FITNESS FAQ
Everyone:
I’m always looking for ideas for content. And specifically
content that is relevant to the greatest number of people. So help me help you
better!
I want to answer your questions but you have to ask them
first
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So use the email address at the bottom of each post or under
my “Contact” tab on alphaedgefitness.com . Or just leave ma a comment. I answer your
questions directly to you or in a future post (without using your name in the
post).
Be sure my email, alphaedgefitness@gmail.com
is in your trusted contacts list so it doesn’t go to your spam folder.
Thanks,
Steve Carroll
In your opinion, what’s the best brand of weight machine?
This will be a purely
subjective opinion. First of all I haven’t used every brand. Secondly, I am
certainly not an expert on any of them. Third, I know very little when it comes
to cardio equipment. (Those things make me break out in a sweat)
Fourth, one brand might be
better designed for one exercise and another brand may have a better design for
a different exercise.
But, since the question asks
for my “opinion”, I’ll answer as best I can.
If I had to pick one brand it
would be Hammer Strength. The
machines I have used made by Hammer
Strength are heavily built, sturdy, smooth operating and from what I know,
require minimum maintenance. Their
motion, on most of their machines, usually more closely mimic the average track
of free weights. And most are easily adjusted to fit the user more accurately.
Many, if not most, Hammer
Strength machines utilize a separate plate stack or a separate bar for free weight plates for each handle,
making unilateral work a snap. This also works great for a lot of rehab
exercises where you need different loads for each limb.
Machines built by Free Motion also offer some interesting
machines. Many of their cable machines offer the ability to adjust more closely
to you personal physical characteristics. You can usually adjust the cable in 2
or sometimes 3 dimensions. Though I use them mostly for isolation exercises
they do make a dead lift machine and squat machine for individuals who aren’t
quite comfortable with heavy free weights yet. (Max 200 lbs on dead lift and
400 lbs on the squat machine). They also recruit more of the stabilizer
muscles. Thus the increase in balance mentioned in the reference below.
A study from Globe University (Shakopee,
Minnesota) found that subjects training on FreeMotion machines for
16 weeks
increased muscle strength by almost 60% more than subjects training on standard
weight machines. The Globe University researchers also found that the group
using FreeMotion machines increased their balance by about 200% more than the
group using standard weight machines.
For equipment like bars and
weights, power racks, squat racks, dumbbells and weight stations you will be
hard pressed to find any better than Rogue Fitness. They are the leading
provider of American made strength and conditioning equipment and the official
supplier for The Crossfit Games.
Nautilus has really upped
their game in the last few years, too.
I do not mean to imply that
other manufacturers make inferior equipment. Just that Hammer Strength would be my personal preference of the brands I
have used and that I like the more flexible adjustments available on
some Free Motion machines.
Are the wearable activity monitors like
“Fitbit” or “Fuel” worth the investment?
My knee-jerk answer would be
no-at least not yet.
Past and even current models
have shown to be very inaccurate with errors in accuracy as high as 40%. Data
junkies like them but what good is inaccurate data?
I would have concerns about
this type of error for any use by any fitness professional.
There is very little
scientific data yet to determine what effect they have in motivating the wearer
over time. My expectation is that when scientific data is available it will show
only a short term affect on motivation. Some people who like the devices say
they are very motivating. According to Anne Thorndike, an assistant professor
of medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital “The question then becomes do
they motivate people who aren’t yet motivated or just prompt people who are
already motivated to be active each day”. Early evidence indicates the devices
are motivating at first but drops off rapidly as the device loses its novelty.
I do like the idea of some of
the features. The notification of when you’ve been sitting too long, for
example. However, you can do that with most phones these days or just put a
post-it note on your computer monitor that says “Get up off a$$”!
SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO alphaedgefitness@gmail.com If I don’t
have an answer I’ll find someone who does.
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