Personal Fitness Professional - January 2008 - (Page 28) MACHINE « myth c BY BRIAN GRASSO THE GET KIDS OFF THE MACHINES I come into contact with a coach or trainer who preaches the virtues of machine-based strength training for young athletes, the same argument is typically offered: machines are safer for kids because they eliminate the dangerous aspects of traditional free-weight training. This is simply a dogmatic mindset and not founded on any scientific or functional principles, and it is a classic case of blaming the exercise or activity rather than the execution. In fact, having young athletes train on machines can lead to injuries and a whole host of other concerning factors. WHENEVE WHENEVER MACHINE TRAINING ISSUES All sports are dynamic and require a great deal of systemic strength and stability to perform. Moreover, the strength/stability interplay needed to perform virtually any sporting activity is based on the body working as a unit — the way nature intended. By isolating certain muscle groups via machine training, you are eliminating the body’s natural capacity to provide both mobility and stability in an interrelated manner. This can limit a young athlete’s ability to effectively produce force on the field of play while providing stability in other crucial areas of the body. By disturbing this innate mobility/stability balance, you are decreasing the body’s ability to protect itself during the dynamic and unscripted movements experienced in sports. Coaches and trainers who incorporate machine-based training into the routines of young athletes in order to promote weight room safety are increasing the risk of injury on the field of play. One of the primary goals of a sound strength and conditioning program is to prevent injuries during a sporting event or season — so those who insist on using machines for training are suggesting that trading sport safety for weight room safety is somehow a good deal. 28 JAN-FEB2008 · WWW.FIT-PRO.COM « « « « http://WWW.FIT-PRO.COM
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