Icons of Ignorance?

There are many things you'll see in commercial gyms that have reached a level of recognition that can only be called iconic.  The seated concentration curl, the leg press, and all exercises that utilize the cable crossover machine are just a few.  Sadly, it is usually the least experienced or knowledgeable who gravitate to these movements.  Ironically, these are the movements that keep some from using the basic, compound, free-weight exercises that would more readily make their goals reality.  Please don't misunderstand.  I don't mean that the movements are useless.  I am simply stating the fact that a foundation of strength does not include a lot of cable movements.  Here is why.


Cable movements utilize a machine with pulley systems.  They've been around since the 30s and are attached to names like Jack La Lane and Author Jones.  This is around the time people realized that there was money to be made in fitness and the industry was born.  The creators of many machines that exist in commercial gyms today also created many controversial methods for becoming more fit or strong.  Some principles were akin to the props of snake oil salesmen (example: find substantial, unbiased data supporting the efficacy of super slow training).  
Some were less nefarious, but misguided none the less.  It is this author's opinion that the juggernauts of the fitness world in this country moved away from proven methods in order to find an easier way to make money.  It is hard to blame them for that.  After all, we live in a capitalist society and the growth model of our economy demands the mutation of sound, scientifically proven fitness principles when they can easily be reproduced with nothing more than some barbells, plate weight, and a rack.  There really is no other reason for something like the shake weight.  Really.  Think about it. 

So to make weight lifting more accessible to the masses and easier / convenient to use, some folks created cable crossovers and other machines.  We still had our original barbells and dumbbells.  They were just viewed as a less effective way to build strength and muscles ( at least by the uninitiated).  The problem is that now we have people who use these movements as the bread and butter of their training programs and wonder why they don't have a powerful physique or above average strength.  Midlifers can't figure out why they aren't getting better bone density when they are doing resistance training like the doctor told them.  

The bottom line is that if you peek behind the curtain at the best and strongest bodies in the business, you'll find a bunch of rusty, old barbells, dumbbells, plate weight, and racks.  The squat, deadlift, and bench press have been building supermen for ages... and they will continue to do so.  

Stay strong!