| We are all guilty, so there is no use hiding from the | | | | the ground. It also makes for a good towel rack! |
| truth. At some time or another we have all done | | | | #3: Adductor/Abductor Machine: This one is popular |
| some of the following exercises that are supposedly | | | | with the ladies who think that it will help them get rid |
| good for helping us on our fat loss mission. In fact, | | | | of their big thighs and to 'target' their inner and outer |
| we could not have been further from the truth! | | | | thigh muscles. Like most machines, they create more |
| Thankfully, it has been years since I have done any | | | | muscle imbalances as your surrounding muscles are |
| of them, and hopefully your days of doing them will | | | | not being used. |
| be over after you have finished reading these little | | | | Any exercise that only works one muscle at a time is |
| tips. | | | | a big time waster that will never give you the fat |
| If you are doing any of the following exercises to | | | | loss results you are after. For best results, work |
| help you with your fat burning, throw out your | | | | lunges in a multi-directional movement if you want to |
| fitness magazines and stop training like a body builder. | | | | train your inner and outer thighs. You can do straight, |
| Only then will you be able to bust through your fat | | | | backwards, diagonal and lateral lunges. |
| loss plateaus. You will finally be within reach of the | | | | #4: Abs Machines: These can place unnecessary |
| body that you want and deserve! | | | | strain on your lower back as you are compressing |
| # 1: The Leg Extension Machine: Works the front | | | | your spine when you are crunching. Doing so with |
| thigh muscle. With this machine you are seated and | | | | added weight only increases the pressure being |
| lift the weight up with your shins. If it is dangerous to | | | | forced onto your spine. |
| someone who has had a knee reconstruction | | | | I also include the Ab Roller and the Ab King Pro, and |
| because of the stress it places on the knee, what | | | | any other infomercial gimmick, in this category. For |
| makes it safe for everyone else to do? This machine | | | | the best abdominal exercises use Push Ups, Chin Ups, |
| will definitely NOT give you the nice toned legs that | | | | Squats, Deadlifts or any other big bang exercise. The |
| you are after. | | | | hover or plank variations are also good. A fitball can |
| # 2: Anything on a Smith Machine: This is a machine | | | | also be used but preferably not for crunches. |
| where the bar is on a guided cable. It allows you to | | | | Crunches will just compress your already overloaded |
| do Bench Press, Squats, Deadlifts, and Bent Over | | | | spine, increasing your chance of back injury. |
| Rows just to name a couple of usually great | | | | #5: Seated Shoulder Press Machine: I am not a fan of |
| exercises. The problem with this machine is that it | | | | the angle this places your shoulders at when you |
| does the work for you and renders a great exercise | | | | press overhead, meaning that there is a higher |
| totally useless. | | | | chance of injuring your shoulder. For the best |
| As a result, your body doesn't have to work harder | | | | shoulder exercises use free weights and make sure |
| to stabilise the bar or the weight. If you want to | | | | you don't press behind your head. This is especially |
| train heavy get a partner or trainer. They will spot | | | | true for people who work at desk and have tight |
| you and allow your body to actually work. Using this | | | | upper back and shoulder muscles. You will be placing |
| machine for fat loss is a BIG mistake. Do the | | | | too much strain on your neck if you do so. |
| exercise without cheating. The only good thing this | | | | So there you have it! You now have the top 5 |
| bar is for is for using it to do a Recline Row. This is | | | | exercises that you should NOT be doing when |
| where you use the bar (any straight bar works the | | | | training for fat loss. Shed these from your routine |
| same) to do a modified chin up with your feet on | | | | and watch the fat loss furnace begin! |