The Wisdom of Alan is to realize even HE is not always right. 😤

machines are also useful for recovering from/training around an injury since they offer more stability. They also feel safer psychologically if you've had a major injury which can help people get back into training.

A man that can shift his perception based on new information is truly a scholar, a gentleman and free. That is you, sir!

I hit a lifetime PR back squat at 40 years old by switching my primary leg movement from back squat to machine lever style squat. Took so much load off my lower back and helped me exhaust my legs more without hurting myself. I was only doing 1 heavy squat per week and after 6 weeks I’d increased my squat max by a 15lb PR. This video speaks volumes to me and my experience when I stopped only using barbell training. Thanks for making it Alan.

I'm a purely recreational lifter (I don't compete in weightlifting/powerlifting/strongman), but I do really enjoy lifting. I have injured myself so many times trying to push for higher numbers on lifts and eventually had to ask myself, "wtf am I doing?". I've switched to a lot more machines and dumbbell exercises now that allow me to train around nagging shoulder, knee, and back injuries and be pretty pain and injury free (so far, anyway). And as you mentioned in the video, I still feel like I can push myself without the same injury and fatigue concerns.

This is a great video showing growth and humility. I also want to remind everyone that you do not always need to agree about everything with someone you look up to / believe in. There are pros and cons to everything and every type of exercise regimen, whether it be strongman, calisthenics, PL, bodybuilding, etc., people tend to be more biased with their own culture. I believe there needs to be balance in everything, and training is about arriving at the right time and place with the right attitude.

When you train for long enough, you stop looking for the "best" exercise and you start to look for what different exercises and modalities have to offer you. This was a really refreshing video!

High Rep machine work kept me going into the gym when time was really tight. Cardio improved too when I was giant setting them.

Learning barbells/SBD after years of body weight training and half-consistent machine training was a total revelation to me (as a female). I never really saw any visible changes in my body and I was constantly overwhelmed by all the different exercises and muscle groups, weight selection, rep ranges etc. E.g. someone told me that a lot of people train chest and biceps because that’s what they see when looking in the mirror, and neglect back and triceps because it’s not visible, and end up developing weird imbalances and posture issues, which gave me anxiety about messing up my body with bad programming. I would learn about some new muscle group like rear delts and start freaking out because I had never targeted them. Yet somehow I was simultaneously bored. Squat/bench/deadlift are easy because it’s just 3 things that use your whole body, they are real life movements so you don’t have to worry about messing up your body somehow, and they are more fun because there’s a skill component involved, plus you see your numbers going up and your body change pretty quickly. Basically removed both anxiety and boredom for me.

A new stimulus is generally a good precursor for adaptation, if you never touch machines they'll have something to offer, if you starta new training modality of 1 minute AMRAPS that's also going to offer a different stimulus - it isn't bro science, it's just different, diversity is dope: in life, the gym, and the buffet.

I remember the shift from machines to free weights. Now I see the shift back, and it makes me feel so very, very old.

00:54 "I just don't agree with everything I used to believe" yes, yes, let the reformed SS-devotee-critical-thinking flow through you

Man, this was so true for me. I've finally left the Starting Strength doctrine and incorporated more machines and reps into my training and magically, my numbers have actually increased, I feel better, AND my body composition has improved.

Great video Allen, you touched on everything I've come to my own realization about my past few years of training

Machines are great for giving your body a break while still stimulating the muscles

Congrats man!!! TY for your continued knowledge, experience, and perspective you have shared with the community!

Your open mindedness towards lifting, which can be applied to all areas of life, is inspiring.

I’ve been watching your videos for years Alan. I love that you’re willing to change your mind about things when it comes to training

Solid video bro, and congratulations on your competition.

I love your honesty and sincere advise. I have been watching your videos for a long time and my favorite thing is your integrity and how you've kept it over the years. Thank you! Very inspiring

I for one would like to welcome our machine overlords

Great video and video editing! I love how you switched between color for advantages and sepia for disadvantages.

Thank you for saying this. A lot of people look at you as an inspiration and as one of those people like the ones you mention early in the video. To look at the upsides and downsides is a great way to frame the discussion, because as you showed - it's all good. Thank you so much. And congratulations on your performance!

Congratulations on the W. I have went in a similar direction with my training. One thing I have added that you didn't mention was stabilizer training. The more machine work that I do, the more I focus on working my joint stability though various weighted or banded movements. I have found that machine work helps my better isolate joint movements that I have had previous injuries in and than use light weight or bands in order to focus on joint stability. Using machines this way has been a major game changer. I've been designing some machines around this idea for personal use for the past few month. -David

Alan I been watching your shit for a minute and you're always a real one. Thanks so much for all the content. 🤙

I like alternating between machines and free weights each workout in most cases. Different style of stimulus from both, worth taking advantage of both.

Good insight. Probably why we’ve all seen people who get in shape using free weights (my personal favorite), or machines or body weight exercises.

Yo Alan!! I had this realization with machines while getting back into the gym. I specifically remember going to the gym with some newbies and noticed i definitely demotivated some people to go with me because of them not knowing how to deadlift or squat and me saying.. "yeah so let's just learn how to do these before we actually workout" when we could have trained with machines and progressed into free weights.

This is pretty timely insight Allan I went through the scenario just today where I definitely had overdid it and felt a little guilty for choosing machines but I really felt alot better physically and mentally for putting in some work. 👍👍👍👍

I applaud your encouragement to keep an open mind and ability to change your opinion over time instead of stubbornly digging in. It takes massive balls to do that!

Love when someone is wise enough to know that can learn and subsequently change their views from that knowledge. It's also good to recognize that most things have pros and cons and can be 'better' or 'worse ' based on the individual or specific scenario. This applies to life in general.

I met Alan, he is an excellent human being. His content was immensely helpful with my hard gainer problem. Similarly I have changed my opinion on what makes for the best workout with regards to longevity and overall fitness. Great content as always. I’m glad you’re still doing vids.

Congratulations on your big success at the California's Strongest Man, Alan; you deserve it, you earned it. I salute you.

I have found as a novice, maxing out my barbell big three helped my machine performance. Finding the right barbell path is essential to lifting heavy and has carry over to grinding out those last few reps on machines. You are a great motivator by the way, God bless.

The motivation point is a good one. Honestly there are some days I don’t wanna get under the bar and using a machine in the gym I go to is just easier for me to do. And if I’m lacking motivation I just swap up what I’m doing and that seems to help me keep going.

Kewl -- a really well-reasoned overview and explanation for your evolution of thinking about these forms of exercise.

Good video Alan. One machine that is amazing of you can find it is the hammer strength plate loaded pullover. When used properly with no ego you will have a back pump from traps down to erectors.

Thank you Alan! I've been following you for probably 6 years now and I used to buy into the free weights dogma that was especially prevailing back then. As someone who trains for a combination of strength, hypertrophy, and general athleticism, I love using all sorts of training modalities. Made a lot more progress and had a lot more fun once I started opening my mind more

Alan is awesome! I love how he analyzes things and makes changes based in new learning. True GOAT

Plastic body had a small chip when kzfaq.infoUgkxUHHotQRjIQnfuxEeVotlkHVYWH0DXZoS I opened from box- would have sent back but it works well- using for warming up before exercising from full knee replacement- also use several times during day to keep movement easy. Sturdy, easy to use, easy to assemble (instructions didn’t match but easy to put together). Getting the same movement as the warm up bike at PT. Would suggest to order before surgery so you have it home ready to use when you can!!! Doesn’t take up a lot of space-not heavy so easy to move- not using for arms but I think it would work just as well

great video, lots of good points made that I will be considering with respect to my current and future training plans. Thanks for sharing.

Alan got me into bar bell training. 2 years down the track and i built a 385 Lb weighted back squat. It took not just bar bell work but a combination of machines and time under the bar to get up to I think is entry level in strong man (please let me known if this incorrect). I going to love the day when 400 Lb comes and thanks to Alan's content and my hard work under the bar i have arrived. The journey through Alan's wisdom on training has been uplifting over the years. I notice as the weight goes up all the little things like breathing points and mind muscle connection become so important which puts you on a knife edge between success and failure. I love this sport lol.

Congratulations 🎉 I too have found success dabbling with machines more than I usually would

I love this, Alan. Truth is...most of us, by far, lift/workout not for any competition but for general health and fitness. It's helpful to remember that the person who lifts, whether machines or barbells, is still doing SOMETHING for their health and fitness. The person who goes on a short walk or does the elliptical is still moving their body, even if it's not HIIT or a 5k. Just do something.

It makes me smile to see this video because i see the change in you. 😊 as you get older you learn, and your body also gets more fragile so you have to think things as machines in

At 58, I’ve had to “Periodize” my training more, or in other words, use the very heavy training workouts more infrequently. I’ve also began using the smith machine for some moderately heavy bench, particularly in the decline or incline. I believe that there is indeed some utility in the use of some machines. I feel it’s a great way to isolate some muscles while applying a different stimulus to my overall physiology. Ironically, when I added the use of leg machines, I developed the best physique I’ve ever had. I love the squat, dead & bench! Sometimes, a little break without actually taking a break is a great thing! Best! John.

I actually needed to hear this today. Great video

This is such a good video that so many gym-fluencers should watch Great as always Alan

This was a great video. Although I am nowhere near Alan's proficiency and experience in weight lifting, the same realization came to me with age. I was attached to certain numbers or movements. Nowadays I feel more "mentally relaxed" if you will when I go to the gym.

1000 pounds !! 😂😂 Love It ! I've been watching your videos since 2015 approximately. Always loaded with really good training advice and great sense of humor. 💪💪

Learning is all about humbleness. Cheers man

That iso-lateral row at 7:43 is my absolute favorite. My current gym doesn’t have one but I’m hoping there will be one at my future local gym after I move

Sound advice. I have much to learn. I’m here beating myself up over considering going to a 28.5 mm bar for deadlifts vs ipf spec 29 mm stiff bar, and feeling like I’m going to be cheating myself. Same goes for the SSB I just bought as my wrists and shoulders don’t like the low bar squat anymore. Thrall’s wisdom is valuable, grasshopper!

great thoughts. Thanks for sharing

Good video. I usually just start my training with specific free weight exercises that I want to improve in terms of strength performance, and then use other exercises (in part machines) to really go to ultimate failure and focus on hypertrophy. Works great for me.

Great idea holding the band on the GHD. Definitely going to steal that.

Finally a little machine respect. I sense progress 💪🏾

A machine is just another tool in your fitness toolkit. Really love how you broke all of this down.

I totally agree with what Alan says. I myself have been using only barbells and basic calisthenics since ever I started strength training. But recently I have experimented with some machines and noticed that they are easier psychologically and allowed greater focus on target muscle groups. For example, pull down machine makes it much easier to adjust my body to target certain back muscles for which traditional pull ups require difficult technique that also is hard to remain consistent from rep to rep particularly at the end of a high rep set. Same for seated OHP on machine vs standing barbell press for my shoulders. However, I am not into isolation stuff at all, and still use only bigger exercises on machines. Free weights lifts are still in my routine, but with less volume.

Absolutely. I love using Machines for accessories as a weightlifter. Much easier mentality after the classic lifts and squats

Great video! I've been wrestling with these notions recently as well. I'm coming to the same realizations. This video is educational and was meant to be educational and so it was perfectly reaffirming to the decisions I've been making regarding my training... With a few extra bullet points I hadn't even considered to really drive it home. Thanks, Alan!

Congrats on the win!

A refreshing take thanks alan

Hay Allen great job on the video thanks 🏋️

I also fell into the barbell superiority camp for a long time. But when I came to terms with realizing they might not be ideal for my body type when my goal is hypertrophy, is precisely the moment my legs blew up. Something not touched on in this video and another plus for the machines column is leverages and bone structures. Long femured/high hipped individuals will benefit a lot more (in quad development) from machines. As the center of gravity won’t force you to fold forward (overtaxing the lower back and posterior chain).

Hey man your analysis starting at the 7:00 time stanp should be taught to ALL elementary or junior high kids, so they will know at an early age what took some of us including me years to learn. I believed when I started lifting and for years to come later that barbells and free weights are for serious lifters and machines are for people that just want to get toned. Your conclusion that free weights produce a way higher level of systemic fatigue and machines offer a lower level of systemic fatigue should be IMO the first thing taught to beginners. It took me years to realize how well machines could make me bigger and stronger with less systemic fatigue so the motivation to go lift is always there and with barbells & free weights my motivation would wane after a few months and I found my body wore down to where I needed a break. Out of all your videos this is in my top 3. It relays such a valuable lesson and it shows how, even a pro can find and incorporate new or different beliefs. Take Care

Great advice!

I'll pushback slightly on one thing. I think cables are kind of their own thing: you can still move in all 3 planes, so they are kind of in between free weights and machines

I really enjoy machine movements after free weights most of the time! If i'm really tired though I'll just do machine movements, but even after free weights you can just bang out a lot of reps after a heavy barbell movement or hard compound movements

💯 good video. I think there's a you must only barbell or must only use bodyweight kinda cult vibe to exercises or ideas. Can't we all just get along... Joking aside, I've noticed things like cable flys and leg extensions far easier to recover from than deadlifts, atlas stones etc. Make sense to me. Can use the time to get in extra fluff volume on lagging body parts too

The fatigue factor was interesting but I like how you mentioned that your attitude with machines and wrestling with yourself was different. I wonder if you could have a similar output with the big 3 would you also get similar results

I'd say there's a natural progression to using machines more frequently as we get older. It's a lot less wear an tear on your CNS and joints and more sustainable over the long-term. I still do free weights, but there has been a gradual shift towards incorporating more machines and more isolation movements.

06:30 Thanks Alan! Could you please do a video on the efficacy of Glute Thrusts?

Those tire flips are a thing of beauty

I used to steer clear of machines generally, then I started using the adductor/abductor machine, and I feel like it's really improved my squats. Then I realised that I was just kidding myself, because I was quite happy to do lat pulldowns, seated rows and face pulls, but for some reason I didn't consider cables to be a machine. I still wouldn't swap a bench press for a seated chest press machine unless by necessity, though.

Made my BEST pec gains once I switched over to Hammer Strength pec machines. Switched over about 6 months ago. Very noticeable hypertrophy. 💪

my favourite machines at the gyms were always the ones that I didn't have at home, the Glute machine, the seated calf machine, the sled push, and the high row machine, hell even the pull up assist machine was good for squeezing out some extra reps at the end

Good talk!

Looking great ❤🎉

Barbell-only mindset works best for beginners as they can't tax their mind and body with extreme weights and can recover easily. Intermediates are best candidates to include machines and cables exercises as now weights on barbell lifts are quite heavy and hard on mind and body. So these machines provide some relief and help accumulate volume. Advanced lifters are best candidates to include isolation stuff on top of freeweights and machines as now they are very near to their natural limits and isolation stuff is very effective to address weak links without creating additional fatigue on top of existing workload they are enduring.

Machines are amazing! Especially for upper body. I can work the hell out of my muscles while not having my joints be worse than they already are

Thank you.

Would love to hear your thoughts on belt squats and comparison to other squat variations

My favourite youtuber. 🏋‍♂️

There's also a psychological and safety adventage to machines and the stability/isolation they offer. If I don't have to worry that I might lose balance and hurt myself, I can take the exercise to failure reliably, which is not always that easy with some barbell movements. For example, when I do overhead presses with a barbell I always leave some strength in the tank because I know how easy it is to hurt my back if I do that one more rep with bad technique and the barbell wobbles on me. I don't have that issue on the overhead press machine so I can go all out.

Wise words!

At 62 y/o I enjoy doing 60 pull ups and 60 hanging toes to bar. Much better than talking about how much weight I use to lift with free weights when I was young before I permanently injured myself. Like my friends do and did. You have to drop the ego lifting or you will be couch bound by 50. Like financial success health is about the long game. Always play to win!

All exercises are good! Whatever gets you moving is great.

Both have their place but I like dumbbells a lot to develop stabilizer muscles. Cable exercises are great too for rehab post injury. I have shoulder/knee issues so squat and deadlift barbell is tough right now for me unless I use a special bar and knee brace. Leg press and V Squat machine are great option for me right now.

Machines are great too I always like starting the week off with Olympic weights and dumbells but by weeks end do a pump flush with machines they are great for isolating a muscle and not worrying about failing at the bottom of a squat or bench

Im not a machine guy at all but one thing i neglected for years was the lat pulldown and i recently got back into it and i love it haha.

2:30 With curls, that's actually kind of a good thing as you can train to failure. Your first several set and several reps shouldn't have any leaning , but to train to failure you can actively adjust your body position so you can increase the number of reps until you physically can't do anymore.

I incorporate free weights(both barbell and dumbbell), bodyweight, and cable exercises in my rotations. like Allen says, each have their advantages and disadvantages, and there are certain muscle groups that can be hit more precisely with each when compared to the other types. one such example is side delts, I'd rather hit those with cable/machine rather than free weights.

Machines become your best friend as you get older. Anyone who’s been injured will understand

The part about hesitation because of the difficulty of free weight squats psychologically speaks to the need of some comfort to maintain exercise. My old boss would say: “you gotta be comfortable”. I can be comfortable sweltering hot biking, i can be comfortable on a smith machine, maybe not so comfortable skiing, but point is Id get nowhere if I got attached to skiing as exercise since I do not find it comfortable

Great editing

Ideed, machines can be a good thing. Everyone has that day where, you get to gym and look at your programing for the day and those two 5*5s on squat and Press, combined with a few sets of deadlifts just jumps off the screen and slaps you in the face! If it's either just go home, or machine coralaries, I'd take the machines any day. Also, when I'm on a bodybuidling meso or powerbuilding meso, machines are a staple for quick easy volume. Yeah, I never got the whole main lifts or nothing mentality that came into the scene with powerlifting started becoming so popular. Any way, good for Alan on coming around.

I started getting into fitness by doing strength training with the major lifts (stronglifts was my beginner guide), and it worked pretty damn well. But then the pandemic happened and the gyms closed, so I went all-in on bodyweight stuff, thinking it would tide me over until the gyms opened up again. But even now I'm still doing mostly bodyweight stuff partly because it's so much more convenient and cheap, partly because I've learned that you can still kick your own ass *hard* and get in great shape with just bodyweight exercises (and if you add in mobility training, maybe eventually you could also literally kick your own ass, lol). And I enjoy it, which is the most important thing. So while I still personally don't really like machines that much, and don't feel like they're necessary for my goals, I feel like I've experienced a similar revelation to Alan when it comes to understanding how many viable training methods/approaches one can take. If you enjoy it and it helps you reach your goals (ideally without causing long-term damage), then it's worth doing. Free weights, machines, bodyweight, whatever.

I think a key downside to machines as a complete beginner is that because they're so structured in their movement, its very easy to "cheat" the movement without realizing. What I mean by this is its very easy to just push the machine from point A to point B without ever making that mind muscle connection, because you don't know what its supposed to feel like, yet the movement is still seemingly occuring perfectly. For example with a chest fly machine you can easily internally rotate your shoulder to push through at the end, and it still feels like a correct movement even though you are not using the muscles you're meant to. (Of course bad form with free weights is also possible too; its just that machines are much easier to cheat through because you can twist and push and pull without any stability concerns). That being said, I think machines are great once you're a bit more experienced and know what you're supposed to be feeling; but I've seen too many beginners and people I've trained really struggle with making progress on machines off the get go and even injuring themselves.

Squats are a love/hate relationship to me, and machines have kept me doing legs when I don’t feel like squatting.