I have a strange habit when I train at a new gym. One of the first things I do is look around at how much space is occupied by worthless equipment. It's my way of "grading" the place.
You see, not all gym machines are created equal. There is a continuum from best to worst. And if lame equipment fills every corner, there's no room for the good stuff.
The problem is, what is the good
stuff? Of course, there are the bodybuilding staples everyone knows and loves, but other machines are underrated or falsely villainized for no reason.
In this article, I dissect the gym machine landscape, unveiling the top five winners who excel at muscle growth alongside the bottom five who only take up space. Whether you're a gym vet or just starting, this guide will help you navigate the flooded gym floor, maximizing your muscle gains and time.
Table
of contents:
*The 5 Best Machines at the Gym for Muscle Growth
*The 5 Worst Machines at the Gym for Muscle Growth
*Pros and Cons of Machine Training
*Tips to Get the Most Out of Machine Training
The 5 Best Machines at the Gym for Muscle Growth
Let's start on a positive note. Here are five of the best gym machines for muscle growth. A few may surprise you.
1: The Smith Machine
The Smith
machine is on almost every list. However, it is usually in the worst category, which isn't right.
Dumping on the Smith machine is nothing new. Trainers have been doing it for years. I probably did, too, at some point. If so, I'm sorry because I was wrong.
The Smith machine is one of the best muscle-building machines at the gym. There, I said it. And the most significant benefit is actually what people use to discredit its ability to build
muscle—stability.
It's no secret that the Smith machine is more stable than a barbell. In a sports or functional context, this is a disadvantage because you want to train all of the little stabilizing muscles. However, for getting jacked, it's not as clear. Many people find a Smith machine allows them to get a better mind-muscle connection on the target muscle. For example, not balancing the bar on a shoulder press allows them to focus more on pressing with their
shoulders.
Keep in mind that I'm not comparing a barbell to a Smith machine. Data suggests that barbells are still king when it comes to muscle activation [1]. But in terms of machines, the Smith machine is hard to beat as a solid variation. I mean, you can train your entire body on it.
My favorite Smith machine exercises include incline bench presses, seated shoulder presses, single-arm shrugs, rows, standing calf raises, hip thrusts, and Bulgarian split
squats. Throwing one of these exercises into your routine will provide a nice variation to keep things interesting.
2: Cable Machine
The cable machine has to be on the list. Like the Smith machine, it's one piece of equipment that can train the entire body. Moreover, the cable's design ensures that resistance remains consistent throughout the range of motion, creating a continuous tension that maximizes muscle engagement.
Constant
tension is arguably the most significant advantage of cable machines. In many free-weight movements, like the dumbbell lateral raise, gravity causes the strain to be higher at different points in the lift. That's not the case for cable lateral raises.
It could be a placebo effect or a product of the constant tension, but I always get nasty pumps on cable machines. I like to end most upper-body sessions with one or two cable exercises.
Cables are great
for arm and shoulder work, but as I said, you can train your entire body with a cable machine.
3: Hack Squat
The hack squat might be one of the most underrated pieces of equipment in the gym. Yes, it's less versatile than the first two machines on the list, but it's excellent at what it does.
The hack squat is one of the quintessential muscle-building leg machines in the gym. It allows you to load up substantial weight
in a fixed motion, targeting the quads while engaging the glutes and hamstrings in a way that's typically safer and more controlled than free-weight squats. This safety feature is especially true for those with lower back issues.
My favorite aspect of a hack squat is it allows lifters to train close to failure without the balance concerns inherent in traditional squats. Since we know training close to failure is vital for muscle building, it's hard to argue the value of the hack
squat.
4: Chest Supported Row
I may like the chest-supported row more than most. It's one of my favorite machines because it hits the upper back hard while minimizing strain on the lumbar region. After deadlifting, the last thing I want to do is barbell rows. That is a recipe for lower back pain.
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