WOMAN VS. MACHINE
Oxygen|Winter 2021
DID YOU DITCH MACHINES FOR FREE WEIGHTS AND FUNCTIONAL TRAINING? IT MAY BE TIME TO GIVE THESE DISCARDED TOOLS ANOTHER CHANCE.
MICHAEL BERG
WOMAN VS. MACHINE

Machines get no love. Judging by Instagram feeds and equipment-shunning videos, we would rather heave kettlebells, flip tires and burpee until we barf. But here’s the thing: While machines may feel like relics from longago lifting days, they’re actually pretty darn effective when it comes to muscle growth and fat burning.

“I almost always include machines with [those] just starting a resistance program,” says Darlene Kalina Salvador, a California-based certified personal trainer and registered yoga teacher. “Machines help clients maintain correct form, learn movement patterns and assist in warming up the stabilizing muscles. People new to training are also less intimidated by machines and are more likely to use them on days when they train on their own.”

Machines also can help when it comes to rehabbing an injury. “For things like ACL injuries or runner’s knee rehab, you can strengthen the quadriceps muscle far more precisely and safely on a leg extension or leg press machine than you could doing a lunge or a squat,” says Dan Roberts, U.K. strength and conditioning coach and founder of The Dan Roberts Group.

So if you’re finally back at your health club, give those rows of gleaming (and newly disinfected!) machines another go. Not sure where to start? Read through our experts’ top 10 picks for the most effective machines and their tips on how to use each one like a pro. As an added bonus, they give recommendations for a secondary move to pair with each machine to maximize intensity. Happy machinations!

TOP 10 COUNTDOWN

MIX AND MATCH

A STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING RESEARCH FOUND THAT MIXING FREE WEIGHTS WITH MACHINE MOVEMENTS WAS THE BEST WAY TO PROMPT MUSCLE GROWTH.

Denne historien er fra Winter 2021-utgaven av Oxygen.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra Winter 2021-utgaven av Oxygen.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA OXYGENSe alt
Work Hard. Be Nice To People.
Oxygen

Work Hard. Be Nice To People.

This is the mantra of trainer and social media mogul Claire P. Thomas. And as we found out, it suits her to a tee.

time-read
10 mins  |
Fall 2021
The Power Of Suggestion
Oxygen

The Power Of Suggestion

Though the media makes it out to be voodoo, hypnosis may be your secret sauce for success.

time-read
3 mins  |
Fall 2021
Test Your Fitness Levels
Oxygen

Test Your Fitness Levels

Exactly how fit are you? How do you measure up? Find out with these next-level self-trials from Autumn Calabrese, Beachbody trainer and author of Lose Weight Like Crazy Even If You Have a Crazy Life (Galvanized Media, 2020).

time-read
4 mins  |
Fall 2021
Ankle weights
Oxygen

Ankle weights

Does this ‘80s staple still have a place in modern workouts? Our experts weigh in.

time-read
3 mins  |
Fall 2021
THE POWER CLEAN (Discover this dirty little secret for better functional fitness.)
Oxygen

THE POWER CLEAN (Discover this dirty little secret for better functional fitness.)

OLYMPIC LIFTS ARE A VALUABLE TOOL FOR IMPROVING STRENGTH and athletic performance — and as a side bonus, they also help develop crazy-good muscle shape, size, and definition. In fact, one could argue that the power-clean portion of the clean-and-jerk is the best exercise ever devised. “The clean is a functional movement used [routinely] in everyday activities,” says Aaron Viscounte, CSCS, head coach and manager at Summer’s Fitness Inc. in North Canton, Ohio. “We use aspects of the clean to pick up a box and put it on a shelf, move furniture or even go grocery shopping.” During a power clean, the barbell travels from the floor to the “racked” position at shoulder level and back down again. We tapped some elite trainers for their step-by-step expert advice on making the most of every rep.

time-read
6 mins  |
Fall 2021
The science of happıness
Oxygen

The science of happıness

WHY DOES A GOOD WORKOUT MAKE YOU FEEL SO MUCH HAPPIER? TURNS OUT, IT HAS AS MUCH TO DO WITH YOUR HEAD AS WITH YOUR BODY.

time-read
7 mins  |
Fall 2021
THE [ABCs] OF GREAT GLUTES
Oxygen

THE [ABCs] OF GREAT GLUTES

Improve athletic performance and perfect your posterior aesthetic with these 18 awesome exercises.

time-read
9 mins  |
Fall 2021
Three's the charm
Oxygen

Three's the charm

After the birth of her third daughter, Lindsay Raynne vowed to get healthy.

time-read
2 mins  |
Fall 2021
Keep your head in the game
Oxygen

Keep your head in the game

Adding a few targeted ingredients to your otherwise healthy lifestyle is a yes-brainer when it comes to maintaining your mind.

time-read
3 mins  |
Fall 2021
Recovery Discovery
Oxygen

Recovery Discovery

The fitness space is flooded with products, potions and protocols promising to optimize your recovery from training. See what science has to say about some of the most popular applications.

time-read
9 mins  |
Summer 2021