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3. Hip Adduction & Abduction Machines

This is said to be the machine to do, especially for the ladies. It’s designed to tone the inner and outer thighs, while sculpting the hips. Errr… that’s NOT the case. These machines can actually give you dangerous hip, spine and knee issues! Again, you’re thinking that you can isolate a muscle, when you really cannot. The alternative is doing squats and side lunges with free-weights.

4. Being Too Consistent On The Treadmill

I really wanted to include this one because so many people abuse the treadmills. The cardio bunnies at my gym stay on the treadmills for an hour or more, thinking they’re shredding all their fat. When in reality, running on the treadmill on a consistent interval and resistance will do more harm than good for your joints. The key to using a treadmill is actually how hard you’re working rather than how long you can go (unless you’re training for a marathon).

To ease the tension on your joints, switch up the resistance, speed and interval. Doing mini sprints in between the walks and jogs will do wonders. Keep in mind that yes, you can lose weight by running, but you’re also burning off your muscles. High intensity interval training and weightlifting is much more effective than running straight on a treadmill if your goal is to lose fat, build muscles, and tone.

And that concludes my opinion of the most ineffective machines to use at the gym. Go for the free-weights! Also crucial to keep in mind, it’s best to switch up your exercise routine every so often so your body is not too used to one particular pattern all the time. Yes, you should always have a plan at the gym.

Stop Using These Exercise Machines At The Gym  was originally published on elev8.com

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