Rise of the Machines

Scott Schwab:
I wanted to focus a post on some of the machines that will actually give a good workout. Many times I see people on machines just taking a break or going through the motions. Any movement is better than no movement, but these exercises will be sure to help you build good muscle.

Pull Down Bar:
Using the pull down bar focuses on a couple of different areas. First you will be working the shoulders and arms and extend the workout through the chest, back and even abs and obliques. The best way to get a great workout is put on the weight where you can pull it down without having to heave backwards and coming off the seat. Get a comfortable weight and slowly bring the bar down as far on your chest as possible. Allow the bar to come up slowly and when your arms are at a 90 degree angle, bring the bar down behind your head as close to the shoulders as possible. This will effectively work the entire upper body.

Leg Extensions:
Leg extensions are great and when done correctly it will work the quads, hamstrings, core, lower back, booty, and even down into the calf muscles. The controlled weight and tension allows for the exercise to be slow and calculated which prevents pulling and straining of muscles. Put a weight that is comfortable but pushes you. The best result is doing medium weight and multiple reps and sets. Working these muscles will release a lot of testosterone, which will burn fat and build lean muscle.

Seated Row:
Again, an exercise that will work many muscle groups. Expect a great workout for the back, shoulders, arms, abs, and chest. If done improperly the back will feel the strain. That is why it is important to choose a lower to medium weight and have your back straight with proper posture. Do this exercise as slow as possible and flex your chest, abs, and arms for increased burn. Lock your legs for stability or push yourself up on your tip toes and do the exercise flexing your calf muscles.

Abdominal machine:
Curls can be stressful on the back and neck. Many gyms have an ab machine which allows for participants to have handles positioned above their head and a fixed bar at variable levels to put your feet higher or lower. This variety is on purpose, where it will work different parts of your abs which is wonderful. What I like to do so I get a complete workout is do 10 reps at each of the levels and even have a set of 10 that I hold my legs out higher than the bar extended. It is also beneficial to turn to the side and include your sides in the exercise.

If you notice with these exercises, we are pulling in multiple muscle groups and areas. This not only gives a more complete workout, but will release more testosterone, which as a direct result will burn more fat.
Also remember the secret of doing cardio after you have done your workout. The purpose for this is burning more calories as blood is flowing through your body. Starting with cardio does not release as much testosterone and therefore the body is not as responsive with burning fat as with doing weights first.