They look impressive, they are inviting, they are a sign of a professional gym.

They are sure to help you work out, when you are hurt and still make it to the gym.

But they will actually slow you down, if what you want is a trim, healthy, and muscular body.

If you are young, gym machines are absolutely not for you.

If you are in your golden age, they are a stepping stone, a hurdle to get over.

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The point of a gym machine, is to use it, until you can lift dumbbells standing up.

Dumbbells are the fun little small weights, you carry in each hand.

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I repeat if you can stand for a few minutes, and lift dumbbells every which way.

You are passed the machine stage, you do not need them anymore.

Even a massive cow of a bodybuilder, must stay away from muscle isolation.

Our bodies require a balanced musculature, you need a strong back to support your upper body.

You only get that by avoiding machines, and avoiding muscle isolation.

The biggest of bodybuilders should flip tires, cars, and swim, and carry heavy logs.

Musculature must be functional, synchronized, muscles must be built to support each other.

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For the rest of us, the 1980’s aerobic workouts.

Where people are moving, to music with light dumbbells in hand.

Is where we must begin, our bodybuilding journey.

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Once you are ready to leave machines behind, and get moving on your two feet.

You begin walking with lightest of dumbbells, and your first and foremost aim is the same that joggers set.

To keep going, for an hour non-stop.

But you must move to music, fresh, crisp, interesting, clear music.

The gym speakers are useless, and are only good for masking grunts other noises.

That is is not workout music, that is background or elevator music.

You need a good slow playlist, that matches how fast you walk.

And as you synchronize your motion, you will enter a dance trance.

Without which, there cannot be an hour long exerciser.

Young or old, small or huge, dance trance is not optional.

And crisp, fresh music, is your energy.

You must synchronize your motion, you need fresh music, and dance trance.

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Once you can walk with lightest dumbells for an hour to medium speed music, you can then upgrade to heavier dumbbells.

The duration of your exercise, and that it is non stop.

Is first and foremost, more important than your weights.

Like a jogger you must slowly eliminate your rest, you can use an interval timer for that.

And until then, you are not bodybuilding, you are just training for it.

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This applies to young and elderly, yes you can grow muscle and burn fat.

In America, older people sometimes go to the mall, and do their morning walking there.

They walk non stop for an hour, it never rains, it is never too cold.

It is a brilliant and beautiful idea, add light dumbbells and you begin building muscle.

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Walking with dumbbells is the beginning, the next step is twisting and turning to the beats of music.

Otherwise, known as dancing.

By the time your walking with dumbbells, gives you the muscles to dance with them.

You will feel great, and show great progress.

The people who would never dare to dance a the gym, will think you are cheating somehow.

But it is that non-stop hour or two, or even three, with light dumbbells in hand.

Not so light that you can add more, but not so heavy that they will stop you.

Combined with the dance trance, that will very quickly transform your body.

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You don’t have to shuffle dance, you don’t have to club dance.

You can do sumo or warrior motions, you can do American football motions.

So as long as you have your dumbells, and synchronize it with music, and you stay in dance trance, it will all work out.

But you can see how dance like motions, are optimal.

And it is silly to think that dancing a the gym, is a sign of weakness.

It takes great courage and dedication, no one worth your while will laugh at you.

And People laughing you, for training with 3 pound weights.

Won’t laugh for long, as you will show progress.

And eventually, lift 20 pounds, nearly non stop for three hours or so.

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Being ashamed to work out in your teens or 20s, may just end up with obesity.

A workout that does little, will have you eventually abandon the gym.

A workout that produces results, will grab you by the button, and keep you fit and muscular for life.

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And again, this is a full body workout, that will give you a balanced musculature.

Strong back, huge shoulders, large legs, beautiful biceps, flexibility and strength.

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Now you can see, how machines can’t give you that.

Machines can’t slowly help your body, to learn to twist and flex, and dance.

They can only stop you, from being flexible.

And 5 pound or 10 pound increments, are simply too much.

You have to start with the lightest dumbbells, and use the aerobic rack which increments by 2.5lb.

You have to go slow and give you body time to grow, and you need to keep moving for hours not seconds.

If you give your body reason to adapt, with long challenging workouts.

And give it time to grow into it, where you are not pushing so hard that it can’t go on.

Your body, like a good animal, will grow, it will adapt, and you’ll become fit and muscular.