Free Weights over Machines

TKD SC

HI,

Could you guys please help me with some short to the point comments of advantages of free weights over machines?

It's in relation to my stupid gym who put in new equipment yesterday. I had previously written to them requesting them to get an olympic set of weights and a power cage so that people could do squats, deadlifts and bench. It's primarily a tennis club (not that I play tennis!!), and they have now just installed all these fancy new machines, and guess what, still not one decent piece of free weights. The heaviest bar bell is still 35kgs and that's it.

In my previous letter I mentioned:
" Besides, there is a lot of research and recommendations by nearly every single healthcare / fitness professional not to go near a smith machine, especially for squatting. The smith machine forces your body to move in a rather unnatural manner, killing all active stabilisation and reducing/eliminating the posterior chain. In short, it can have quite a negative effect to the exercise rather than performing it naturally with a bar. "

The now have a brand NEW smith machine. I want to send them a letter begging them to get rid of this and put in a power rack and free weights in its place. This is my main gripe, I don't care too much if they waste space in the rest of the area with some of the most ridiculous machines I've ever seen.

Therefore, I'd really appreciate some points I could make as to why free weights (bar bell & dumb bells, a bench, and a powe rack) would be beneficial to get, especially as they would fit nicely in the corner where the smith machine is sitting...

Thanks very much,

A very irritated Simon!

Oh, btw, I don't want to join another gym as I've been with this gym for years and they also have a swimming pool, squash courts and restaurant, all of which I do like!

Chucky the tree

There not going to stick in free weights just for 1 customer, your wastin your time unfortunatly. It's alot handier for gyms to have machine weights rather then free weights.

Roper

It's a major pain in the ass but unfortunately,from their point of view, a Smith is the way to go because they don't have to worry about things like correct spotting, staffing, training and so on.

I recommend finding a new gym . No amount of stinky letters can fix an entire attitude and company policy unfortunately.

TKD SC

Roper wrote: »

I recommend finding a new gym . .

Damn you!!!
Although I know a gym on Ballyboggan rd that has some fancy equipment, maybe I'll check them out! :pac:

Roper wrote: »

No amount of stinky letters can fix an entire attitude and company policy unfortunately.

Probably, but it will make me feel a lot better! The fact that I wrote to them months ago and then they basically did the exact opposite and didn't have the courtesy of even replying to me is the most irritating.

Anyway, I'm going to write and post this letter today regardless - I need to vent!, so any suggestions of benefits would be welcome...

Tks

Racing Flat

Not sure who the letter is going to, but if it is the head of a tennis club, terms like posterior chain etc. might be lost on them. If the recipient is lay in exercise terms, pehaps keep it more simple to inform him. You might also let him know how it might impact on his tennis players...e.g.

'Using the weight machine installed in the gym, users will only be working their 'power' muscles, such as pecs and deltoid (although maybe too technical!). This could result in a situation similar to a tree with massive branches, but a small, weak trunk. Whereas with free weights, users will work these power muscles but also the supporting, protective muscles, e.g. the rotator cuff muscles, resulting in a situation similar to a tree with a strong, thick trunk and strong branches.

From a tennis point of view having strong power muscles alone might help to increase shot power, but without strong supporting muscles, the shoulder may not be as steady when making these shots and so accuracy may be compromised. Whereas with a strong rotator cuff complimenting strong power muscles, the result might be increased shot power, and also accuracy (maybe stretching the point a bit, but might catch his attention!), ultimately leading to improved tennis performance. (Reference to or pictures of Nadal, Federer etc. doing free weights might help!)

Finally, the rotator cuff is a common source of injury to tennis palyers, and the use of gym equipment which improves rotator cuff strength and function might lead to injury prevention, a reduction in the amount of injury and improved rehabilitation following injury, meaning less time out from tennis through injury.'

Do you have any support? If you could get some other gym membesr/tennis players to sign their name to the letter it might lend weight to your argument. Good luck.

BossArky

About a month ago I made a few requests to my gym for new clips for the oly bars... still no new clips. People are dropping plates when doing military press etc. Quite dangerous imo.

OP, good luck.. but I doubt you will get manage to convince them unless you get a fair few others to support you.

madmik

from a managements point of view the smith machine is a much more worthy piece of equipment to have around

every once in a while someone will overbalance and hurt themselves doing free weight squats
this just doesnt happen on the smith machine
its completely stable no matter how heavy its loaded and it is much safer in the hands of novices who will often overload and or use poor technique

to the uneducated there is little or no differnce in squatting with a smith machine and squatting in a squat rack

so there is probably little you can do to convince a tennis club owner that
theres a world of differnce betweeen these two types of squatting

i would try telling him that prologed use of the smith machine is detrimental to the stabiliser muscles and can induce muscular imbalance and injury etc

althouogh it might be easier to just buy a set of olympic weights for your house /garden instead of renewing your membership there

Roper

TKD SC wrote: »

Damn you!!!
Although I know a gym on Ballyboggan rd that has some fancy equipment, maybe I'll check them out! :pac:

LOL you mean the unfanciest equipment in town? My mate came in last week having been away for a while and said "is that it?". I didn't know whether to be flattered or offended. We don't have much but we make it count.

I'm inclined to agree with the gym policy believe it or not. If it's a club then they probably only have x amount to spend on resistance equipment and staff, so they have to pick the option that gives them the most bang (ie. use without supervision) for their buck.

Most people, and I stress most, will not use the smith so much and with high enough weight to really do themselves damage. Anyone with a keen interest in squatting or making themselves stronger will probably move on to pastures new once they recognise the limitations of the gym, that's not to say that it's the right decision by the gym in terms of best practice for fitness, but that economically, they have probably had to make a call. Rough figures: Smith Machine, €2,000 plus €100 maintenance per annum. Power Cage €1,500 plus a new trainer at €30,000 per annum... I know Tennis clubs may have slightly more in their back pocket than say a soccer club but I'd say their focus would be on improved courts, floodlighting etc. etc.

Anyway, hang around total fatness for half an hour and watch the squat rack and mostly you'll see guys putting savage weight on the bar and then twitching their hips and calling it a rep, or others who put 30kg on, then use the rack as a barbell curl station. Having the right gear does not guarantee good practice or even that it will be used at all.

amazingemmet

Roper wrote: »

a new trainer at €30,000 per annum...

Bwhaha, Ah roper you crack me up some times:pac:

Roper

amazingemmet wrote: »

Bwhaha, Ah roper you crack me up some times:pac:

Yeah I rounded it off to the nearest 30k... try to guess which way!

TKD SC

Well,

I sent off a nice long e-mail the other day! Possibly a little harsh and critical but I was just so annoyed at the time! Anyway, I got a nice snotty response which I havent had time to reply to yet. I'm not going to get into e-mails back and forth with him, so will just make a suggestion again to include some barbells and leave it at that.

I was actually there this morning and the few barbells that were there have been taken away! However, there was a load of new dumb bells, going up to 30kg ones, so they should keep me going for a while on the single leg split squat. 30kg x 2 = 60kg on one leg = 120kg equivalent? Not sure if that calc is right, but I'm enjoying the split squats and only at 14kg in each hand at moment so at least plenty scope for improvement now which is good.

Thanks for the replies guys.