Very Cool Conversation

I was out with two friends last night, Samantha and Alaina. We casually stumbled upon the topic of them working out. They started discussing how Samantha "kind of pulled a muscle" while working on the bicep curl machine:/ Since I am on an anti-machine movement, I asked them if they always worked out on the machines when they went to the gym...which they do, except for some yoga classes. Yoga is a great start, as it focuses on your body awareness, breathing, and body control. Good job girls:) We then continued to talk about the machines.
I told them that they could get an even better workout OFF the machines with just their bodyweight and a few household items, to which they BOTH replied: "Really? I would MUCH RATHER use my body than those machines! I just don't know how...that's why I use the machines." I offered to show them both how to do just that, right at their apartment.

It's amazing what their response was. That's the problem with machines...they are too DUMB. They certainly have their place in a rehab setting, I'm not arguing against that, but for a healthy person? There is no reason any normal, healthy person should have to use machines. By healthy I mean any person not in need of any physical therapy, surgery, etc. It's a shame that people enter a gym, get a personal trainer, expecting a good workout, and the trainer puts them on a machine based program. INCOMPETENT, I say! It's easy to put people on machines and not have to correct their technique, show them any technique, or even get their whole body moving at the same time! LAZINESS, I say! Calorie burning? What do you think will burn more calories - curls on a bicep machine (sitting down, supported), or a big compound movement, like a row or pullup variation (you are forced to control your whole body, support yourself)?

Muscle building? Pushups or the pec-deck? Which do you think stimulates more muscle fibers? Good guess. To end this rant, get off the machines, get a knowledgeable and pro-active trainer, and start improving.