Just using machines for a workout?.....

[Commander_Bash]

my shoulders die out real quick when i bench so i tried this workout on monday...and my chest was pumped like crazy

i did barbell incline for 2 sets of 135 x 15 reps and 155 x 12 reps
then i was like my shoulders are killing me let me just do my other 2
sets on the smith machine
so here was my workout
smith machine incline 3 sets of 10 reps
then hammer incline 3 sets of however many reps
then pecdec flyes
then hammer decline
my chest was pumped like crazy but my chest was pumped like crazy you think this is bad to just do machines for chest instead of freeweights my arms and shoulders are real big and my chest is small so it cant hurt the rest of my body what do youz think?

[Ajax]

Machine are OK for targeting specific muscles, BUT freewights give you a larger range of motion and also bring in a lot of smaller/peripheral muscles that you use for balance. I think that free weights are better 90% of the time.

Ever see a Mr. Olympia who just used Nautilus?

[broncojosh]

I agree with ya Ajax. Machine's are nice for isolated mucles, but you don't work any stabalizer muscles. My workout is probably 90% free weights.

[Commander_Bash]

see thats the thing im not really worried about working out any stabalizer muscles like my shoulders and tri's because there way bigger then my chest and using the smith machine and other machines really isolate my chest good and put less stress on my shoulders thats why i was thinking of trying it out for like a month

[Little Jonah]

Just like ajax said when you use free weights it targets a lot of stabilizer muscles that help out your main muscles. So IMO I would stick witht the freeweights man

[eagle66]

i like machines for shoulders but thats only because mine pop out of socket. otherwise i go with the free weights.

[skiboy]

no way man, i hate machines, you use more stabilizing muscles w/ free weights, this helps make u a better athlete as well, and less injure pron.
peace

[demetri]

I think anyone that's serious about having a good physique will stay far away from machines. Free weights give you the best workout.

Barbell is better than machines, dumbbells kick it up a notch, and dumbbells presses on a Swiss ball give a kick ass pump on your chest. I try to alternate between barbell and dumbbell exercises and through the Swiss ball in for the odd chest workout.

If you use free weights you'll have a better balance of symmetry and more strength over all. You'll have less shoulder problems too as you'll strengthen those stabilizer muscles and rotator cuffs.

One thing that I've noticed in my gym is that not very many people do the basics .. also not many of them have nice physiques. The people that I'm impressed with (physique wise) are the ones I see doing the basics.

IMO these basics are very important:

Dead lifts
Bench press both incline and flat (dumbbells or barbells)
Squats (with the barbell of course)
weighted chins
weighted Dips (best finisher for a chest)
One armed dumbbell rows
Shoulder Press (dumbbells only)

[xxxl83]

I agree with skiboy,
When it comes to chest training you need to use and strengthen your stabilizer muscles esspecially in your rotator cuff. By only using machines you are at risk of injuring your shoulder unless you do specific prehab work (external rotation exercises) to help prevent injuries.
Other than that for your specific purposes and goals I wouldn't see a major problem.

[nyteen27]

I think freeweights are the best

[Commander_Bash]

i know freeweights are better i never said that they werent but....i have bad shoulders they hurt me a lot when i workout my chest .........when i do other bodyparts they dont thats why i was thinking of trying this out maybe my bad shoulders are keeping my chest gains down.....

[demetri]

Your shoulders won't get any better doing the machines. They'll probably get worse.

I used to get stabbing pains in my shoulders when I did bench. I switched to doing chest on the Swiss ball with dumbbells for a couple of months (that was two years ago) and I haven't had any pain in my shoulders since. My problem was weak rotator cuffs, the Swiss ball is great for strengthening them. Plus you can do both flat and incline on it. I would also do incline flys on it.

Swimming is also good for the rotator cuff.

[Commander_Bash]

whats the swiss ball i've never heard of it???????

[demetri]

Originally posted by Commander_Bash
whats the swiss ball i've never heard of it???????

http://www.sissel-shop-canada.com/45absswisbal.html
http://www.t-mag.com/html/16swiss.html

Lots of companies make them. Most gyms also have them piled up in the corner somewhere. I have one at home made by addidas ... you'll usually only see people using them for their abs. I usually get a few odd looks when I use it but it gives your chest an awsome burn.

I've heard that lots of power lifters train almost exclusively on the swiss ball instead of doing a bench press. The claim is that they can increase their max bench by almost 15% because of all the stabalizer muscles that they hit. I can't claim that training on it did that for me but I bench almost twice my weight.

[demetri]

More on the swiss ball

http://www.stanford.edu/~gchen/Training/SwissBall.html
http://www.onlinefit.com/health/index.cfm/Category/93

I think this last one sums up the swiss ball the best
http://www.shapeshiftermagazine.com/2/03.htm

[bigblanco]

Originally posted by demetri


IMO these basics are very important:

Dead lifts
Bench press both incline and flat (dumbbells or barbells)
Squats (with the barbell of course)
weighted chins
weighted Dips (best finisher for a chest)
One armed dumbbell rows
Shoulder Press (dumbbells only)

speaking of stabalizers i just started doing one armed dumbell rows standing on one leg. try them

[SAC]

hey bro i giving a big bump for the swiss ball. try it...you want be sorry.