Effective Strength Training Workouts

Are your strength training workouts effective? Find out whether you're wasting your time with gym machines and learn about effective exercises to help you burn calories and get stronger

By Mike Barber, Personal trainer   Talk to the Author.

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Effective Strength Training Workouts

Are your workouts really working for you?

I have a question for you: Are your strength training workouts effective? Stop and think for a moment and ask yourself what you really know about your workout routine. Are you getting the absolute most you can out of your workout or are you wasting time? One way to answer that question is to analyze what you're doing and and determine if it will really help you reach your goals. Namely, if you're trying to lose weight and you're spending most of your time on gym machines, you might want to reevaluate your workouts.

While machines can have a place in your workouts, if you use them exclusively, you're missing out on other moves that can help you burn more calories, engage more muscles and joints and save you some time. All you need to do is step away from the machines and head over to the free weights.

Machines Exercises That Waste Your Time

In many health clubs, beginners are usually introduced to machines because they can be safer (since it's unlikely you'll drop a weight on your head) and easier to master, since you don't have to bother with the difficult aspects of weight training like balance, coordination and torso strength. The problem is you need those things in daily life and improving them is just one of many benefits you get from free weights. Not all machines are a waste of time, but the following are some of my least favorite machines at the gym:

Leg extension. My first problem with this exercise is that it's not very functional. How often do you find yourself randomly extending your leg during the day? Probably never...unless you're on a leg extension machine. Another problem is the stress placed on the knee joint during this movement, an even bigger problem if you already have knee problems. Third, you're sitting down and your entire body is supported which means you're not involving any stabilizer muscles as you would in a standing exercise (like a squat). The quads don't work in isolation in real life, so it doesn't make sense to work them that way at the gym.

Leg curl. As with extensions, curls are not a very functional exercise. You're usually lying down or sitting and, again, trying to isolate a muscle group (the hamstrings) that don't work in isolation in real life. Compound exercises (like deadlifts) will make them stronger and help you burn more calories while working on balance, stabilizer muscles and core strength.

Leg Press. This machine is definitely better than some other leg machines because it does involve more muscles and joints. My problem with it is that you're lying down which, again, takes away the balance, stability and core work.

Hip adduction and abductor. These are probably my least favorite machines in the gym because, in my opinion, they are a complete waste of time. Most gym-goers use these machines because they want to burn fat around the inner and outer thighs. First, that's not going to happen with these or any other exercises--spot training doesn't work, so doing an exercise to burn fat in a certain area isn't the right approach. Also, unless you have a very specific reason (like you're a skater or hockey player who needs very strong thigh muscles), working the inner/outer thighs individually isn't the best use of your time. These muscles can be targeted quite nicely using compound movements described later in this article.

Chest Press and Seated Row. Unless you're on a free motion machine or using cables, you're probably sitting down, your back and legs supported, while you push or pull the weight. As with the other machines listed here, this doesn't engage as many muscle groups as similar exercises using free weights.

This doesn't mean you have to abandon machines altogether. What is does mean is that you can up the intensity and functionality of your workouts by adding movements that require you to stabilize yourself.

Take the plunge and pick up some dumbbells

Moving away from the machines can be a scary prospect and, if you have specific injuries or conditions, you may not be ready for that. But if you're healthy and have no restrictions, choosing compound, multi-joint movements will give you much more than most machines. And the great news is, compound movements save you time since you're working multiple muscles at once and, best of all, that means you're burning more calories during your workout. The more muscles you use, the more weight you can handle and the more calories you burn.

Below are just a few compound moves that are excellent for targeting all the things many machines don't:

Squats. This is probably my favorite exercise. Not only does it target the major muscles of the lower body, but it also mimics a movement we do all day long. The following are just a few variations you can try at the gym or at home:

• Assisted Squat
• Barbell Squat
• Chair Squat
• One-Legged Ball Squats

Lunges. Lunges are another favorite of mine because they require balance. That means you're strengthening the legs at the same time you're engaging your stabilizer muscles to keep you upright. Lunges are another functional exercise that translates well into real-life activities. Here are some variations you can try to target the major muscles of the butt and thighs:

• Static Lunge
• Assisted Lunge
• Lunge on Ball

Deadlifts. This is an excellent exercise that targets the back, butt and hamstrings as well as incorporating the abs. This isn't an easy exercise to master and, if you have back problems, you want to be very careful and practice perfect form. Here are some options for you to try.

• Dumbbell Deadlift
• Deadlift w/ Ball
• Deadlift w/ Band
• One-Legged Deadlift

Pushups. This exercise targets so many muscles, it's no wonder my clients hate them. By doing pushups, you incorporate a lot of stabilizer muscles to hold your body rigid, so it's great for the core. The pushing movement fires up the chest, shoulder and triceps and, if you're on your toes, your lower body is working to stabilize you as well. If you don't do pushups, start with an easier version (like the wall pushups below) and work your way up to floor pushups. Being able to lift your own body weight is something we should all be able to do - at least once!

• Wall Pushups
• Pushup on Toes
• Pushup on Ball
• Pushup on Knees

Chin-Ups/Pull Ups. This is an exercise not many people try, mostly because it takes lots of strength and practice to be able to do them. But, there are modifications for beginners and it's a great exercise because, like pushups, it works a variety of upper body muscles like the lats, biceps and shoulders as well as, of course, the core.

This shift away from isolation to more functional training is based on one simple idea: working the body as a chain. After all, the movements we perform each day (sitting, standing, walking, lifting, reaching) all require the firing of multiple muscles. So why not make your strength training more functional and more effective by performing more dynamic, compound movements? That isn't to say that all machine exercises are bad...it's great to incorporate a variety of exercises into your program. But if you're stuck on machines, it may be time to take the plunge and pick up some dumbbells.

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