I got back into the gym about 6 months ago and I was going to avoid most compound exercises as they aren't required for bodybuilding, but I still did squats and I notice my upper back (not lower) was getting absolutely destroyed by my squats. I have no fkn idea why. Like, not a good destroyed. Like I'm about to be paralyzed if I did another set destroyed. I swapped to Leg Press machine, the one where you lay back and your feet are almost vertical above you, lol. Anyways, it feels much much better. I was able to go a lot heavier and saw ton of progress in my first 2 weeks using this - 0 back pain and my legs are nice a beefy again lol. Idk why my squats were hurting my upper back so much, they never did in the past. I'm not going to try and man mode it and try and find the right technique with squats, I know my body and I'd rather just stick w/ leg press rather than risk whatever was happening with squats.
same here, i injured my lower back in barbell squats, I only did barbell squats at that time, i changed to leg presses cause it feels more easy on my back and didn't have any issues since then, he also talks about not going too deep or you'll risk injury but I do karate and it feels great to stretch my tight lower back that way, this video felt like a bunch of mixed emotions honestly
this happens if your core muscles are weak or you don't know how to squat properly. if you do proper squats, you won't have back pain during movement. focus on your back and core muscles.
have to agree on this too. I just cannot squat right now without hip pain so I gotta overload on this leg press, 12-15 reps. Slow and controlled with the seat low to avoid ego lifting
@@Rafael-ti8fv bro I have an ileostomy and use the leg press and sumo deadlifts. Trust me, back squats are the worst. I went from 122lbs to 210 lbs off leg presses, dead lifts etc with a missing organ. You put your arse to the back and don't come down super far to raise your butt. For some that's 3/4 movement, that's all you need. No steroids either. Workout just 4x a week, hit legs twice. My degree is in occupational therapy, certified in epidemiology, genetics. Also degree in math and human biology. Now I study at John Hopkins. Half the crap on youtube is confirmation bias with a crap research paper and repeated bro science. Leg presses have been used in studies showing high efficacy and safety for measuring strength for years. Also those handles, you grab them to hold your back further, they are not there just for looks. Now if you have proper form and the stuff hurts, stop and re-evaluate. Sorry for the long write up but I could dismantle this easily.
@@abel4776 no both legs. Even Dorian Yates swore by them. You want to keep your butt back ....retract your shoulder blades( Scapula) and then grab the handles. This will keep you back. Now obviously don't go so deep that it rounds the bottom. 3/4 is absolutely ok. Especially if you spread your feet and put them higher for more hamstring....it's crucial you don't go past 3/4 bc the position of your body via legs higher if going more hamstring position.
For the beginners, I recommend them watching the video because most people don't know what is correct or incorrect especially when they are just starting out on their journey. Working out is a process and the body has to be trained in order to develop muscle memory. You do a tremendous job pointing out the areas that you should be targeting to get some results and avoid injuries.I am 64 and work out as a lifestyle choice. I try to avoid all machines that limit my ability to engage the muscle memory especially the Smith machine. Thank you for your content.
I have been into fitness for over 50 years. I have an extensive home gym. I agree with almost all this guy says with the exception of the Leg press machine. I do squats and never had any back issues, but form is everything. Same is true for the leg press. I have seen people load the leg press machine with ridiculous amounts of weight. If used properly, the leg press, as this guy suggests, is a good compliment to squatting. What he suggests about the lower back its true. Be aware of it and use the one leg method is good. It's likely better in the long run.
i’m sure i have improper form because every time i do leg press i tend to have pain in my lower back so i just avoid it now which is annoying. i actually like leg oress
So it's the Smith machine useless? I just bought the roze rack and it comes with Smith machine which I did not want but now that iam gonna have one I would like to know how to use it? I have 2 buldging disk, pain in elbows and a bad knee knee and don't want to make that worst. So I modify a lot of the things I do to not make pain flar up..
loool, I never use barbells in my offseason or prep, machines are waay more effective with building muscle and mind muscle connection, what good is your barbell strength if you don't look jacked
There are very few exercises that are inherently bad. What matters is that you are actively progressing and the exercise feels comfortable. Leg press is one of my favorite exercises, but you shouldn’t go so low that your butt or lower back leaves the chair. Comfortable and safe range of motion will prevent a lot of injuries mentioned here.
Ues. You need to avoid buttwink. As long as your hips are agonst the pad and your ass doesn't tuck under rounding your lumbar spine you're good. I've been lef pressing and getting a crazy burn. I tried front squats the other day and felt nothing in my legs. My glutes yes which I shoukd but my lower back felt vulnerable even though I was bracing pretty hard
so basically every machine is dangerous, then you say you want to shit on freeweight exercises too? i should just give up training since literally EVERY exercise is "dangerous" i dont agree with a single word you said in this video
Right?! Evwry action carries risk. Get in the gym, work out each muscle group to failure or near failure, use proper form and don't ego lift. Leave and recover. Repeat. It isn't a hard process to understand. I've seen more people injured outside the gym than inside.
Excellent, now I understand why I am still struggling with lower back pain. No more twisting! I just started passive and active hangs, and I love it! Do you have a video on that? I am exercising for horseback riding. Hunter-jumper style. Any tips?
I don't think people should be avoiding these machines. It's all about knowledge of anatomy and the way the human body moves. If you aren't a beginner and you understand these concepts, and you makes tweaks to the way you perform these exercises, you'll be perfectly fine
I think they should, and hire or contact a PT who knows. The 'average novice' isn't aware of the potential negatives, let alone the ways how to work around these disadvantages.
@@Jejking Except a lot of PTs just went through a few months course and that's knowledge you can gather yourself too, or maybe if you are lifting for a while you actually know more than most PTs.
there is reason why the leg press has handles at the seat, you have to hold onto them as you go lower so your lower back does not get hurt, I love leg press due to it hits the quads directly, and its waaay better than regular squat, mind muscle connection, having good form will definitely help you prevent injuries
Legpress is in no way better than normal barbell squats. This channel has done a video on it as well. Clearly neither of you two listened to what he mentioned in the video.
@@ETBrooD Cool man, as long as you are happy getting less gains and gaining less strength while doing your leg presses rather than doing proper barbell squats. Just like your username states. The lies you tell yourself... ;) Leg presses are easy. Barbell squats are hard. You keep on doing your easy thing.
@@maroela2 clearly you dont have proper mind muscle connection, it does not matter what a RUclips video says, it matters what works for you, barbel back squats are great for strength (ego lifting?), leg press when you apply hypertrophy techniques, slow down tempo, squeezing quads, high reps, drop sets, leg press is waaaaay better than barbell squats to hit the quads directly
@@nelsonflores5757 hypertrophy is great and all but functionality is just as important as hypertrophy gains I would argue it is MORE important as you need functionality in order to get those gains anyway but if leg press works for you go for it but it has been proven over and over again squats are the king of all leg exercises plus sqauting is one of the most natural movements for the human body to do
To be honest, I think it depends on individual body. Some feel uncomfortable, some don't. For me, using the machine helps me a lot, with the right form, I never get any injury so far.
🚩hip ab/inductor, has its place. If you are a martial artist those will absolutely improve your kicks and knee striking, namely roundhouse and others. Your kicks are improved with that lateral/horizontal power and flexibility as well as vertical and classic push/pull muscle strength. Remember mostly all muscle and gain videos are done from perspectives of non professional body builders in a way , they aren't fighter's per say. Even tho some of them can fight, their power training is not the exact same. (Ta Kwon Do(s. Korean) and Kenpo myself)
Bet. After I get to a spot I like with my barbell squats, I'll go back to using this machine. I'm 6 foot 2, currently 174lb endgoal is 220-240lb. Trying to be a pure unit.
@@nxt3223 yes bro. Treat the ab/inductor like an accessory work out. No less than every other session hit them. Artial artis soccer player or not it gives well rounded lower body. Jist a bit extra on with. Especially for slim muscular endomorphs like me
@@nxt3223 I got a good gainer shake man. Peanut butter, olive oil, and a bit of sweetener of choice. And an ounce of oatmeal just to keep it homogenous. It's high protein. Moderate good* fat, and some carbs. Everything our type needs. Not to mention an easy extra 1,100 calories in a 12 oz shake. It works wonders for me.
The leg press is an excellent exercise, and if done correctly with emphasis on back support, there is little risk for injury. Doing squats is far more likely to cause lower back and other injuries than leg press, so take this video with a grain of salt.
That's why I follow multiple people and don't blindly believe in just one, even if I like that particular fitness RUclipsr a lot, everybody is different and so their opinions, and about the scientific studies, is hard to believe in theses times where there are a lot of bias studies out there
exactly. leg press is a great exercise that you should get full ROM with or it only targets a few muscles in your legs. Squats your back can go out of position and you can injure it.
It’s also a good idea to carefully pay attention to what your body tells you doesn’t feel right, eg, the knee extension machine is one that just never feels right to me, so I just avoid it.
I do the leg press because I can't squat unless it's just the bar due to herniated disks. I am extremely conscious of not rotating the pelvis up at the bottom. I think it's important to note the back rest can normally be adjusted and it's equally extremely important to have it in a certain position. I see many people angling the back rest further back which can activate the hamstrings and glutes more but I think you stand a greater chance of a back injury than with the back rest further further up. The smith machine is a dangerous machine and you can easily hurt your back in particular if you use it for squats for the reasons mentioned in the video
as he said everyones bodies are slightly different personally the leg press machine injures me when I use it due to the reasons he stated in the video but if the leg press works fro you then good for you and keep using it mate :)
@@bluehornet197 almost people dont put heavy enough to injury. But for heavy weight, 2 important thing need to remember. 1. Dont put knee lower natural position. 2. Feel pressure on your glute, not your lower back.
all the machines are useful, it just depends how properly you use them and what your target is. I always combine free weight exercises with machines at the end of my session. It is going well with me so far. The most important lesson for me was to stop ego lifting. As long as you put the right weight and the right posture, the machines definitely help your muscle growth.
The Smith machine squat obviously isnt as good a compound movement as a barbell squat ,but if you do the Smith machine squat correctly wirh your feet 3 to 6 inches further in front of you ,it can actually target the quads better than a barbell squat . So what if you go in a straight line . Its ridiculous to think that a hack squat machine is good and a Smith machine sqaut is bad when if you do the Smith machine squat correctly they are basically the same exercise, ie you keep the back dead straight and move in a straight line. In addition to being like a hack squat , a Smith machine sqaut is very much like a hatfield sqaut with an ssb bar ,ie your back is straight through the whole rep
I can see the concern about the smith machine, but I actually prefer it for bench press due to the locked in motion (at least for now) because my shoulder surgery has made most chest exercises painful or risky and I am most at risk if I move out of a comfortable/safe range of motion due to my lack of overall strength and support muscles. The smith machine allows me to pick a comfortable path and then keeps me there as I build that strength and pattern recognition.
The machine is for experimenting with heavier weights without a spotter. Or, you just learn how far you can press where the next one won't make it and so stop in time.
@@lsaidane7851 A bench press without the weights clipped in place allows you to see weak spots in your lift if one arm is weaker than the other as a weak arm is lower on lifts, shifting the weights.
If your local gym has only these 8 machines it's a shit gym, otherwise he said most of it is just avoid adding more weight to reduce the back damage on a leg press and explaining that lat pull downs are safer and military press to avoid injury
Found this out myself about the leg press. Plus flexing your leg until it's straight is rather than keeping it bent is begging for a knee injury. One leg at a time actually works much more effectively! Nice vid
Yea man u never wanna lock ur knees, even if ur doing normal squats. And u never wanna lock ur elbows during bench, doing that can cause major injuries
Nobody ever told me NOT to lock out my knees on the back squat. After 15 years of working out (and kicking out knees on back squat) my knees are suffering from it.
Great tips! I started eating healthy and exercising and It really improved my mental and physical health. I didn't know anything about meal planning and optimal food choices so I searched it on the internet. I found nice fitness planner on Next Level Diet and it was super helpful for me back then as it gave me good insights about calories and nutrients. There are many similar things now, you can find something for yourself. Good luck!
I have a sensitive lower back, but I still use all but 2 of these machines. The primary issue is not overloading the machine simply to boost your ego, particularly the leg press. I use low weight to reduce stress on my back and knees. I go for high reps and fatigue. On the leg press I use the stop limiter so I don't compress my back too much. I use the smith machine for squats because I am not confident with my overall stability doing free squats. I'm 65 so I have to be careful, and use low weights. I stopped doing behind the head lat-pulldowns long ago. I think most weighted crunch machines are bad for the abs. They just build more muscle rather than tone the muscle you have. I started getting that pregnant look, so I stopped doing most ab work, except for leg lifts, and high rep pulley crunches. I also use a rolled up towel as a neck pad during squats, and I use grip straps because I suffer from golfer and tennis elbow tendonitis. I would probably get an F in your gym class.
I am an athlete and I used to get my groin pulled many times because of the explosive runs we have to do in cricket,the hip abductor machine has helped me with it a lot,I usually do high reps at moderate weight
Great video, I really like these educational videos. I started to work again on my body before summer, now in much better shape. Exercising can be really hard sometimes, but It always makes me feel better. Last year I had almost 400 lbs in body weight. One day I just started moving more, then slow running then I started doing weighted exercises and I was eating clean by following meal plan I got from Next Level Diet. Today I have 250 lbs and I am happy like I never been in my life.
lol at some of the things in this video. If it is within your active ROM, a full ROM on leg press is actually FAR superior to less ROM and there is no additional risk to injury (again as long as it is within your active ROM). Chest and shoulder presses are very good additions to one's program especially when the goal is hypertrophy (stabiliser muscles like the rotator cuffs are quite small and thus don't require a lot of stimulus to be worked anyways).
Comment on the leg press, from someone with an L4-L5-S1 full fusion. Unfortunately, I'm unable to do heavy squats or trap bar deadlifts, because it's just too dangerous on my surgery site. The best leg press machines allow you to increase the angle of the back pad, so it's closer to the floor. Also, leg press is 100% safe if you lower the back rest to a more natural angle, and you don't let your knees dip so far that your upper and lower legs are at an angle lower than 90 degrees (perpendicular).
The hip abductor combo machine is the only thing that finally healed up my lower left back and hip, I bought one for my basement and love it, it’s a lot easier than side planks cause all my blood doesn’t go to my head. Also my squat went up since my hips are more stable now
Absolutely this, i had tightness in my hip on the left side in terms of external rotation and could generally feel my hips pushing more to one side when squatting but since using the adductor machine every time before my leg days the tightness has massively reduced and i feel more balance between my hips, plus my squat numbers have finally started to increase
@@TuffRS exactly, Chris Bumstead uses a hip machine before squats. My left lower back would always pop out of place and I’d have to lay down to twist and pop it, now it stays in place and doesn’t hurt
They are great machines as an accessory for activation and strengthening of the hip rotation muscles and most people are weak with external hip rotation. Personally I think this guy just puts in exercise science words to make himself sound like he knows what's he's talking about but when it comes to people with weaknesses and vulnerabilities he is lacking in judgement.
Yeah this guy has no idea what he is talking about. Abduction machine is used to heal knee and hip problems by 99% of physical therapists etc. Worked for me aswell. Its used to help stabilize the posterior chain. Will greatly improve balance issues in walking, or lifts such as lunges and squats. Same as the Jane fonda leg raise will. Aaron from Squat university used these also for clients with imbalances.
I’m not sure if was Jeff nippard or someone else but I have heard that doin hip abductors could potentially help increase your deadlift or rather help with getting the weight off the floor
I think it's perfect. You would not be moving the bar in an arc with a free bar anyway. Straight up and down. What I find funny, is the bench is always backwards, because people don't understand; you spot yourself by twisting the bar backward and lifting it.
As somone whos herniated there disc and popped multiple ribs out I can say with certainty that the smith machine and other machines are life savers for your back. The only thing that i agree with in this vid is leg press and spinal twist machine. Everything else has a time and place to be used.
Glad I found your channel, been rocking along the PF Circuit Training, and had knocked off the leg extension and curl machines since the leg press seemed to do most of those muscles. However I noticed the pelvis lifting on the leg press, and now its clear whats happening. Between that and the torso twist which I work up to 2/3's stack, looks like I probably should just dump most of the machine type exercises and just learn squats and use barbells and dumbells for 60% of my workout exercises. Always knew stabilizer muscles would lose a bit when using a machine stabilized exercise, however as you get older its those stabilizers which will save your ass since you're rarely lifting stuff like when you were younger. This should be a must watch video for everyone getting back into the gym.
You have to make sure that the trainer is certified by a reputable leading fitness organization like NASM or NSCA. A monkey could train you on machines.
The only thing you'll ever need from gym are weights and pull up bars which you can have at your home for a fairly cheap price, if you have some welding and construction knowledge you can make an awesome pull up bar yourself if you clear some space in your backyard, my dad did this and it's totally awesome.
Nope, you need cables, dumbbells, barbells, and machines. If you only want to do basic exercise without strength or hypertrophy training, then you can do bodyweight movements and not need any weights.
Love this video. Very true ! Thank God most of my work out are done by dumbbells as those machine were all grabbed by the members at the gym … now that I have watched this video , I will stick with my dumbbells routine. Thank you for making this video. 🙏🏻❤.
Honestly if u look at it tht way u dont need anything in reality just calisthenics are more than enough. At this point dont go to gym at all according to these influencers everything u do isnt benefiting just take some roids like most of em do
Your video is absolutely correct. I see lots of people using these machines incorrectly. They lead to injuries. I’ve experienced all these problems that you have highlighted. There are always alternate exercises that can be done using dumbbells and stretching exercises that are more effective.
My doctor and physical therapist, both of whom are part of a team that work for major professional sports teams, said leg press isn't dangerous. It can be beneficial for those that struggle with back pain doing squats as it takes the weight off the spine.
All kind of weight exercise can cause injuries, saying that, its more unlikely a challenging one like squats or bench press can cause it because over use or overload. As a cyclist I have used most of the machines you mention on legs and core when I notice some muscle group gets fatigued and painful during long rides, and it has always improved the situation by much.
I have lower back pain when using the leg press and going too far down, I now place one foot higher than the other when pressing now and the Lower back pressure has totally gone and you also get a better workout on the legs doing this
I was definitely using the leg press machine wrong in exactly the way described. I would always feel my butt coming off the seat and it never felt quite right. I've experimented and found a range of motion where I can get pretty deep without my hips rolling. I always do leg press in addition to squats. I was also doing lat pulldowns behind the neck for a long time since it seemed to maked sense to me, nowadays my favorite variation is with a close neutral grip. I also recently swapped the torso rotation machine for cable woodchoppers, only done it for a couple of weeks, will see in the long run if they're right for me.
One tip on the leg press he didn't mention was that if you rotate the backrest backward you can use greater range of motion without coming off the seat. At the same time you'll increase glute activation as you'll be in a more hip extended position.
I disagree with some of the information in this video. There is some people that have injuries or are recovering and for example the smith machine might be a safer alternative. I believe for the best results is consistency and doing a variety of exercises with a healthy diet.
When I started I couldn't even lift the bar even with help I couldn't do a single proper rep I used the smith machine for the first 2 months until I was able to actually lift the bar
My main takeaway was stick to the tried and true. Oftentimes, strength and simplicity go hand in hand. Thanks! Makes me feel happy my little home gym has all the equipment I need. 😊
you're absolutely correct simplicity and strength go hand in hand and the tried and true exercises will always be the best no matter what new variation of an exercise we use
@@ricomajestic I have dumbbells from 5lbs to 45lbs, some kettlebells, a variety of bands, squat rack with a pull up bar, barbell, bench, some plates, slam ball and a post landmine attachment, pulley cable system from Amazon. My gym is a 9×11 room.
i specifically switched from squats to leg press after injuring my back and thankfully its never caused me any pain but that LAT pulldown part was hella spot on!
How I'd the leg press working for u? Are u doing single leg presses? I have two buldging disk and got me a Rhino belt squat. Don't do barbell squats anymore
I've argued with so many people about leg press as it actually hurts my back. I'm a physiotherapist and know the correct posture and movement patterns but yet it ALWAYS without doubt hurts my lower back and I can't train for 3 weeks afterwards if my back is sore
Same bro I stay away from the leg press, the shit kills my back. When I do higher weight it doesn't hurt as much but it still sucks. I rather jus squat lol
I have a hernia and protrusions in lower spine. Classic excercises with axial loads are prohibited. After another severe pain incident with the help of therapists I discovered that Leg press is the most effective way of relieving pain and training muscles to keep myself flexible and agile. It helped me to walk and work as a normal person. So if I feel that kind of pain I crawl to the gym and do the leg press. But that's a rare case now. As stronger legs being able to push 2*body weight proved to be extremely important in thia lower back issue.
@@travismann4732 I think the advice to limit leg press to a single leg at a time was good. It allows you to target each leg separately without worrying about balancing while minimising the chance of your lower back rounding
ive always had a little lower back problems, and just recently tried the leg press for the first time, and oh boy it was hard getting out of bed the next day due to lower back pain!
Makes sure that you hold yourself really strong on the support grip, u have to stop ur lower body from moving while pressing, so imagine pressing urself into the seat. another help is finishing ur workout with Back extensions
Yeah it’s a death trap for people with existing lower back issues. The hack squat machine (standing slightly on an incline) is my preference for machine assisted lower body workouts.
@@The.Two.2 It didnt get inujured. It just gets really really mad at me when i do certain exercises! It normally goes away when i get out of bed. But i normally have to throw my lower body out of bed to be able to get up haha
When it comes to the hip adduction and the hip abduction machines, I understand what you mean, but I have to say I feel conflicted about this information, since they have improved my stabilization strength immensely. My Bulgarian split squats have exploded since I started using these machines. Please provide more context on next videos. You did this for the leg press; isn't there a safer way to use the ab/adduction machines? You mentioned the adduction machines for activation, which makes absolute sense (and I will definitely adjust my workout accordingly), but does that mean that I should absolutely avoid the abduction machine? I can imagine there is some benefit to using the machine once/twice per month for example, giving those minor muscles a bump in strength to keep up with the glutes, quads and hamstrings on squats. I don't understand if you're saying they're an absolute "no go" or they are to be avoided, since it is assumed that I am not knowledgeable enough to incorporate them effectively/competently in my workouts.
There are better ways to train your mid-glutes. The machines may have helped to re-activate these for you hence why you’re stronger now but there are better long term solutions than these machines.
@@shoujokakumei39 Can you give some exercises? I ask because I also have seen benefit from these machines. The video mentioned it can tighten the tfl, however I firmly believe that the solution to a tight and overworked muscle isn't to ignore it, but instead train it and stretch it and strenghten surrounding muscles - no muscle should be ignored.
I might have done it wrong. But I am pretty sure that before I jump into any exercises, I would make sure that I know how to perform the movement as correctly as possible. FORM over Weight. So I gave it a shot one time. I did not even go heavy either. After a couple reps, I felt something not right on the left side of my legs (Where the IT band thingy, whatever). So I stopped. And I kid you not, I could not squat for 2 months. Every time I tried to go heavy on squat, from 90 degree and up, I felt loose on my hip. It almost felt just like the screw is falling and everything wanted to collapse, and I could feel that there is something wrong with my IT band. Since then, NOPE. Not ever gonna touch it again. but I do CRAB Walk tho to activate my hip before squats.
I agree, I had a deep groin strain that lasted about 3 years, any lateral shuffling would make it flare up and it was while I was in high school playing sports, doing a lot of lateral shuffling, went to multiple PT’s and none of them worked, all they had me do was squats and stretching, as soon as one suggest the hip adduction/abduction, my groin was completely fine and has been ever since
I have actually injured my lower back on the leg press, but it happened when I was lifting WAY more than I should have. Other than that I haven't had any issues..I have also injured my lower back doing barbell squats. But again, I was lifting WAY more than I should have.
@@Tailionis I think there are certain exercises that are bad for SOME and not others. I have watched guys load up the hack squat machine 3-4 plates aside, and have no problem, whereas I try a medium weight for myself and my knees behind to hurt. Same with virtually every other exercise. Some people cannot do the program I do without injuring themselves. I think its important to pay attention to what does and does nor benefit myself.
I had the leg press problem about 6 year’s ago at age 29. I admit it was because I had too much weight on it and when extended my legs I also pushed butt forward, which caused the weight to concentrate on my lower back. Intense pain immediately took over and I spent a week to recover. Now I have episodes about 3 times a year that I can’t barely move with pain.. had to go to emergency and etc… it sucks
I recently started doing single-leg incline leg press to try to correct a muscle size asymmetry between my two legs, so it’s good to hear that being endorsed.
@@SoulfireSilver Why not straighten legs into "locked" position? you're just fully flexing your quad... if that causes injury you have mobility issued or not performing the exercise correctly.
Excellent video, I'm currently having lower back pain and started avoiding squats while it heals but my performance of the leg press is obviously making it worse. I'm doing unilateral leg presses for now. Thank you very much! Subscribing right now.
YESSSS!!! Im so glad that you made this video. I thought it was just me. A lot of people needed to get this information. It's the main reason why I just canceled my membership at Planet Fitness. Natural range of motion is key!
I would have cancelled it for the fact that it's Planet fitness in general. yeah I know it's cheap but that's it. Real ones go to L.A fitness. and machines are definitely not needed to get in shape depending on your fitness goals.
@@SCP--mw7tx gotchu thank you for the inspirational words I'm headed to the gym right now so I'm gonna use this as fuel and motivation. Hardwork & Dedication!!!
All machines have a fixed range, the smith machine has a lot of safety features and is a useful trade off if you don’t go for big weights. Plus the bar is attached so nobody walks off with it to go do wrist curls during peak gym hours.
I'm genuinely curious as most machines are ergonomically designed to benefit the user. I've never been injured using a chest press but I have had quite a few minor injuries from the barbell bench pressing. Come to think of it most injuries I've ever had in the gym have been from using free weights.
@@TheUltimaFortuna What on earth are you rambling on about? They we are, I've been told by a keyboard warrior whose only knowledge of fitness is watching awful videos like this and thinking they're true. 🤣
@@LivingWellTV where parts of the video are false? I could see barbell bench pressing being dangerous if done to failure and no safety bar or spotter? What was the situation where you got injured?
We should keep in mind that most of these machines were designed decades ago lot of new research has been done since then. But I ain't an expert so don't know what's right and wrong. The more I watch these videos the more I get confused. Probably I should stick with what my trainer is teaching.
Treat legpress the same as squats, dont go too deep causing your spine to bend, keep a neutral spine and reduce range of motion until you have the mobility to go deeper. It does remove core strenght from the exercise, but that's totally fine as long as you preferably try to work your core in other ways in the gym. LEGPRESS IS AN AMAZING EXERCISE
I'm struggling with lower back pain throughout my life and have, from necessity, quit some exercises and machines and the Leg Press was one of them. Also, I agree that doing exercises in the Smith that should have been done with free weights is one of the biggest mistakes a lifter can make.
Thinking that doing exercises in the Smith machine that should have been done with free weights is one of the biggest mistakes a lifter can make is one of the biggest mistakes a lifter can make.
I've been using a type of Leg Press where you actually push yourself backwards rather than push the weight forward. I'm wondering if this has the same issues as the leg press mentioned in this video. I would have to assume you're not as likely to rotate your body since you're not laying on your back or whatever, you're sitting upright and pushing the seat you're sitting in backwards. Is this better or still bad to use?
This has been debunked before, even by scientists, that machines and free weights have no difference in muscle hypertrophy. As for the injuries, there is a higher chance of injuries with free weights than with machines.
I just got myself injured after using the chest press and this is the second time my coach is giving me a wrong exercise that causes me injuries. I'm so F annoyed with today's coaches in gyms. I had to grab two dumbbells and do my own chest exercise because that machine not only causes injuries but it's not even good at training chest muscles.
As always, good stuff. I don't disagree with any of your content in this video. So, the range of motion with the Smith Machine is restrictive; however, have you ever heard of the Jones Machine? The Jones is made by BodyCraft and not only has linear bearings for vertical movement, it also has linear bearings for horizontal movement. And like the Smith, the Jones has safety features. At 67 and still working out... I'm seriously considering the Jones.
I am glad I watched this. Been noticing minor shoulder pain after using the machine chest press and shoulder press machine that you showcased. Had to considerably go lower in weight just to avoid the pain, and as I was contemplating on ways to drop using it, I stumbled across this video. Definitely cutting out those two exercises.
@@chaotichitchhiker that's the thing, they have the barbells that are attached to those racks/smithstatuons(idk the names), you can't move them anywhere
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Best Ab Exercises: ruclips.net/video/XLvaI9jIAH4/видео.html
i love the video
I want to donate for this educational video.
Thank you.
Where can i donate?
Great video. Why did you say you wouldn’t use workout gloves? I don’t use them but I wanted to know why you say not too. Just curious. Again thank you for the video, very helpful.
@@05BSmooth bcoz it pollutes environment
Awesome thankyou have full recovery been researching couple years Been dicked around by gym jocks for five years setting up home training so happy grateful support very cool fast tracked research can focus on training 😌😌🙏🙏😎😎🥳🥳
For me, leg press causes me zero pain whereas barbell squats cause my lower back a lot of pain. Gonna have to hard disagree here.
Yup, exact same for me. I used to get some knee issue with squatting heavy and I still don't have any knee sleeves. I got back into the gym about 6 months ago and I was going to avoid most compound exercises as they aren't required for bodybuilding, but I still did squats and I notice my upper back (not lower) was getting absolutely destroyed by my squats. I have no fkn idea why. Like, not a good destroyed. Like I'm about to be paralyzed if I did another set destroyed. I swapped to Leg Press machine, the one where you lay back and your feet are almost vertical above you, lol. Anyways, it feels much much better. I was able to go a lot heavier and saw ton of progress in my first 2 weeks using this - 0 back pain and my legs are nice a beefy again lol. Idk why my squats were hurting my upper back so much, they never did in the past. I'm not going to try and man mode it and try and find the right technique with squats, I know my body and I'd rather just stick w/ leg press rather than risk whatever was happening with squats.
same here, i injured my lower back in barbell squats, I only did barbell squats at that time, i changed to leg presses cause it feels more easy on my back and didn't have any issues since then, he also talks about not going too deep or you'll risk injury but I do karate and it feels great to stretch my tight lower back that way, this video felt like a bunch of mixed emotions honestly
Yup - theory versus practice
this happens if your core muscles are weak or you don't know how to squat properly. if you do proper squats, you won't have back pain during movement. focus on your back and core muscles.
have to agree on this too. I just cannot squat right now without hip pain so I gotta overload on this leg press, 12-15 reps. Slow and controlled with the seat low to avoid ego lifting
"8 Gym Machines You Should Stop Using Wrong"
I'm the 110th like, and this info is useless, like your username
Exactly. Especially for beginners this is terrible info. They immediately move onto excess free weights, hurt themselves and stop working out.
Leg Press is a great machine if used properly. But Some people think that loading 1000lbs on leg press and doing 1 inch motion will get them huge.
Yea but that machine hurts your lower back
@@Rafael-ti8fv bro I have an ileostomy and use the leg press and sumo deadlifts. Trust me, back squats are the worst. I went from 122lbs to 210 lbs off leg presses, dead lifts etc with a missing organ. You put your arse to the back and don't come down super far to raise your butt. For some that's 3/4 movement, that's all you need. No steroids either. Workout just 4x a week, hit legs twice. My degree is in occupational therapy, certified in epidemiology, genetics. Also degree in math and human biology. Now I study at John Hopkins. Half the crap on youtube is confirmation bias with a crap research paper and repeated bro science. Leg presses have been used in studies showing high efficacy and safety for measuring strength for years. Also those handles, you grab them to hold your back further, they are not there just for looks.
Now if you have proper form and the stuff hurts, stop and re-evaluate. Sorry for the long write up but I could dismantle this easily.
@@derekroberts5931 yes it sounds like you know what you doing I will give a shot this week to those machines to see how I feel …thx
@@Rafael-ti8fv not all those machines are good. I was mainly talking about leg press.
@@abel4776 no both legs. Even Dorian Yates swore by them. You want to keep your butt back ....retract your shoulder blades( Scapula) and then grab the handles. This will keep you back. Now obviously don't go so deep that it rounds the bottom. 3/4 is absolutely ok. Especially if you spread your feet and put them higher for more hamstring....it's crucial you don't go past 3/4 bc the position of your body via legs higher if going more hamstring position.
if the leg press is causing back pain it’s because your doing it wrong your not supposed to roll you back
You are correct, Tom Platz used the leg sled for 17 years and had no problems at all with his lower back.
You're*
I don't know how you people get this wrong still. It's two words combined, you and are. Fix your comment. Now.
@@jarlwhiterun7478 dawg that was 1 year ago hop off it.
For the beginners, I recommend them watching the video because most people don't know what is correct or incorrect especially when they are just starting out on their journey. Working out is a process and the body has to be trained in order to develop muscle memory. You do a tremendous job pointing out the areas that you should be targeting to get some results and avoid injuries.I am 64 and work out as a lifestyle choice. I try to avoid all machines that limit my ability to engage the muscle memory especially the Smith machine.
Thank you for your content.
I would not suggest this video for beginners
I have been into fitness for over 50 years. I have an extensive home gym. I agree with almost all this guy says with the exception of the Leg press machine. I do squats and never had any back issues, but form is everything. Same is true for the leg press. I have seen people load the leg press machine with ridiculous amounts of weight. If used properly, the leg press, as this guy suggests, is a good compliment to squatting. What he suggests about the lower back its true. Be aware of it and use the one leg method is good. It's likely better in the long run.
i’m sure i have improper form because every time i do leg press i tend to have pain in my lower back so i just avoid it now which is annoying. i actually like leg oress
So it's the Smith machine useless? I just bought the roze rack and it comes with Smith machine which I did not want but now that iam gonna have one I would like to know how to use it? I have 2 buldging disk, pain in elbows and a bad knee knee and don't want to make that worst. So I modify a lot of the things I do to not make pain flar up..
@@futbol1972 Smith machine squat is good and safe
@@xevenant7343 thankmu
loool, I never use barbells in my offseason or prep, machines are waay more effective with building muscle and mind muscle connection, what good is your barbell strength if you don't look jacked
There are very few exercises that are inherently bad. What matters is that you are actively progressing and the exercise feels comfortable. Leg press is one of my favorite exercises, but you shouldn’t go so low that your butt or lower back leaves the chair. Comfortable and safe range of motion will prevent a lot of injuries mentioned here.
most of the things he said here was just a case of using bad form. this channel/guy is just retarded and spreading miss information
Ues. You need to avoid buttwink. As long as your hips are agonst the pad and your ass doesn't tuck under rounding your lumbar spine you're good. I've been lef pressing and getting a crazy burn. I tried front squats the other day and felt nothing in my legs. My glutes yes which I shoukd but my lower back felt vulnerable even though I was bracing pretty hard
@@taserface8147 I usually use wider fpr that reason. Over the years my hip mobilty lessened.
@@taserface8147 Yea man my PT has been helping with that. Little by little
@@gporr7004 Also, you shouldn't lock your knees or you might regret it one day... Rings any bells?
so basically every machine is dangerous, then you say you want to shit on freeweight exercises too?
i should just give up training since literally EVERY exercise is "dangerous"
i dont agree with a single word you said in this video
Right?! Evwry action carries risk. Get in the gym, work out each muscle group to failure or near failure, use proper form and don't ego lift. Leave and recover. Repeat. It isn't a hard process to understand. I've seen more people injured outside the gym than inside.
@@Nocturnus-vv1om i COULDNT AGREE MORE WITH YOU DUDE
Thanks for the information. That explains my shoulder problems. ATC FITNESS needs to update their gym equipment !!!
Excellent, now I understand why I am still struggling with lower back pain. No more twisting! I just started passive and active hangs, and I love it! Do you have a video on that? I am exercising for horseback riding. Hunter-jumper style. Any tips?
I don't think people should be avoiding these machines. It's all about knowledge of anatomy and the way the human body moves. If you aren't a beginner and you understand these concepts, and you makes tweaks to the way you perform these exercises, you'll be perfectly fine
I think they should, and hire or contact a PT who knows. The 'average novice' isn't aware of the potential negatives, let alone the ways how to work around these disadvantages.
@@Jejking Except a lot of PTs just went through a few months course and that's knowledge you can gather yourself too, or maybe if you are lifting for a while you actually know more than most PTs.
Few months? Some PT's have a weekend course and an exam.
there is reason why the leg press has handles at the seat, you have to hold onto them as you go lower so your lower back does not get hurt, I love leg press due to it hits the quads directly, and its waaay better than regular squat, mind muscle connection, having good form will definitely help you prevent injuries
Me too I love leg press more than squat since squat hurts my knees there are videos which supports that leg press is way better than a regular squat
Legpress is in no way better than normal barbell squats. This channel has done a video on it as well. Clearly neither of you two listened to what he mentioned in the video.
@@ETBrooD Cool man, as long as you are happy getting less gains and gaining less strength while doing your leg presses rather than doing proper barbell squats. Just like your username states. The lies you tell yourself... ;) Leg presses are easy. Barbell squats are hard. You keep on doing your easy thing.
@@maroela2 clearly you dont have proper mind muscle connection, it does not matter what a RUclips video says, it matters what works for you, barbel back squats are great for strength (ego lifting?), leg press when you apply hypertrophy techniques, slow down tempo, squeezing quads, high reps, drop sets, leg press is waaaaay better than barbell squats to hit the quads directly
@@nelsonflores5757 hypertrophy is great and all but functionality is just as important as hypertrophy gains I would argue it is MORE important as you need functionality in order to get those gains anyway but if leg press works for you go for it but it has been proven over and over again squats are the king of all leg exercises plus sqauting is one of the most natural movements for the human body to do
To be honest, I think it depends on individual body. Some feel uncomfortable, some don't. For me, using the machine helps me a lot, with the right form, I never get any injury so far.
🚩hip ab/inductor, has its place. If you are a martial artist those will absolutely improve your kicks and knee striking, namely roundhouse and others. Your kicks are improved with that lateral/horizontal power and flexibility as well as vertical and classic push/pull muscle strength. Remember mostly all muscle and gain videos are done from perspectives of non professional body builders in a way , they aren't fighter's per say. Even tho some of them can fight, their power training is not the exact same.
(Ta Kwon Do(s. Korean) and Kenpo myself)
Been doing them and I can say my kicks feel better and quicker
Bet. After I get to a spot I like with my barbell squats, I'll go back to using this machine. I'm 6 foot 2, currently 174lb endgoal is 220-240lb. Trying to be a pure unit.
@@nxt3223 yes bro. Treat the ab/inductor like an accessory work out. No less than every other session hit them. Artial artis soccer player or not it gives well rounded lower body. Jist a bit extra on with. Especially for slim muscular endomorphs like me
@@Ali-rb1mq I am slim and muscular as well. Very hard to put on the weight but I am trying to eat as frequently as I can without breaking the bank lol
@@nxt3223 I got a good gainer shake man. Peanut butter, olive oil, and a bit of sweetener of choice. And an ounce of oatmeal just to keep it homogenous. It's high protein. Moderate good* fat, and some carbs. Everything our type needs. Not to mention an easy extra 1,100 calories in a 12 oz shake. It works wonders for me.
The leg press is an excellent exercise, and if done correctly with emphasis on back support, there is little risk for injury. Doing squats is far more likely to cause lower back and other injuries than leg press, so take this video with a grain of salt.
That's why I follow multiple people and don't blindly believe in just one, even if I like that particular fitness RUclipsr a lot, everybody is different and so their opinions, and about the scientific studies, is hard to believe in theses times where there are a lot of bias studies out there
Agreed. I made massive leg gains stopping barbell squats to switching to leg press.
@@kero6016 Check out Ryan Humiston. He is old school with new twists and has changed my entire way of lifting.
Yup - glad to see I am
Not the only one who noticed
exactly. leg press is a great exercise that you should get full ROM with or it only targets a few muscles in your legs. Squats your back can go out of position and you can injure it.
It’s also a good idea to carefully pay attention to what your body tells you doesn’t feel right, eg, the knee extension machine is one that just never feels right to me, so I just avoid it.
he made another video time ago saying that also leg extensions can be dangerous
I do the leg press because I can't squat unless it's just the bar due to herniated disks. I am extremely conscious of not rotating the pelvis up at the bottom. I think it's important to note the back rest can normally be adjusted and it's equally extremely important to have it in a certain position. I see many people angling the back rest further back which can activate the hamstrings and glutes more but I think you stand a greater chance of a back injury than with the back rest further further up.
The smith machine is a dangerous machine and you can easily hurt your back in particular if you use it for squats for the reasons mentioned in the video
as he said everyones bodies are slightly different personally the leg press machine injures me when I use it due to the reasons he stated in the video but if the leg press works fro you then good for you and keep using it mate :)
Bulgarian squats work for me, as do squats with a hipsquat belt.
@@bluehornet197 almost people dont put heavy enough to injury. But for heavy weight, 2 important thing need to remember.
1. Dont put knee lower natural position.
2. Feel pressure on your glute, not your lower back.
@@haibui1244 I appreciate the tips and the response but I'm a physiotherapist so you aren't telling me anything I don't know already
I agree. Keeping you back straight and flat on n the seat will do the trick
all the machines are useful, it just depends how properly you use them and what your target is. I always combine free weight exercises with machines at the end of my session. It is going well with me so far. The most important lesson for me was to stop ego lifting. As long as you put the right weight and the right posture, the machines definitely help your muscle growth.
Wrong.
@@MM-qt8gz if the machines weren't useful then they wouldn't exist and gyms wouldn't buy them
@@MM-qt8gz no
The Smith machine squat obviously isnt as good a compound movement as a barbell squat ,but if you do the Smith machine squat correctly wirh your feet 3 to 6 inches further in front of you ,it can actually target the quads better than a barbell squat . So what if you go in a straight line . Its ridiculous to think that a hack squat machine is good and a Smith machine sqaut is bad when if you do the Smith machine squat correctly they are basically the same exercise, ie you keep the back dead straight and move in a straight line. In addition to being like a hack squat , a Smith machine sqaut is very much like a hatfield sqaut with an ssb bar ,ie your back is straight through the whole rep
I can see the concern about the smith machine, but I actually prefer it for bench press due to the locked in motion (at least for now) because my shoulder surgery has made most chest exercises painful or risky and I am most at risk if I move out of a comfortable/safe range of motion due to my lack of overall strength and support muscles. The smith machine allows me to pick a comfortable path and then keeps me there as I build that strength and pattern recognition.
people been hating on smith, it is always a good alternative and there is nothing wrong if you use that as your main way of heavy lifting.
The machine is for experimenting with heavier weights without a spotter. Or, you just learn how far you can press where the next one won't make it and so stop in time.
A smithmachine i always better than free weights as you get much more stability
@@lsaidane7851 A bench press without the weights clipped in place allows you to see weak spots in your lift if one arm is weaker than the other as a weak arm is lower on lifts, shifting the weights.
Have you tried dumbell floor press? It’s one of my favorites.
So basically all of the machines in my local gym are not safe. 😅
Right... and never eat eggs or red meat. No wait, now it's ok.
If your local gym has only these 8 machines it's a shit gym, otherwise he said most of it is just avoid adding more weight to reduce the back damage on a leg press and explaining that lat pull downs are safer and military press to avoid injury
Exactly!! 😂 so it’s like apparently 80 % of the machines in planet fitness aren’t “safe”
yeah also don't cross the road its dangerous.
Don’t listen to these muppets. So many of these videos on RUclips now. You’ve got own head to use the machines safely and effectively.
Found this out myself about the leg press. Plus flexing your leg until it's straight is rather than keeping it bent is begging for a knee injury. One leg at a time actually works much more effectively! Nice vid
same here and between switching legs I do some ''calf press'' I get the most out of it
since then no more knee or lower back injuries
Yea man u never wanna lock ur knees, even if ur doing normal squats. And u never wanna lock ur elbows during bench, doing that can cause major injuries
Nobody ever told me NOT to lock out my knees on the back squat. After 15 years of working out (and kicking out knees on back squat) my knees are suffering from it.
I’ve been doing single leg presses lately, I hate doing squats but I would do it with free weights and never on the smith machine
@@BigDub24 should of known this 14 years ago!! Now tell that to
My hip!😢
Damn my gym have all of these and I use all of these and never had issues in 15 years
You prob have good form and don't go too heavy.
And those is why the weight area scares me as a beginner. Too much crap to remember to keep from getting injured
Great tips! I started eating healthy and exercising and It really improved my mental and physical health. I didn't know anything about meal planning and optimal food choices so I searched it on the internet. I found nice fitness planner on Next Level Diet and it was super helpful for me back then as it gave me good insights about calories and nutrients. There are many similar things now, you can find something for yourself. Good luck!
I think the most "useless" machine or machine that you should avoid in the gym is the WiFi. It can destruct your workout program. 😂
I’m disabled and the smith machine has been a welcome to me. I enjoyed lifting before my cva and the smith has made me feel able again.
I have a sensitive lower back, but I still use all but 2 of these machines. The primary issue is not overloading the machine simply to boost your ego, particularly the leg press. I use low weight to reduce stress on my back and knees. I go for high reps and fatigue. On the leg press I use the stop limiter so I don't compress my back too much. I use the smith machine for squats because I am not confident with my overall stability doing free squats. I'm 65 so I have to be careful, and use low weights. I stopped doing behind the head lat-pulldowns long ago. I think most weighted crunch machines are bad for the abs. They just build more muscle rather than tone the muscle you have. I started getting that pregnant look, so I stopped doing most ab work, except for leg lifts, and high rep pulley crunches. I also use a rolled up towel as a neck pad during squats, and I use grip straps because I suffer from golfer and tennis elbow tendonitis. I would probably get an F in your gym class.
I am an athlete and I used to get my groin pulled many times because of the explosive runs we have to do in cricket,the hip abductor machine has helped me with it a lot,I usually do high reps at moderate weight
Thanx, I'm newbie and I'm really learning it.
Thank you for bringing useful knowledge to help preventing bodily injuries for thousands & thousands of Gym Bros.
Great video, I really like these educational videos. I started to work again on my body before summer, now in much better shape. Exercising can be really hard sometimes, but It always makes me feel better. Last year I had almost 400 lbs in body weight. One day I just started moving more, then slow running then I started doing weighted exercises and I was eating clean by following meal plan I got from Next Level Diet. Today I have 250 lbs and I am happy like I never been in my life.
This site really helped me as well. I can recommend it to everyone, it is pretty affordable.
Right on, my man. Good going!
The leg press machine is an ego lifter's dream.
Source: A former ego lifter.
Ditto
True
1-smith machine
2-the tfl (tensor fascie latea)
3-the leg press
4-torso rotation machine
5-Lat pull down machine
6-seated crunch machine
7-selector iced chest press&schoulder press machine
8-Butt blaster machine
Cool I'll keep doing 3 through 8 for another 13 years ty
@@Tailionis agree
@@Tailionis same here since 1985
lol at some of the things in this video. If it is within your active ROM, a full ROM on leg press is actually FAR superior to less ROM and there is no additional risk to injury (again as long as it is within your active ROM). Chest and shoulder presses are very good additions to one's program especially when the goal is hypertrophy (stabiliser muscles like the rotator cuffs are quite small and thus don't require a lot of stimulus to be worked anyways).
Comment on the leg press, from someone with an L4-L5-S1 full fusion. Unfortunately, I'm unable to do heavy squats or trap bar deadlifts, because it's just too dangerous on my surgery site. The best leg press machines allow you to increase the angle of the back pad, so it's closer to the floor. Also, leg press is 100% safe if you lower the back rest to a more natural angle, and you don't let your knees dip so far that your upper and lower legs are at an angle lower than 90 degrees (perpendicular).
You need a reverse hyper and a belt squat machine, ASAP
@@hitleractually8180 I have no idea what those are.
The hip abductor combo machine is the only thing that finally healed up my lower left back and hip, I bought one for my basement and love it, it’s a lot easier than side planks cause all my blood doesn’t go to my head. Also my squat went up since my hips are more stable now
Absolutely this, i had tightness in my hip on the left side in terms of external rotation and could generally feel my hips pushing more to one side when squatting but since using the adductor machine every time before my leg days the tightness has massively reduced and i feel more balance between my hips, plus my squat numbers have finally started to increase
@@TuffRS exactly, Chris Bumstead uses a hip machine before squats. My left lower back would always pop out of place and I’d have to lay down to twist and pop it, now it stays in place and doesn’t hurt
They are great machines as an accessory for activation and strengthening of the hip rotation muscles and most people are weak with external hip rotation.
Personally I think this guy just puts in exercise science words to make himself sound like he knows what's he's talking about but when it comes to people with weaknesses and vulnerabilities he is lacking in judgement.
Yeah this guy has no idea what he is talking about. Abduction machine is used to heal knee and hip problems by 99% of physical therapists etc. Worked for me aswell. Its used to help stabilize the posterior chain. Will greatly improve balance issues in walking, or lifts such as lunges and squats. Same as the Jane fonda leg raise will. Aaron from Squat university used these also for clients with imbalances.
I’m not sure if was Jeff nippard or someone else but I have heard that doin hip abductors could potentially help increase your deadlift or rather help with getting the weight off the floor
Incline bench press on the Smith Machine feels so damn sweet.
I think it's perfect. You would not be moving the bar in an arc with a free bar anyway. Straight up and down. What I find funny, is the bench is always backwards, because people don't understand; you spot yourself by twisting the bar backward and lifting it.
As somone whos herniated there disc and popped multiple ribs out I can say with certainty that the smith machine and other machines are life savers for your back. The only thing that i agree with in this vid is leg press and spinal twist machine. Everything else has a time and place to be used.
Yes exactly the same for me, this video is trash really. Almost any exercise can be dangerous if You do it wrong, does’nt mean You cant do it
Glad I found your channel, been rocking along the PF Circuit Training, and had knocked off the leg extension and curl machines since the leg press seemed to do most of those muscles. However I noticed the pelvis lifting on the leg press, and now its clear whats happening. Between that and the torso twist which I work up to 2/3's stack, looks like I probably should just dump most of the machine type exercises and just learn squats and use barbells and dumbells for 60% of my workout exercises. Always knew stabilizer muscles would lose a bit when using a machine stabilized exercise, however as you get older its those stabilizers which will save your ass since you're rarely lifting stuff like when you were younger.
This should be a must watch video for everyone getting back into the gym.
Man such an informative video
Thanks dude
When we start at the gym, the first thing every coach recommend is exactly all these machines 🤣
Because it's very safe on less weights
Thank you, I have injured my lower back numerous times using these machines. The trainers at my gym don’t know what they are doing when helping you.
You have to make sure that the trainer is certified by a reputable leading fitness organization like NASM or NSCA. A monkey could train you on machines.
The only thing you'll ever need from gym are weights and pull up bars which you can have at your home for a fairly cheap price, if you have some welding and construction knowledge you can make an awesome pull up bar yourself if you clear some space in your backyard, my dad did this and it's totally awesome.
Nope, you need cables, dumbbells, barbells, and machines. If you only want to do basic exercise without strength or hypertrophy training, then you can do bodyweight movements and not need any weights.
10:56 i spit my coffee 🤣
Love this video. Very true ! Thank God most of my work out are done by dumbbells as those machine were all grabbed by the members at the gym … now that I have watched this video , I will stick with my dumbbells routine. Thank you for making this video. 🙏🏻❤.
Not the leg press !!! 😭😭😭😭
Deadlift and Squat are done ideally with a straight bar path.
Use whatever gets you stronger, more functional that your body approves of.
I can do everything I need for a full body with just dumbbells, a bench and a pull up bar.
And squat rack
Squat racks not essential,he can do DB walking lunges ss with DB Goblet squat to smoke the legs.
@@SnakePliskin762 this. I do dumbbell squats, lunges and Romanian dumbbell deadlifts.
@@Shifudragonturtle try the superset above,it's brutal
Honestly if u look at it tht way u dont need anything in reality just calisthenics are more than enough. At this point dont go to gym at all according to these influencers everything u do isnt benefiting just take some roids like most of em do
This video is so helpful. I've used all of these machines and have had back pain for a long time! Makes so much sense now.
Your video is absolutely correct. I see lots of people using these machines incorrectly. They lead to injuries. I’ve experienced all these problems that you have highlighted. There are always alternate exercises that can be done using dumbbells and stretching exercises that are more effective.
Doing any exercise incorrectly can lead to injury
My doctor and physical therapist, both of whom are part of a team that work for major professional sports teams, said leg press isn't dangerous. It can be beneficial for those that struggle with back pain doing squats as it takes the weight off the spine.
All kind of weight exercise can cause injuries, saying that, its more unlikely a challenging one like squats or bench press can cause it because over use or overload. As a cyclist I have used most of the machines you mention on legs and core when I notice some muscle group gets fatigued and painful during long rides, and it has always improved the situation by much.
I have lower back pain when using the leg press and going too far down, I now place one foot higher than the other when pressing now and the Lower back pressure has totally gone and you also get a better workout on the legs doing this
Dangerous you’re tilting your pelvis and back.
Spot on info! Nice! I never do any of these machines.
Excellent information... thankyou
I was definitely using the leg press machine wrong in exactly the way described. I would always feel my butt coming off the seat and it never felt quite right. I've experimented and found a range of motion where I can get pretty deep without my hips rolling. I always do leg press in addition to squats. I was also doing lat pulldowns behind the neck for a long time since it seemed to maked sense to me, nowadays my favorite variation is with a close neutral grip. I also recently swapped the torso rotation machine for cable woodchoppers, only done it for a couple of weeks, will see in the long run if they're right for me.
One tip on the leg press he didn't mention was that if you rotate the backrest backward you can use greater range of motion without coming off the seat. At the same time you'll increase glute activation as you'll be in a more hip extended position.
You use the side grips to pin your back down. These handles are on all similar leg press machines like a horizontal leg press.
Love the cable woodchops! Do em every time on core day. With the twisting torso machine I don't go heavy I just focus on reps.
I disagree with some of the information in this video. There is some people that have injuries or are recovering and for example the smith machine might be a safer alternative. I believe for the best results is consistency and doing a variety of exercises with a healthy diet.
So why risk injury elsewhere in the body by using these machines?
@@huaiwei You could injure yourself doing literally ANY exercise out there. If you gotta use the machines, at least learn how to use them properly.
@@sleepingrogue4130 that goes without saying. You need to read my statement in relation to the one I am replying to.
I disagree with all of it. All the machines in the gym are there for a reason.
When I started I couldn't even lift the bar even with help I couldn't do a single proper rep I used the smith machine for the first 2 months until I was able to actually lift the bar
My main takeaway was stick to the tried and true. Oftentimes, strength and simplicity go hand in hand. Thanks! Makes me feel happy my little home gym has all the equipment I need. 😊
you're absolutely correct simplicity and strength go hand in hand and the tried and true exercises will always be the best no matter what new variation of an exercise we use
what equipment do you have in your home gym?
@@ricomajestic I have dumbbells from 5lbs to 45lbs, some kettlebells, a variety of bands, squat rack with a pull up bar, barbell, bench, some plates, slam ball and a post landmine attachment, pulley cable system from Amazon. My gym is a 9×11 room.
Anyone who believes what this fraud is saying is an idiot !!
Some very good points..thank you
Great information!! Thank you!
I always use the leg press at the end of my leg workout. Love it
i specifically switched from squats to leg press after injuring my back and thankfully its never caused me any pain but that LAT pulldown part was hella spot on!
How I'd the leg press working for u? Are u doing single leg presses? I have two buldging disk and got me a Rhino belt squat. Don't do barbell squats anymore
hmm am doing 2 legged presses and so far so good ^^@@futbol1972
I've argued with so many people about leg press as it actually hurts my back. I'm a physiotherapist and know the correct posture and movement patterns but yet it ALWAYS without doubt hurts my lower back and I can't train for 3 weeks afterwards if my back is sore
Same bro I stay away from the leg press, the shit kills my back. When I do higher weight it doesn't hurt as much but it still sucks. I rather jus squat lol
@@travismann4732 that's the same for me but I can do higher weight but next day I can't move it sucks
I have a hernia and protrusions in lower spine. Classic excercises with axial loads are prohibited. After another severe pain incident with the help of therapists I discovered that Leg press is the most effective way of relieving pain and training muscles to keep myself flexible and agile. It helped me to walk and work as a normal person. So if I feel that kind of pain I crawl to the gym and do the leg press.
But that's a rare case now. As stronger legs being able to push 2*body weight proved to be extremely important in thia lower back issue.
@@Max-xl9qv I agree legpress is so much easier on the body and targets the muscle
@@travismann4732 I think the advice to limit leg press to a single leg at a time was good. It allows you to target each leg separately without worrying about balancing while minimising the chance of your lower back rounding
Thank you for this information, super helpful and well presented.
Very useful thank you😊
ive always had a little lower back problems, and just recently tried the leg press for the first time, and oh boy it was hard getting out of bed the next day due to lower back pain!
Makes sure that you hold yourself really strong on the support grip, u have to stop ur lower body from moving while pressing, so imagine pressing urself into the seat. another help is finishing ur workout with Back extensions
@@1p0rnstar ah thanks, ill give it a go next time! because my ass kept lifting
Yeah it’s a death trap for people with existing lower back issues. The hack squat machine (standing slightly on an incline) is my preference for machine assisted lower body workouts.
How is your back? Was it just injury?
@@The.Two.2 It didnt get inujured. It just gets really really mad at me when i do certain exercises! It normally goes away when i get out of bed. But i normally have to throw my lower body out of bed to be able to get up haha
When it comes to the hip adduction and the hip abduction machines, I understand what you mean, but I have to say I feel conflicted about this information, since they have improved my stabilization strength immensely.
My Bulgarian split squats have exploded since I started using these machines. Please provide more context on next videos. You did this for the leg press; isn't there a safer way to use the ab/adduction machines? You mentioned the adduction machines for activation, which makes absolute sense (and I will definitely adjust my workout accordingly), but does that mean that I should absolutely avoid the abduction machine? I can imagine there is some benefit to using the machine once/twice per month for example, giving those minor muscles a bump in strength to keep up with the glutes, quads and hamstrings on squats.
I don't understand if you're saying they're an absolute "no go" or they are to be avoided, since it is assumed that I am not knowledgeable enough to incorporate them effectively/competently in my workouts.
There are better ways to train your mid-glutes. The machines may have helped to re-activate these for you hence why you’re stronger now but there are better long term solutions than these machines.
@@shoujokakumei39 Can you give some exercises? I ask because I also have seen benefit from these machines. The video mentioned it can tighten the tfl, however I firmly believe that the solution to a tight and overworked muscle isn't to ignore it, but instead train it and stretch it and strenghten surrounding muscles - no muscle should be ignored.
@@SlurpKing100 you’re not incorrect
I might have done it wrong. But I am pretty sure that before I jump into any exercises, I would make sure that I know how to perform the movement as correctly as possible. FORM over Weight. So I gave it a shot one time. I did not even go heavy either. After a couple reps, I felt something not right on the left side of my legs (Where the IT band thingy, whatever). So I stopped. And I kid you not, I could not squat for 2 months. Every time I tried to go heavy on squat, from 90 degree and up, I felt loose on my hip. It almost felt just like the screw is falling and everything wanted to collapse, and I could feel that there is something wrong with my IT band.
Since then, NOPE. Not ever gonna touch it again. but I do CRAB Walk tho to activate my hip before squats.
I agree, I had a deep groin strain that lasted about 3 years, any lateral shuffling would make it flare up and it was while I was in high school playing sports, doing a lot of lateral shuffling, went to multiple PT’s and none of them worked, all they had me do was squats and stretching, as soon as one suggest the hip adduction/abduction, my groin was completely fine and has been ever since
I have actually injured my lower back on the leg press, but it happened when I was lifting WAY more than I should have. Other than that I haven't had any issues..I have also injured my lower back doing barbell squats. But again, I was lifting WAY more than I should have.
Ya this video is more BS. I injured myself with shoulder presses free weight not from machines
@@Tailionis I think there are certain exercises that are bad for SOME and not others. I have watched guys load up the hack squat machine 3-4 plates aside, and have no problem, whereas I try a medium weight for myself and my knees behind to hurt. Same with virtually every other exercise. Some people cannot do the program I do without injuring themselves. I think its important to pay attention to what does and does nor benefit myself.
Thanks for this crucial info
I had the leg press problem about 6 year’s ago at age 29. I admit it was because I had too much weight on it and when extended my legs I also pushed butt forward, which caused the weight to concentrate on my lower back. Intense pain immediately took over and I spent a week to recover. Now I have episodes about 3 times a year that I can’t barely move with pain.. had to go to emergency and etc… it sucks
oh my lord hope you get better soon
probably should look for one of those massage guru things to see if they can resolve your problem if the pain is still recurring
You grip the side handles to keep your ass in place or use a smaller range of motion.
I recently started doing single-leg incline leg press to try to correct a muscle size asymmetry between my two legs, so it’s good to hear that being endorsed.
Same 🔥🔥🔥
Ikr
There is also a higher risk of injury doing single leg presses so lower weight is essential, and never straighten your legs into a locked position.
@@SoulfireSilver Why not straighten legs into "locked" position? you're just fully flexing your quad... if that causes injury you have mobility issued or not performing the exercise correctly.
@@danielstacey7785 cuz if you lock your knees by fully straightening your legs it's like literally asking for an injury
Excellent video, I'm currently having lower back pain and started avoiding squats while it heals but my performance of the leg press is obviously making it worse. I'm doing unilateral leg presses for now. Thank you very much! Subscribing right now.
It's a garbage video and you shouldn't do one leg presses, there's literally zero sense in it.
Thank you for this very useful video
very very nice and illuminating video, thanks a lot.
This is a massive L video. The smithmachine is absolutely goated because of the stability you get
YESSSS!!! Im so glad that you made this video. I thought it was just me. A lot of people needed to get this information. It's the main reason why I just canceled my membership at Planet Fitness. Natural range of motion is key!
I would have cancelled it for the fact that it's Planet fitness in general. yeah I know it's cheap but that's it. Real ones go to L.A fitness. and machines are definitely not needed to get in shape depending on your fitness goals.
@@206remyboyz7 bro just workout, it doesn't matter where, so long as your doing it right, it's something to be celebrated
@@SCP--mw7tx gotchu thank you for the inspirational words I'm headed to the gym right now so I'm gonna use this as fuel and motivation. Hardwork & Dedication!!!
You are so right
Im just about to cancel my pt who has me doing these all
All machines have a fixed range, the smith machine has a lot of safety features and is a useful trade off if you don’t go for big weights. Plus the bar is attached so nobody walks off with it to go do wrist curls during peak gym hours.
It can be beneficial on some movements like rowing, but for some it’s outright dangerous
Great great vid. Please post more of this type specially for those who wanna prevent lower back pain and disc or if they already are injured .
Thank you for the information.
I'm genuinely curious as most machines are ergonomically designed to benefit the user. I've never been injured using a chest press but I have had quite a few minor injuries from the barbell bench pressing. Come to think of it most injuries I've ever had in the gym have been from using free weights.
This is probably due to a combination of bad form and too much weight
Enjoy your terrible stabiliser muscles. Also if you are getting injured on free weights lower the weight or fix your form.
@@TheUltimaFortuna What on earth are you rambling on about? They we are, I've been told by a keyboard warrior whose only knowledge of fitness is watching awful videos like this and thinking they're true. 🤣
@@LivingWellTV where parts of the video are false? I could see barbell bench pressing being dangerous if done to failure and no safety bar or spotter? What was the situation where you got injured?
We should keep in mind that most of these machines were designed decades ago lot of new research has been done since then. But I ain't an expert so don't know what's right and wrong. The more I watch these videos the more I get confused. Probably I should stick with what my trainer is teaching.
Some smith machines allow for vertical and horizontal bar movements so those work fine.
Which ones? I’m looking into a Smith machine.
@@starttheconvopod Can’t remember exactly the brand i’ll look next time i’m there
Treat legpress the same as squats, dont go too deep causing your spine to bend, keep a neutral spine and reduce range of motion until you have the mobility to go deeper. It does remove core strenght from the exercise, but that's totally fine as long as you preferably try to work your core in other ways in the gym. LEGPRESS IS AN AMAZING EXERCISE
This is very helpful. Thank you
Very useful video especially for gym beginner like me! Great tips and thank you!
Tensor Fasciae Latae sounds like something you’d get at Starbucks
I'm struggling with lower back pain throughout my life and have, from necessity, quit some exercises and machines and the Leg Press was one of them. Also, I agree that doing exercises in the Smith that should have been done with free weights is one of the biggest mistakes a lifter can make.
Bro im also suffering from this for last 3 months especially in leg days,,,,,plz give me some solution
Thinking that doing exercises in the Smith machine that should have been done with free weights is one of the biggest mistakes a lifter can make is one of the biggest mistakes a lifter can make.
@@shanepartridge2744 bro particularly leg press seems the one which is hurting me mostly, seems like, idk the actual reason, 😭
I've been using a type of Leg Press where you actually push yourself backwards rather than push the weight forward. I'm wondering if this has the same issues as the leg press mentioned in this video. I would have to assume you're not as likely to rotate your body since you're not laying on your back or whatever, you're sitting upright and pushing the seat you're sitting in backwards. Is this better or still bad to use?
i would think the pelvis issue wouldn't be a problem on that type of leg press machine
Thank you for this video 👍❤️
Thank you brother really appreciated thank you again
I pretty much agree, but according to the great Dexter Jackson . He is 43 an injury free an did mostly Smith machinery. Good information
Dont let an outlier influence the majority. Its science its bad to use
Yea these guys arent even at dexters level and talking trash about a smith machine. Lets see how they walk when they are his age 😏.
This has been debunked before, even by scientists, that machines and free weights have no difference in muscle hypertrophy. As for the injuries, there is a higher chance of injuries with free weights than with machines.
No it hasn’t 😂 but continue to listen to studies and research that lack the proper variables to be considered accurate.
Thanks for your advice
Amazing information, all of them are right , they are dangerous workouts which you can replace with safer exercises
ive never seen someone be so uniformed in my whole entire life lmao
I just got myself injured after using the chest press and this is the second time my coach is giving me a wrong exercise that causes me injuries. I'm so F annoyed with today's coaches in gyms. I had to grab two dumbbells and do my own chest exercise because that machine not only causes injuries but it's not even good at training chest muscles.
What machine?
@Mike_Hawk1 The chest press
As always, good stuff. I don't disagree with any of your content in this video. So, the range of motion with the Smith Machine is restrictive; however, have you ever heard of the Jones Machine? The Jones is made by BodyCraft and not only has linear bearings for vertical movement, it also has linear bearings for horizontal movement. And like the Smith, the Jones has safety features. At 67 and still working out... I'm seriously considering the Jones.
I am glad I watched this. Been noticing minor shoulder pain after using the machine chest press and shoulder press machine that you showcased. Had to considerably go lower in weight just to avoid the pain, and as I was contemplating on ways to drop using it, I stumbled across this video. Definitely cutting out those two exercises.
Very useful information and interesting.
At my gym they don't have true squat-racks, they have smith-mach8nes* for squats and bar benching😒, so I'm stuck between Smith squats and leg press
planet fitness?
@@bryansbag yea, it's the closest and got in on 9$ promotion, rate stays the same.
@@Ali-rb1mq I have the same problem at Fit for less 😕
So what I do is:: I take the barbell bar and place it in the handles of chest DIP station. You can use that to load the barbell onto your shoulders.
@@chaotichitchhiker that's the thing, they have the barbells that are attached to those racks/smithstatuons(idk the names), you can't move them anywhere