Machine-made mass

Muscle & Fitness, July, 2008 by Tim Scheett

This graph shows that weightlifters who trained for 10 weeks using a machine bench press gained about the same amount of strength on that movement as those who used the barbell bench press.

TIP-OFF: When veteran bodybuilders tell you to skip machines, reference this study published in the November 2007 issue of the Journal of Strength & Conditioning the study used novice and intermediate weightlifters, it should hold up for advanced trainees as well. Some machines, however, won't go heavy enough for veteran lifters.

TIM SCHEETT, PHD