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What do you feel is the most worthless piece of gym equipment?

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12 Answers

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the shake weight. And, for your viewing pleasure... http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=57IoQcuKPxc

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Ha! My family did an "As Seen on TV" exchange among the adults last year. We were all worried everyone would get Shake Weights! – MathGirl72 Jun 23 at 4:34
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I used to be the coordinator of our offices health and fitness program. Our budget was a mere $2000 for a staff of 50 people. My team and I put our heads together and came up with the concept of the AS SEEN ON TV GYM. A Gym with only equipment you see on late night T.V. Sadly I left the organization and it never came to be. – Caveman formally known as Dan Jun 23 at 14:18
youtube.com/watch?v=fp7-BTnHCzI I remember this one from awhile back. – primallykosher Jun 23 at 16:27
I'd run for the hills if my gym purchased Shake Weights – Acumen Athletics Jun 23 at 16:58
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The Hawaii Chair.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9_amg-Aos4

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If I saw that in my gym, I might start smacking people. – Crowbar Jun 23 at 16:47
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What do you feel is the most worthless piece of gym equipment?

The guy who wants to teach me how to train though I know he's an avid steroid user with a gut like a love seat and an empty protein bar wrapper in his shirt pocket with a protein drink mustache to pull it all together...do gyms have to have these guys on the pay roll or something?

Truth.

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This is why i wear ear buds! – Acumen Athletics Jun 23 at 11:32
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Actually, I think it's the cardio machines. I go to the gym to lift weights, because I can't afford all the weights. But why, especially in nice weather, are people doing cardio indoors? Buy a real bike, go for a real walk/jog, fake row in a real boat.

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As a rower, I'd have to disagree with you on the last one. Even single sculls are crazy expensive, not to mention a trailer to haul one and a dock with a rack to store it. You can always join the local association for several hundred dollars, but then a casual afternoon row comes with and the added necessity of requiring an additional person in a motored boat out on the water with you (safety/liability). Rowing in a canoe or kayak is not the same workout, either. Plus, in the winter, water is frozen! tl;dr rowing is a very inconvenient sport! :) – RRenee Jun 23 at 12:38
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Okay, you can have your row machine, but I insist the other people walk/run/bike outside. – Crowbar Jun 23 at 16:45
I don't do cardio like the typical cardio-freak but it isn't hard to understand why they'd choose a gym over outdoors. Personally I enjoy the outdoors, I've run in snow and sub-freezing temps in my vibrams as well as the rain and mud of spring and fall, hell, I've even run in 100 degree summer time temps. But even though I can still enjoy a little cardio in all of those conditions it isn't beyond my comprehension to think that most folks would prefer to exercise in the controlled environment of a gym. – lil' Richard frm tx fan Jun 24 at 11:19
I find the gym stifling, even with the ventilation. Also, I live on the West Coast, so it's pretty temperate all year. I guess that makes us a tad spoiled. I definitely understand people doing cardio in the gym in winter in Saskatchewan! – Crowbar Jun 24 at 23:22
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http://www.vibrogym.com/

Professional version of the shake weight.

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That's a contender. I especially like this version: "The first training device that is a girl’s best friend. The VibroGym® Evolution Diamond has been embellished with over 65,000 genuine CRYSTALLIZEDTM - Swarovski Elements, allowing the vibrating plate to glitter and sparkle. This vibrating plate will not only make women’s hearts beat faster..." Sadly no videos on the site. – Karen Jun 23 at 12:29
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The membership card that doesn't get used!

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A bosu ball. http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_loou3fUt9k1qzp1hc.jpg

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Calf raise machine. I stil

l remember as a fat 13 yrold flipping through the pages of Flex magazine. Seeing this ripped huge dude grunting with every vain in his body popping out. As I turned to the next page, I was let down. He was doing seated calf raises with two 45# plates. What a rip.

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The most useless piece I would say is the ab/adu tion machine.

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Is that the "good girl, naughty girl" machine? – lil' Richard frm tx fan Jun 23 at 3:14
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I think of it as a really punitive gyno visit. – Crowbar Jun 23 at 3:54
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We always called it the "yes, no" machine – Mike T Jun 23 at 11:43
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There is some kind of "lumbar torquer" machine taking up valuable real estate in my gym. It looks like you sit down, grip two handles and twist at the waist. At best it seems like it would give the ladies who use it that wide mid-section they all want so badly, at worst maybe a slipped disc or something.

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Most seated ab machines, save the highest quality nautilus/MedX ones.

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treadmills. What's wrong with the pavement? I think people who drive to a gym to walk on a treadmill ought be committed. The only excuse is when there's so much snow outside you can't run.

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When it's super hot and humid, I'm really glad I have cheap access to a treadmill. When the heat index is 104F, or the 6 AM humidity is near 100%, I'll still get in my walking. Not ideal, but much better than not at all. – Karen Jun 23 at 12:23
A bit silly but not the most worthless by far. Anyone whose workout consists of just walking on a treadmill has my support, at least they're doing something. I've been in that kind of shape and although I've hit the trail in just about every condition imaginable, I wouldn't expect it from everyone else. For many doing anything is far superior than doing nothing. – lil' Richard frm tx fan Jun 24 at 11:24

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