machine

You’re all pumped up for leg day, and you walk into the gym, and lo and behold, all the squat racks are taken. What are you going to do now? Before hustling over to the dumbbell rack for arm day, there’s the Smith Machine alone in the corner, unloved and gathering dust. Guess what? A Smith...

It’s no secret that barbell back squats are great for overall body development. It’s a complex movement that takes a lot of body awareness to perform properly. Squatting heavy with great form, though, will skyrocket your muscle growth and build a nice set of legs, too. You utilize every muscle...

Lying leg curls are a great all-round exercise for blasting the back of your legs, but many people find this cumbersome machine complicated to master. Fortunately, Coach Ben Yanes has shared his hack for getting into the perfection position and apparently it’s all about kissing the knees — but...

Four-time Mr Olympia champ, Jay Cutler always thinks outside of the box and in a recent Instagram post, he shared a favorite personal hack for achieving the perfect pump in his triceps. Here’s how to try it for yourself. “Plate loaded machine dips for triceps… with a little twist,” teased...

If your physique is suffering from too many Turkey legs and your hamstrings are turning starting to resemble your Thanksgiving ham joint, now is a great time ditch those over-generous dishes and take back control with this timely hamstring workout from lifetime natural bodybuilder, Jason...

Danalinn Bailey was a highly successful IFBB pro during her active career, amassing numerous trophies including the hallowed first place for women’s physique at the 2013 Olympia. Now the bodybuilder and coach is empowering women with her own brand of fitness, and in a recent Instagram post has...

6 Variations to Strengthen Your Abs and Lats Some core exercises are great for rehab. But this one is great for lifters who want a strong, jacked torso. Traditional anti-rotation core exercises, such as the Pallof press, have their place in rehab clinics and gyms, but most strong lifters want a...

Even though we are all fans of the gym, most of you might agree that it is challenging to make this a usual daily routine, there is so much on our plates and the gym usually isn’t our first or second priority. But, as we still do want to look good and be healthy, we’ve tried various home workout...

While six-time Olympia champion Dorian Yates is famed for releasing his Blood & Guts bodybuilding video guide in 2003, the Englishman still has plenty of exercises to share that didn’t make the cut. Here, “The Shadow” explains the importance of the simple shrug to his legendary success. “Here’s...

These two routines are not only fat incinerators, they'll also help to build your glutes and quads. Check 'em out. Rowing Machine This metabolic conditioning tool can also be one hell of a way to add muscle to the lower body. One of the biggest misconceptions about the rower is that it’s...

There’s a buzz around Hadi Choopan as he heads into the 60th Mr Olympia event in Las Vegas. Having won the 2024 Arnold Classic and Arnold Classic UK, he has every chance of dethroning Derek Lunsford and claiming his second Olympia title, and it looks like the smith machine has been an important...

5 Reasons to Use It Stop hating on the Smith machine and start using it for serious muscle growth. Here’s why it’s a great tool. Some people hate the Smith machine. But as a physique coach, I’ve seen what it can do for lifters looking to pack on muscle mass. Here’s why it’s awesome. 1. Variety...

And Some Much Better Alternative Exercises These gym machines are dangerous, dysfunctional, or based on fraud. Luckily, there are some very effective alternatives. Check 'em out. Gym Machines That Suck Not every commercial gym machine is worthless, but here are four you should avoid at all...

Some lifters frown upon some fitness machines and the exercises performed on it. The Smith machine is one of those underappreciated piece of strength equipment mainly due to what may be perceived as its biggest drawback: the fixed bar path. But you may be surprised by how many unique Smith...

Experience and education are both important for lifting. But if you're a stubborn asshole, neither will make a big enough difference to help you progress. Ego and personal biases are man's biggest enemies when it comes to training. It's possible to overcome them, but a lot of guys would rather...

A cable machine (or pulley machine) is a versatile piece of workout equipment comprising a pulley system and weights. The pulley system height can be adjusted based on user preference to effectively activate specific muscle groups. Upper body cable exercises build broad shoulders, stronger...

Are you looking for a different way to build muscle, increase strength, and achieve a sculpted physique while keeping your fitness routine in one place? Cable exercises are versatile and effective ways to transform your body using a cable machine. These dynamic workouts are good for building...

1. Kneeling Cable Pullover The kneeling cable pullover (sometimes referred to as the “kneeling straight-arm cable pullover”) is almost identical to the regular standing cable pullover. The only difference is that you’re kneeling, not standing during the exercise, which some people find offers...

The machines versus free weights debate has literally been going on for decades. Certain key figures that spearheaded this controversy, such as Arthur Jones, didn’t do a good job of representing this debate as his knowledge of sports science was insufficient. He was biased as the inventor of...

There are some exercises and machines lifters sometimes discount as legitimate strength- and mass-gaining movements. Smith machine squats sometimes fall into this dubious category by many hardcore ironheads. To most, barbell squats will always be the king of the squats as they build the most...