That's Fit

If there's one thing gyms have a lot of, it's machines. Some of the larger fitness facilities have so many machines that they look more like you'd build a car there than a new body. With so many different machine options available, though, it's sort of unfortunate that you're better off not using any of them.

Many machines are designed to isolate a single muscle by guiding your movement on a fixed path. This may sound like a good thing at first blush, but it's not really that good at all. Over time, the isolated muscle you work can become stronger than its supporting muscles, possibly resulting in muscular imbalance or injury.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you shouldn't ever use machines; rather, I'm merely suggesting that you do not spend your entire workout -- or even the majority of it -- on them. For maximum return on your effort investment, stick to free weights as often as possible during your resistance training.