Bodybuilding is a stubbornly low-tech endeavor. The more that modern fitness trends toward the digitally-enabled and tech-enhanced, the more hardcore muscleheads pledge allegiance to old-fashioned iron. Wrestling a couple of big-ass dumbbells across the gym floor, hefting them to shoulder height, and pressing them until you can’t anymore connects you with a tradition that goes back at least as far as ancient Greece. Why mess with it?
And yet: gym owners don’t keep fancy strength training machines around because no one uses them. Sooner or later, nearly every strength and muscle athlete on the planet—no matter how hardcore—finds his or her way onto a machine. They’ll tell you it’s just to put the stopper on a workout, or rehab an injury, or bring up a lagging muscle group.
But we know the real reason: They’re fun. And low-stress. And easy as hell to use. You can strap yourself into the ergonomic seat, stick the pin on the second-to-last weight in the stack, and catch a quick, satisfying pump—no schlepping, cleaning, hoisting, or grunting required.
So that you don’t feel bad for injecting a little enjoyment into your workouts, we asked a handful of high-level coaches and athletes for their favorite strength machines—which we knew, secretly, they were using—and with only a little prodding, here’s what they said:
Nick Tumminello, physique and performance coach: the chest-supported row apparatus
“I love it.” There are many iterations of this device; in all of them, you brace your chest against a padded surface, grab a pair of handles, and pull them toward your chest. What’s the big deal?
With standard bent-over rows, Tumminello explains, your lower back has to contract to keep you stable, which limits the amount you can lift—and increases the likelihood of cheating as well.
“With chest-supported rows, all the effort goes right where it’s supposed to—into your upper back muscles.” Tumminello notes that his physique clients achieve markedly better back development with chest-supported rows than they do with traditional rows. So it’s not just fun—it may be a better choice than the tried-and-true free-weight version.
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SAM ROBLES / M+F Magazine
Leg Curl Machine
Tumminello’s second choice: the leg curl machine
Because you’re pushing on a pad or a platform rather than pushing off the floor, he explains, “Leg machines are often labeled non-functional.”
But in research on field athletes, incorporating the exercise into a well-rounded strength program correlates with both with faster sprint speed and injury reduction, suggesting a significant carry-over between the exercise and athletic movement.
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Per Bernal
The Hammer Strength Incline Press
Garry Lodoen, NPC competitor: the Hammer Strength incline press
It’s one of those things I can load up really, really heavy and never cause pain in my shoulders.” Lodoen’s a big fan of the movement’s versatility as well: “You can use it unilaterally or bilaterally, and adjust the position for almost any body type or injury you’re working through.”
Depending on how you angle the bench, he says, “You can work the deltoids as well as the chest.” It’s a popular one in many gyms—so many lifters seem to have gotten the message already. But if your shoulders give you trouble when you bench, here’s your fallback.
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FXQuadro / Shutterstock
Assisted Pull-Up Machine
Angelo Poli, strength and nutrition coach, owner of Whole Body Fitness in Chico, CA: the assisted pullup machine
Let’s face it: very few people can do even one pullup on their first day in the gym—much less the 10-15 called for by many lifting programs.
On this machine, the load you select acts as a counterweight, giving you up to several hundred pounds’ worth of assistance on each rep. says Poli, “That allows larger athletes to perform a functional upper body strength movement usually reserved for smaller athletes.”
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Dean Drobot / Shutterstock
The Water Rower
Jolie Kobrinsky, strength, movement, and nutrition coach; owner of Prime Fitness in Monterey, CA: the water rower
Although not technically a strength machine, this uber-comfortable device allows you to perform max-effort rowing sprints safely, helping you build significant power and functional strength in a small space.
“I love the way it reinforces good posture, and the rhythmic activation of the upper and lower body,” says Kobrinsky. Bonus: the swishing sound and feel of the water in the machine makes you feel like you’re really on the water. All you need is a crewneck.
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Lyashenko Egor / Shutterstock
The Cable Column
Tony Gentilcore, C.S.C.S., owner of CORE Fitness Studio: the cable column
More than a device for bringing out the cuts, this ever-versatile unit allows you to create resistance at virtually any angle: upwards, downwards, sideways, rotationally.
“The wealth of options it provides in terms of exercises you can perform—upper, lower, and full-body, not to mention planes of motion—make it well worth the price and space,” says Gentilcore.
In performance-focused gyms like his, it’s often the only selectorized weight machine you’ll see.
