Quite Possibly the Best Article on Hypertrophy/Strength that I've read this year

Why Bodybuilders are More Jacked Than Powerlifters

In Neuromechanics of Human Movement, Roger Enoka (Enoka, 2008) lists eight potential neurological areas for non-hypertrophy related strength gains:


Enhanced output from supraspinal centers as suggested by findings with imagined contractions
Reduced coactivation of antagonist muscles
Greater activation of agonist and synergist muscles
Enhanced coupling of spinal interneurons that produces cross-education
Changes in descending drive that reduce the bilateral deficit
Shared input to motor neurons that increases motor unit synchronization
Greater muscle activation (EMG)
Heightened excitability and altered connections into motor neurons




Read the full article HERE
















http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/why_bodybuilders_are_more_jacked_than_powerlifters

Skinny Fat

Love this article From Cody at Crossfit SouthBay.

It's something I have tried over and over again, with modest success, to express to my female clients who won't lift.

I feel the same way he does.  "One of the most difficult things to fight as a coach is the thought that “Lifting weights is going to make me ‘bulk up’” from women.  My first response is to shake my head and contemplate shoving my hand in a toaster to cure the frustration… Yet, when I stop and think about it, I honestly like the way CrossFit makes my body look.  And I know there are many of us in the gym that wouldn’t be as enamored with CrossFit if we didn’t see aesthetic results in combination with fitness results, so I do think it is a valuable question that needs to be answered."

Read the Full Article Here.

Number one objection is that they don't want to get bulky.  This article is an excellent answer.

'

To me it's less about looks(though the runway model ideal is not at all attractive to me) but what you can do. As Form follows Function the athletic form expresses capabilities, not just a "look".

The second objection is that they are often intimidated by the free weight room.  Now in our case the free weight room is a separate room adjoining the the cardio and machine room(mostly Cybex).

We also do have some big boys in there (the Y of Central Maryland, Towson, MD), but then as soon as I hear the comment, I take them in there and introduce them to the more experienced lifters.  I point out that it is traditional courtesy for lifter's to help spot one another, often I am able to show them doing that.  Also, it seems that the more experienced lifters are more than willing to be helpful with a technique question.  Once they know a few people, particularly the ones with good form, and know that they are regular people despite the occasional grunting or noises form exertion they really start to gain an interest.

Then we go on to talk about the occasional bang, or grunt.  It's helpful to explain that the grunt can serve a purpose when tightening the core.  We talk about the importance of the core in balancing and supporting the spine. And they start to get it.  The occasional bang that they here? (MOST of our guys and gals are not hte meathead variety).  We talk about the safety bars on the squat rack and how you use them to deload quickly in the event of a inability to come out of the squat (we don't have bumper plates at the Y [we do of course at my Box]), thus often causing the banging.  We also talk about the meatheads, banging weights for show, and how they are not the ones to emulate.  Once they know a few of the more serious guys, there is a sense of camaraderie in good form and etiquette that seems to develop that starts to draw them in to the inner circle.

And of course I teach them not to curl at the squat racks.

Any other ways to encourage Women to train with free weights?

I would love to get some comments and turn this into a discussion.

Squats Part 4 Back Squat

This is the Third Part of a series on Squats, the earlier posts can be found here: 

Squats Part I
Squats Part 2 General Mechanics
Squats Part 3 Air Squats and Goblet Squats

Any feedback or questions would be greatly appreciated.

In the previous sections we've discussed that the back squat is a primal motion, it is not an invented exercise, it's something that we all do everyday in different forms.  While it is a basic movement when we load it with weights there are several points to make it a safe and efficient exercise.

The back squat(high bar) is the typically the first barbell squat movement that most people are introduced to. The back squat uses a great deal of muscle mass, and because of this heavy weights can be lifted which will lead to greater adaptation.  Squats are a full body exercise with much more muscle used than the leg muscles Quad, Hamstrings and glutes.  The mass be supported and stabilized, thus putting a high demand on the core.

In the back squat, either form, you will be lifting more weight than in almost any exercise except the dead lift.  You'll want to use the right equipment and check to make sure that it is set up properly. 

Power Rack

Squat Rack 

Power rack, 4 sided will have safety bars that can be placed between the uprights.

The safety bars should always be used.

To use you will set the side safety bars to catch the bar just below the bottom point of your squat.  If you cannot complete the lift you simply dump the weight the short distance to the safety bars.

Please note that this is not a Smith Machine.  The Smith Machine has a rail or guide on which the weight rides.  The Smith Machine takes all of the stabilization work from you and you are placed where your movement must conform to the machine.  This is not a natural movement and training with the Smith Machine can hardly be called a squat.  Where ever possible avoid constrained motions like the Smith Machine and use a free unguided movement.  

Globo gyms and clubs like Smith Machines because they perceive them as safer.  This is a myth, a properly executed squat with appropriate equipment and appropriate load is perfectly safe.

Squat Stand

Squat stands, which have no safety bars can be used if you are using bumper plates, rubber plates made specifically to allow you to dump the weights to the floor, a practice frowned upon in big box gyms and health clubs, but embraced in most true weightlifting gyms, Crossfit Boxes and other gyms that specialize in free weights. 

Shoes

While this seems a minor consideration it can have a large impact on your movement and the reaction forces against the floor.

Shoe lift (the difference in elevation between the back and front) will help with squat depth.  That is why you will see lifting shoes with a relatively high heel,  

This heel has two purposes: .  

1. To lock and and provide stability of the foot.

2. To raise the heel so that ankle mobility is not the limiting factor in squat depth.

These shoes also have no, (or very little), padding to absorb shock. The point of this is that all of the muscle-mechanical force you exert is directed to moving the weight rather than having some portion of that effort dampened by shock absorbing materials like those typically found on cross-trainer or similar shoes. This does have a large effect in the squat and even more so in Olympic lifts. 

General Characteristics of Back Squats

There are two types of back squats.  Most people when they think of back squats think of the high bar back squat.  The low bar back squat is more common in sports performance training and offers some unique characteristics.  

Both types share the following Characteristics

Start with an empty bar about sternum high on a power rack.  Load weights on both sides.

Make sure it is centered in the rack.

Make sure you are facing the bar.  NEVER back into the bar.  ALWAYS face the bar.  When the weights get heavy and you have backed into the bar and attempt to return the bar to the rack you can't see the supports.  There will be a train wreck when you miss the supports.  You would also have to turn and twist to even try to find the supports, putting torsion on you spine.  This is the LAST thing you want to do under a heavy load.  ALWAYS FACE THE BARBELL

Grasp the bar with a closed, palm forward grip .  Width will depend on shoulder mobility.

We'll discuss bar placement on your back and grip when we talk about the specifics of each because it will be different between the high bar back squat and the low bar.  Both styles require the shoulder blades to be contracted and retracted.

Head should be in a position that maintains the cervical spine in a neutral position, in line with your thoracic spine.  SO at the start it is up with eyes straight forward.  As you begin to move your neck should follow your spine, this will have your eyes then looking at a point on the floor or wall in front of you slightly below the horizon and you move downward.

Your Torso should be straight, back straight and abdominals braced.

Once braced, take 1 step back.

In both movements your shoulder blades should be pushed together and retracted.

Feet shoulder width apart,  or a bit wider.

Screw your feet to the floor in external rotation. We will have a separate post on external rotation in a future post.  For more on external rotation see also Becoming a Supple Leopard by Kelly Sterrett.

Feet flat on floor and toes pointing slightly outwards at an angle between 15 deg and 30 deg depending on mobility.  See here discussion of foot position.

Inhale and hold your breath while lowering the bar. We will have a separate post on breathing, bracing and the Valsalva Maneuver in a forthcoming post. 

Knees and hips bend bend together, shins stay as vertical as possible, moving slightly outward(external rotation) always tracking over the shoelaces.  Think knees out.  Never let them collapse inward.  

Sit back over heels, weight is appropriately distributed over center of gravity.  Think pushing through the heels. 

Think of the torso as dropping through the hips.

Move downward in a controlled movement, stop at the bottom and immediately drive the weight back up pushing through the heels.

High Bar Back Squat

This is often referred to as Olympic style.

In the high bar back squat the bar rests across the back of shoulders, deltoids and traps.  Back is straight and inclined form the hips to keep the load balanced over the lifters center of gravity (think the back two thirds of the shoe laces). 

Because bar is higher on your traps than in the low bar position, your torso is more upright, you may be able to squat more deeply.

Grasp the bar with a closed, palm forward grip (actual width depends on the bar position). The hands should be spaced evenly and slightly wider than shoulder width apart. A narrower grip, requiring more shoulder mobility will allow the shoulder muscles to provide a padded shelf for the bar. The elbows should be pointing down and back.  Pointing them back will help raise the deltoids to support the weight.

High bar squats result in a relatively more forward knee placement than the low bar back squat resulting in a more acute knee angle. This squat variation, in comparison to the low bar squat position placed relatively more load on the quads than the hamstrings and glutes.  Though the knee moves forward it should also move outward and follow the line of the shoelaces.  It should not past the toes.

As in all squats the hips and knees should work together.  Think sitting with rear end out and torso passing through the hips.

Comparison of the High Bar Back Squat to the Low Bar Position

• You may be able to squat deeper because of the relatively more upright position of the torso.
• Quads receive relatively more load.
• This may feel like a more natural movement than the low bar position.

Next we will continue with and in depth look at the Low Bar back Squat.

References and Additional Reading

McARDLE, W. et al. (2000) Essentials of Exercise Physiology. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Interesting Article About Training Athletes

Here's a great article about Training Athletes, 

Five Myths About Training Athletes

by Erick Minor from TNation.

Darvis Patton, U.S. Olympic sprinter

I like the concept of isolation exercises as an assist for working on muscle weaknesses in full compound lifts. Just not as the main component of the entire workout program.

I am not sure I agree with all of the points in the article.

He does seem to have a bone to pick with Trainers.

I somewhat disagree with the Total Body Training doesn't build mass myth.  I believe it does and builds proportionate useful muscle that isolation work cannot.  His point is that there is a lack of hard evidence that this works.  The absense of scientific proof does not invalidate total body training as valid.

I will develop my thought and post them here.

Any thoughts?  Please comment.

Squats Part 2 General Mechanics

This is the Second Part of a series on Squats, the first part can be found here:

Squats Part 1
Squats Part 3

Any feedback or questions would be greatly appreciated.

Starting Squats? 

A proper squat can be done weighted or unweighted.  Often starting out body weight is plenty(See Air Squat below).  It can be done for cardio/metabiloc load with a weight, pipe or loaded bar.  Several different types of bars are available from "training bars' typically 25-35 lbs to the full Olympic Bar at 45 lbs.  The key is not to add too much load until the mechanics are clearly understood and the correct movement patterns are firmly ingrained.  Always try to maintain strict form before adding weight. When a weight is used and form starts to fall apart, it is too heavy - take some off. 

In a proper squat:

The hip passes below the level of the knee.  Ideally an "Ass to grass" position is achieved with the bottom of the pelvis as close to the ground as mobility will allow.

80% of the squats I see on the gym floor are not proper squats at all, they can best be described as 1/4 squats 1/3 squats.  People seem to like partial squats because they allow for more weight, seemingly very impressive.  If the weights are too heavy to do a full squat or the mobility is too restricted to get to a full squat position the weights should be deloaded until the full squat position can be achieved.

Starting foot position should be just outside shoulder width.  I say starting position because later and you become more skilled you may vary your foot position to achieve different results.  You'll see many advanced lifters spreading their feet much wider and you may see some bodybuilders or other types of lifters positioning them much closer together.  None of these is wrong, they are just going for different effects.  The  best beginning position is roughly slightly more than should width apart.

Most coaches(see for example Rippetoe "Starting Strength) recommend orienting the feet outward 15-30 degrees. This often helps people who have limited range of motion open up the hip capsules in order to achieve a low bottom position.  The idea is to drop your torso through your hip.  Knees and hip work together.  It is analogous to sitting, hips and knees work together, rear end is back. This foot position seems to work very well for beginners when coached to add external rotation and knees tracing the shoelaces.  When I first started squatting toes out to approx. 30 degrees was the only way I could achieve full depth.

There is controversy with respect to foot position.  Kelly Starrett in Becoming a Supple Leopard advocates a toes straight forward with torque generated by external rotation to keep the knees outward.

The common coaching cue "Screw your feet to the ground" is the analogy for obtaining external rotation.  (we will talk much more about external rotation in a future post).  I have been experimenting with this foot positioning and less foot angle while focusing on external rotation and it does seem to be working well, however I still maintain a roughly 15 degree angle in the feet.

The majority of lifters I see turn the feet out when they squat, this is how I learned. Gray Cook, Movement: Functional Movement Systems: Screening, Assessment, Corrective Strategies  also thinks that when you do loaded squats, feet should be turned out.  I am continuing to think through this positioning and apply it in the gym, I will continue to post on my results.

For more on this see:

Proper Foot Position in the Squat, Greg Everett
Squats: Toes Forward or Toes Out?, Tabata Times
“Hip torque”, toe angle, and squatting, 70's Big

If you have an opinion on this issue please comment, argue or otherwise let me know what you think!

The take away from this is that typically, to get into the proper bottom position beginners need some angle on the foot.  As mobility improves in approaching the bottom position the angle may be decreased.   The important thing in all of this is KNEES OUT, they need to track your shoe laces.  

The back remains rigid.  Depending on the particular squat the torso is inclined FROM THE HIPS, NOT by curving the back.  This will be discussed in more detail below, for example in the front squat the torso is vertical, while in the low bar back squat the torso is inclined, but the back is always rigid, the inclination comes from the hips.  See below for descriptions of each squat variation.

The weight of the body and the bar should be balanced, and move in a path on the midline(center of mass) of the body.  Coaches often cue "Heels" it's a way to get athletes more balanced on their feet and drive more through the heels of the foot than the ball of the foot. This is due to the tendency of most beginning trainees to have their weight too far forward and often for the heel to rise.  The weight needs to be distributed through the heels.  The bar should travel on a path that looks like a slot from the back 1/3 of the shoelaces see Rippetoe "Starting Strength Chapter 1.  Being completely on the heels is not the goal, but the focus is to drive from the heels and the ball of the foot with 2/3 of the drive coming from the heels.  Another common cue is to have the trainees think about almost being able to raise their toes.  So it is useful to remember to drive from the heels.

The shins remain vertical(or as vertical as possible, due to mobility there may be some forward inclination in the bottom position).  With this positioning the knees do not extend beyond the toes.

The hips should be back as if  sitting on a chair, the hips and knees should move in conjunction, not separately, not one after the other but both same time.  Often a box or chair is introduced as a starting cue until the movement and range of motion are coordinated through both the hips and the knees.

Knees are out.  They should flex in a line running through the center of the shoelaces.  The knees should not track inward (internal rotation) this places a shearing force on the ACL and MCL (Anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral cruciate ligament) which is very, very bad.  This should be the number one thing to be avoided along with a rounded back by all trainees.

Legs should be anchored to the floor in external rotation ( Much more on this to follow in a subsequent post).

Head and neck should be in a neutral position in line with the spine.

All types of squats share the following common mechanics:

• maintaining a rigid spine
• knees out
• knees follow the line of you shoe laces
• shoulders and hip should move and the spine should stay put
• legs should be in external rotation (Much more on this in a future post)

The single biggest problem most people have with a squat is hip mobility.

If you have problems Going full depth,  find a range of motion that you can do and work to increase that range.   Don't worry too much about weight at this point,  working on increasing range of motion with body weight, PVC pipe,  or an empty bar is plenty to start. 

Work to slowly increase depth.

At this point in this post I am simply going to introduce each of the more common squat forms.  I will discuss the mechanics of each in a separate post for each.

Types of squat

This meant to be a simple introduction to the various types of legitimate squats. There are many, many more specialized types of squats, all of which have legitimacy for various purposes.  The question is not what type of squat is best but rather what is the best squat style for the lifter's goals. That being said this assumes good technique.  Flat out bad technique will get you hurt, it is just a matter of time.  If your at all unsure of your technique or the types of squats you should be doing, get yourself a good coach, at least until you understand the basics of good technique and have chosen a style appropriate for your goals.

Air Squat

This is simply an unweighted squat.  All of the above principles apply with the back remaining relatively vertical.  Arms are often swung forward during the downward movement to help provide a counter balance.  A more difficult variation of this movement is to try the air squat with arms held over head.  This places a large demand on core stabilization and balance.

Even though this is a simple movement, when done for reps, multiple reps, say 10-20 over multiple sets it can become quite metabolically/ aerobically grueling.  Don't underestimate them and air squats are a great place to start, and a great way to perfect your technique.  They also serve as a great warm up on heavy squat days.

Goblet Squat
Often this is the next progression from the air squat.  Typically done with a kettlebell, however kettlebells are by no means required to say missile can be achieved with a standard dumbbell

This is simply a Front Squat variation, with the load travelling in a straight line slot over the back 1/3 on the shoelaces. The kettlebell is held as close to the mid line of the body and the back tends toward vertical.

Both the air squat and the goblet squat will covered in the next post of this series as they form a logical progression before the ability requirements of the bar are introduced. 

 Back Squat

Back Squat (also known as high bar back squat).   This is what I think of as the most common squat variation. If I ask someone with basic training to squat I will typically get some form or approximation of this squat.

When people first to learn to squat with weight this is typically what they are taught.  the countless participants in Body Pump (TM) at many local gyms are typically doing the high bar back squat. 

The mechanics of the high bar back squat primarily cause much of the work to be developed in the quads.  There is nothing wrong with this movement when the quads and secondarily the glutes are the focus of development.  

The Back Squat or High Bar Back Squat will be covered in much more detail later in this series,

Please send any questions you may have on the High Bar Back Squat and I will try to answer them in that post.

Front Squat

This is typically the second most common squat variation. This variation is required movement in Olympic lifting.  The clean the snatch all require the ability to achieve full depth squats in order to  lift the maximum amount of weight

The Front Squat will be covered in much more detail later in this series.

Please send any questions you may have on the Front Squat and I will try to answer them in that post.

Low Bar Back Squat
This is typically the least most common squat variation but may be the best for certain classes of trainees.  It is involves potentially the most muscle mass, and includes the hamstrings to a greater degree than the other forms.

The Low Bar Back Squat will be covered in much more detail later in this series.

Please send any questions you may have on the Low Bar Back Squat and I will try to answer them in that post.

Part III of this series will begin examining each of the above listed Squats in Detail.

Upcoming Part 3 Air Squats, Progressions and Goblet Squats


Recommended Resources:
Starting Strength 3rd ed.: Chapter 1 & 2, Mark Rippetoe
Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performanc

Additional Related Reading
8 Reasons to Do This Misunderstood Exercise

Muscular loss and Aging

One of the hallmarks of aging for both men and women is the loss of strength, muscular stamina and muscle mass.  This loss of muscle mass and other related issues leave signs such as stooped posture, slow and unsteady movement, loss of muscular coordination and poor stamina that can be reversed with appropriate physical activity.

Often as we grow older we become less active.  This raises the old "chicken and egg question" do we lose muscle mass as a result of inactivity or does the inactivity result form the loss of muscle and related strength and stamina?

Maintaining similar levels of activity we will still lose muscle mass as we become older.  Without activity studies have shown we will lose 4 times the amount of muscle mass as those that maintain an active lifestyle.

Sarcopenia: Literally defined means "vanishing flesh".
The degenerative loss of muscle mass and motor coordination resulting in frailty that results from aging.

See also Sarcopenia from Wikipedia

Related Effects

Reduced muscular endurance/stamina - Possibly due to reduced muscle mass.

Reduced muscular power output.  The may be due to a reduction in the fast twitch fibers.

As muscle mass declines with age the bodies metabolic rate slows and fat accumulation is often the result.

Bones become more fragile and porous.

Loss of stamina and strength.

Balance and Coordination decline

Rick of falls, along with decreased bone mass due to aging puts older folks at extreme risk.

Joint discomfort and arthritic like symptoms

Inactivity leads to reduced useful capacity and difficulty performing the activities of daily life.  At this point quality of life and independence become threatened.

Result = Frailty

Causes

Inactivity

As we get older activity levels tend to decline.  Regular physical activity is important in maintaining a quality independent lifestyle, it substantially reduces the risk of developing many diseases; contributes to healthy bones, muscles, and joints; and can reduce the risk for falling.  

Drop in Hormones

Men lose testosterone and women lose estrogen as they age.  Both lose growth hormone and IGF (Insulin Like Growth Factor).  Testosterone tends to decline in men about 1% per year every year after 40.  One avenue for men is to check with your Doctor to see if testosterone replacement therapy is appropriate for you.  Women should also check with their doctors to ensure healthy endocrine function.

Diet

Another area to look at is changes to your diet.

Adequate Protein intake may help slow the effects of age related sarcopenia.
1g per pound muscle mass per day is a reasonable minimum for older adults engaged in strength training. .
Try and get at least 25g of protein per meal.
This will be discussed much more fully in a subsequent post.

See also Protein key to preventing age-related muscle loss

Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency may contribute to muscle loss.  Check with your Doctor to see if you vitamin D levels are low. This will also be discussed much more fully in a subsequent post.

See also Vitamin D For Healthy Muscles And Aging Gracefully

and How to Eat and Exercise to Prevent Age-Related Muscle Loss from Sarcopenia

What is the solution?

Many time when we think of our older populations and think of exercise we think of slow and steady endurance activities.  Any activity will be better than none.  Endurance training can improve cardio respiratory function, increase insulin sensitivity and can help to lower blood pressure and help to avoid other complications of aging.  The key to achieving these benefits is to make whatever form you choose a regular activity (2-3 times per week).  What slow and steady endurance activities will not do is help to avoid the muscle wasting that progresses through age, in order to combat this we need something else.

That something else is progressive strength training.

Regular physical exercise, particularly strength training helps to improve protein synthesis(muscle building), build and preserve muscle, increase insulin sensitivity(we will talk about this much more in a future post), improve muscular stamina, increase bone density and reduce fat retention.

Muscle atrophy and loss of strength are the top effects of aging and will take place where the muscles are not actively used.  Use Them!

Strength training helps to reduce this frailty, coordinate motor neurons, provides more core strength to assist in balance, improves bone density

Long steady state cardio will not help and may be counter productive to the goal of maintaining muscle mass as we age. Typically it is not cardio function that proves to be the most restrictive factor associated withe decreased ability to perform activities of daily life

Regular physical activity is critical for older adults who want to maintain their independence and quality of life

Program developed around the ability to function well in their activities of daily living

``
Getting Started?

Get a medical check up before you begin a weight training program.

If you've never had experience with resistance or weight training before find a good coach or personal trainer who is familiar with training older adults.

Learn primarily full body movements with free weights (barbells, or dumbells), or body weight movements, pull ups, push ups, etc. Most of your weight training should involve free weights.  Machines are fine as finishers, to pick up a little isolation work, and are a good place to start if you strength is severely diminished, but the long term focus should be on multi joint movements with free weights.

Remember also: Older folks benefit from longer warm up and longer cool down periods.

• December 2005 issue of the Harvard Men's Health Watch, "Exercise and aging: Can you walk away from Father Time?" 
• Mayo Clinic Medical Edge Newspaper Column, 2012, "Stay Active to Slow Muscle Loss That Comes with Aging"
• Roubenoff, R. (December 2007). "Physical activity, inflammation, and muscle loss". Nutrition Reviews 65 (12 Pt 2): S208–12.doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2007.tb00364.x. PMID 18240550.
• Physical inactivity during leisure time among older adults--Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2005.
• Lynch, G.S. (May 2004). "Tackling Australia's future health problems: developing strategies to combat sarcopenia—age-related muscle wasting and weakness". Internal Medicine Journal 34 (5): 294–6. doi:10.1111/j.1444-0903.2004.00568.x.PMID 15151679.
• Edström, E.; Ulfhake, B. (April 2005). "Sarcopenia is not due to lack of regenerative drive in senescent skeletal muscle". Aging Cell 4 (2): 65–77. doi:10.1111/j.1474-9728.2005.00145.x. PMID 15771610.
• Fujita, S.; Volpi, E. (January 2006). "Amino acids and muscle loss with aging". The Journal of Nutrition 136 (1 Suppl): 277S–80S.PMID 16365098.
• Visser, Marjolein; Deeg D, Lips P (2003). "Low vitamin D and high parathyroid hormone levels as determinants of loss of muscle strength and muscle mass (sarcopenia)". The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 88 (12): 5766–5772.doi:10.1210/jc.2003-030604. PMID 14671166. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
• Andrew Pollack (August 30, 2010). "Doctors Seek Way to Treat Muscle Loss". New York Times.

Certain Machines May be Wasting Your Time

Along the lines of strength training and Free Weights v. Machines:

This article points out better alternatives to spending too much time on particular machine based exercises.

Machines do have their place particularly for those so deconditioned that safely self supporting weight might be a problem.

They also have their place as 'finishers' in targeting a specific area after the supporting core and musculature has been fatigued.  Also they are perfectly  suited to some bodybuilding routines focusing on developing a particular area.  But, even then they are often best used as a supplement to multi-joint movements not as the basis for a whole routine.

See the article below for more:
http://dailyburn.com/life/2013/08/15/worst-exercise-machines/