one thing i cannot understand about DC training

[ChRoNic]

is the use of machines??? I understand that the the whole idea of using them is so that you can finish on a negative rep, without a spotter. Does that last negative rep really outweigh the benefits of using free weights?

[boffo234]

Umm.... you should be using both machines and free weights, buddy.

[ChRoNic]

Yea i know that. But why are machines used at all? i mean theres tons of info out there which shows that free weights are way better.

I dont know about you, but whenever ive used a machine to do an excercise it doesnt feel like ive hit the muscle group anywhere near as hard as doing the same excercise with free weights.

[boffo234]

Depending on what machine you are using, you should be able to go as heavy as possible and turn it into a pretty good lift.

Strap some more weight on there with a chain if you have to.

[bigp3]

Check out Markus Ruhl or one of Dorian Yates videos. They used a lot of machines and are not small men. I do agree that free weights are your best choices but intensity is truly the most important factor in training.

[Egill]

is the use of machines??? I understand that the the whole idea of using them is so that you can finish on a negative rep, without a spotter. Does that last negative rep really outweigh the benefits of using free weights?

Finishing on the negative isn't neccessarily the whole idea of using machines but that's definitely good. I feel that it is somewhat easier to go all out without worrying to much about stabilization of the weight when using machines,..... I would say that's both a pro and a con. Also if you don't use machines, then you don't have many exercises to choose for.

[MsteveM]

machines are extremely convenient to rest pause with

[eru]

Both machines and free weights have their place in DC training. Don't ask why, just accept.

[asim]

Partly to do with safety aswell.

[Dmwrss]

neuromuscular balance has little to do with the size of the muscle. So when doing dumbbells or barbells your having to focus on keeping the weight stabalized. More forceful contractions can occur while using machines because the machines stabalize the weight for you already. no one workout or exercise is the answer to all, its good to have a lot of everything in the gym.

[In-Human]

If I hear one more person talk about Stabilizers I am beating the shit out of someone, did anyone out there ever think for one minute that machines can actually help you with your form when you go back and forth from free weight to machines, or are we all just going to beleive everything that ever came from the guys in the 60s and 70s who trained 6 days a week for 3-4 hours a day...

[LHDan]

I've always thought it was mainly for safety, especially if you don't have a spotter and you want to go to failure. The smyth or hammer machines are much safer than barbells or dumbells. I mean, we are doing 6-8 second negatives as heavy as possible, taking 12 deep breaths and doing some more. I think machines are pretty much essential for this.

[Massive G]

If I hear one more person talk about Stabilizers I am beating the shit out of someone, did anyone out there ever think for one minute that machines can actually help you with your form when you go back and forth from free weight to machines, or are we all just going to beleive everything that ever came from the guys in the 60s and 70s who trained 6 days a week for 3-4 hours a day...

Word.
Damn......... it get's annoying........

Especially those weighing under 180-200 lbs and a "few" years training experience.

[Khan]

I love the comic Massive G.

In-Human, how 'bout those stabilizers? hahahaha

[Doggcrapp]

I laugh at this shit too--for about 2 years i was exclusively doing smythe squats because i was free squatting so much previously. I go back to free squats--there was no problem with form and I was very close to my previous weights on it---if you barbell bench for years and all of a sudden start dumbell benching where the load is no longer connected between your two hands--what? are the dumbells going to fly toward your ankles or head now because youve lost all free hand stability?