Archive for July, 2008:
You Walk Wrong – How Shoes Are Ruining Your Feet
New York Magazine has an interesting and extensive article on how humans are ruining their feet with modern shoes. Cultures where shoes are not worn have the healthiest feet, where cultures with near constant shoe use (read: Americans) have the least healthiest feet. The article chronicles how shoe makers continue to pad and coddle your feet to the point where your feet aren’t working the way they should, and worse yet it changes your gait for the worse. Efforts are being made to make shoes that more closely mimic barefoot walking while still providing your feet protection from the cold and sharp objects, but I think the bottom-line is people need to spend more time barefoot.
Try your next treadmill workout without wearing shoes – and you may realize you have been neglecting your feet.
[New York Magazine – How We're Wrecking Our Feet With Every Step We Take]
10 Machines You Must Avoid at the Gym
The Best Life presents its list of 10 machines you must avoid at the gym. These machines put the body in an unnatural position, place stress on muscles, or put you at risk for injury – the site then lists good alternative body-weight exercises. The typical problem with machines is the path of the exercise is linear – using free weights or body weight with free movement is more natural and results in a better exercise – having to balance yourself makes it more difficult.
One of my favorites:
Squats Using Smith Machine
What it’s supposed to do: Train chest, biceps, and legs
What it actually does: The alignment of the machine—the bar is attached to a vertical sliding track—makes for linear, not natural, arched movements. This puts stress on the knees, shoulders, and lower back.
A better exercise: Body-weight squats. See “Seated Leg Press.”
[The Best Life – 10 Machines You Must Avoid at the Gym]