🏋️‍♂️ 7 worst gym machines you need to ditch

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Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

• The seven worst machines at your gym

• The strongest professional wrestlers ever

• Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr trains in her new home gym

Training Tips

Machine Unlearning

Ever since the Nautilus invaded the weight room and gave people more options than just dumbbells and barbells, machines have had a huge footprint in gyms around the world. But just like the T-1000, not all machines are good. In fact, the seven examples we’ve compiled might be killing your gains.

Now, nobody is saying these machines are totally useless, but there are plenty of better options out there than the dreaded sit-up machine or leg press. And if you’re the kind of person to do all their work on a Smith machine, we’ve got some alternatives you need to know about. You might be surprised that your favorite machine isn’t doing you any favors.

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History

Power Moves

Bigger than most bodybuilders and more graceful than many ice skaters, pro wrestlers have a unique skill set that no other form of entertainment can match. And one area where these grapplers excel is in the strength department. Body slamming and gorilla-pressing co-workers takes a lot of raw power, and the 10 wrestlers we rounded up below are some of the strongest to ever step into a ring.

Some well-known names outside the wrestling industry easily make the list, like strength sports legends Bill Kazmaier and Mark Henry (both of whom rank among the strongest people in history). Likewise, some Olympic standouts like Ken Patera, who had a successful run in the WWF (now WWE), also make the list. And let’s not forget about more recent WWE powerhouses like Big E and Braun Strowman.

The collective feats performed by this group transcend wrestling and should be studied by anyone interested in the history of strength.

CrossFit

The GOAT’s Gym

Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr, the most successful Individual CrossFit athlete of all time, is gearing up for a big Games return in 2024. And she recently took to YouTube to show off her training regimen in her brand-new gym in Australia.

In her very own iron paradise, Toomey-Orr works out with friends and co-competitors in a four-circuit routine that tests strength, endurance, and willpower. And you won’t find air conditioning here; she explains that having a hot training environment more closely mirrors the competitive environment of the CrossFit Games. 

Check out all of her training, and watch out for her when she gets to compete in 2024.

Everything Else

World’s Strongest Sumo Wrestler?

• Martins Licis takes a holiday from his life as an elite strongman to, once again, be the smallest guy in the room while training with a cohort of sumo wrestlers in Japan.

• The snatch is considered the most complicated thing you can do with a barbell (unless you put a lead tip on one end and use it to do calculus). Follow this guide to get you on the right track for snatching success.

• Massage guns are a staple for many people’s post-workout recovery routine, but do they actually work? BarBend talked to physical therapist Heather Asti to get some answers.