To many, the gym can be an extremely intimidating place to begin. Although big scary guys may add to that fear, the sheer number of options at your disposal tends to throw many off and go down a route that may not be optimal. Many companies have jumped in on the increasing trend of fitness and see potential to take advantage of a market with an ever growing demand. With that, many products have been shoehorned into the gym setting without much of a place. That is why we are going to give you a breakdown on some equipment you don’t need at the gym. Which equipment you don’t require at the gym? Smith Machine (For Most Exercises) The Smith Machine intends to give users machine-like precision in exercises that are normally free weights. While this may seem good on paper, your movements start to become unnatural as you continue on. Exercises like Deadlifts and Squats for example require a plethora of muscles to ensure that the weights are carried naturally, but when your movements are locked into an incredibly restricted range of motion, it can lead up to poor posture and even slowed growth. The muscles needed to stabilize the body to achieve proper form are often overlooked but critical for muscle building. For machines that are slightly less reliant on a group of muscles like bench press and seated shoulder press are still doable. Exercises to avoid on the Smith Machine include deadlifts, squats, rows and standing shoulder presses. Read:Which Swimming Style Is Best For Fat Loss? Leg Extension Machine It is true that machines are amazing for isolating muscles to build strength and definition, but the way the Leg Extension Machine works to “enable” the body to do so may cause more harm than good. Simple tasks like walking, jogging or even strafing require many leg muscles to work in tandem with each other; but to isolate all these muscles at different points of time is rather awkward. For the Leg Extension machine to truly work, it’s important to put in the same amount of time and effort to every other isolated leg muscle to benefit the muscle group as a whole. If you intend to do that, exercises like squats or lunges would work better. Overall, it takes a lot to make the Leg Extension machine work, and if you are strapped for time, it’s not worth it. Read:Is There an Age Limit to Put On Muscle? Inner and outer Thigh Machine This is one of the biggest tricks that many fitness studios refuse to address. Inner and Outer Thigh Machine is more of a gimmick that makes a lot of sense in theory, but falls flat in terms of execution. The machine was designed to define the inner and outer thigh, while burning fat around the waist, but it fails to do that. There is a reason why weighted exercises directed towards the hips are few and far between - it is because there is no need for it. Like the Leg Extension Machine, the optimal way to target large muscles for your legs is to do compound movements that will inevitably help develop your legs as a whole. Deadlifts in particular put a lot of natural pressure on the inner and outer thighs, while tackling your hamstrings and glutes all at once.  A machine like this not only isn’t optimal like many other leg-based machines, but it will not provide much results, despite your best efforts. Read TRX vs. Other Gym Equipments: A Detailed Comparison Ab Crunch Machine If there are any machines out there that are justified for alluring newcomers, it’d be the Ab Crunch Machine. It makes a lot of sense to simulate crunches and situps in the form of a machine, which has the added benefit of stacking on weights for a more challenging workout. The only problem is, that many underestimate the impact a machine like this would have on the user’s back. The machine forces the user to deliberately hunch which is a direct sabotage to good postures that all your back exercises are made to provide. Additionally, core visibility and definition is heavily dependent on dieting and having a low body fat count. If this is achieved, planks and sit ups are more than enough to give the same results. Abs do require a little bit of bulk for your six pack to be more prominent, but are not nearly as necessary as every other body part. Read:How Effective Are Machines At The Gym? Extremely Light Weights To emphasise on “extreme”, lightweights below 2.5kg are completely unnecessary, regardless of how weak you are. If you can lift a bag of groceries, you definitely don’t need to go backwards in terms of strength just because you have underestimated your strength. While light weights are perfect for definition, going too light will make the point of using weights redundant in the first place. The golden rule of doing definition-based workouts is that if you can do more than 15 repetitions, you are not lifting heavy enough, even if your goal is to tone. Weights that aren’t even a challenge to carry on the daily will only waste your time at the gym if you choose to continue using them. Read Barbells vs. Dumbbells: Which is better for Workout, Strength, and Muscle Growth? Elliptical Machine This device is probably the least useless on the list, but it doesn’t benefit the user with a whole bunch of benefits either. Many who have joint injuries gravitate towards this machine and it is understandable. It functions somewhat like a treadmill, but is significantly less intense. In terms of definition, many other exercises like running, jumping and skipping will allow for a wider range of movement that the aforementioned machine will struggle to provide. Because it is less intense, it also fails to stimulate the body’s cardiovascular system, which ultimately results in burning less fat. It isn’t the worst gadget at the gym by any means, but users should quickly graduate from this machine once they are more comfortable with intensifying their cardio workouts. Read:Effectiveness of Compound Exercises for Muscle Definition

The fitness industry has gotten a lot more attention lately and this has forced many brands within the industry to get more creative with their workout plans. This could either be accredited to the direction of goals by the community, or a way to carve out a niche that is unique and effective enough to stay ahead of the game. Regardless of the reason, TRX is a relatively new addition to the fitness industry and has seen positive feedback within the community. When stacked against the old reliability of dumbbells, barbells, and bodyweight workouts, how does TRX fare against other gym equipment? What Is TRX? TRX is a body-weight, suspension-based exercise program that helps improve strength, flexibility, balance, and endurance. It employs the use of a single strap hung from a ceiling. It is meant to be looped around either hands or feet. Unlike many exercises, this was introduced in the early 2000s by Randy Hetrick, a US Navy SEAL who retired and was adamant about continuing life of training outside of the military.  From a marketing standpoint, TRX checks almost all the boxes which explain its relevance in today’s fitness goals. It is unique, effective, easy to maintain, cost-effective, and versatile. The only hindrance that could be foreseen for those, who want to have one at home is the need to drill an attachment into the ceiling to attach the strap on. Most aren’t willing to go through that pain, which is why many commercial gyms come with a TRX station ready. All TRX exercises are bodyweight dependent, which introduces a unique take to lunges, press-ups, and much more.  Read What is Protein Powder? Benefits of Taking Protein Supplements TRX Versus Dumbbells  Dumbbells are one of the two weight categories that have kept their relevance in the gym setting for decades and for good reason. These handheld weights have an almost unrivaled amount of flexibility in their function, which could give TRX a run for its money. While the likes of shoulder presses, flies, and shrugs are some examples of exercises that dumbbells could support that TRX wouldn’t be able to, the latter’s focus on all-rounded body workouts also offer perks that dumbbells can’t match.  Side-plank tap, atomic press-ups, and pike are some exercises that are boosted when the legs are bound to the air. This encourages far more balance and the innate use of certain muscle groups that are not even the focus of the exercise at hand. Because of this, TRX covers a lot more ground faster if full-body workouts are the end goal. Read HIIT VS Crossfit: Know the Difference Dumbbells can be used for compound exercises, but it truly shines when used for isolated workouts. Deltoids, traps, and forearms are primarily worked out exclusively using dumbbells. In this discussion, TRX and dumbbells are both versatile but serve different purposes. Both are viable for different goals. Isolating muscle groups to work on would be the dumbbell’s role while full-body regimes are where TRX will shine. TRX Versus Barbells The comparison between barbells and TRX is a little tricker to compare as both essentially cover multiple muscle groups at once. Military press, squats, deadlifts and bench press are the four signature exercises that barbells are known for. These exercises are compound by nature, which means muscle building, strength building and definition (to a certain extent) are the main focus. If your goals are to bulk, build strength and have strong technique, barbells are designed to have weights added. Read HIIT: JUST a fat killer? TRX however, requires no such weight to be effective, but can be more difficult to get the hang of for newer members in the fitness community. Weak joints and muscles makes it difficult to balance correctly when tied to the TRX at the beginning, but things can get better with enough practice. Bodyweight exercises are a great way to double on fat loss and definition - which is where TRX and barbells differ. If the goal is to keep fit and build muscle endurance, TRX still has a place for you. TRX Versus Machines Between machines and TRX, both have a similar level of versatility and benefits, however machines cater to specific muscle groups rather than encompassing the same level of well-roundedness that TRX can provide. Exercises like shoulder presses, leg presses and lat pulldowns are useful isolates, but limit the user to a specific range of motion that may not capture as many secondary muscle groups as other equipment in the gym. Read Yoga vs Pilates: Which One Is Better For You? TRX Versus The Mat Static exercises such as mountain climbers, planks and crunches are bodyweight exercises that do not require anything else, except for a mat. While this is one of the closest competitors to the TRX, the latter falls under the category of “Suspension Training”, and tackles more muscle groups than a standard bodyweight exercise. The simple answer is that both are viable, but being suspended means that your body has to automatically use more strength to balance before even beginning the planned exercise. TRX also allows users to better select the weight distribution on a body part via suspension. Due to this, certain injured body parts can be avoided altogether if you are still keen to exercise.  Verdict TRX may have a lot of uses and has the flexibility to work on a myriad of different body parts, but its categorization of being a suspension-based exercise corners it into a niche of its own. To balance properly on a TRX requires a separate skill set that is not relevant to other equipment at the gym. Therefore, TRX is a good supplement to other body-weight exercises and is best used in conjunction with other programmes such as bodyweight exercises, yoga and even strength training. If the intention is to build mass and steady increase in muscle strength, TRX should not be an option. Read Bodybuilding Vs Powerlifting: Similarities, Differences, Pros, Cons