EUGENIZATION.

I’ve not perused the fitness mags in several months, as I don’t like to upset my delicate constitution, but I felt compelled to check out the newsracks today. A relatively new publication from Muscle and Fiction, Old School Fitness, caught my eye (I do so enjoy old school fitness). I was not surprised to be completely let down with the contents: Dinosaur training that resembled a beginner’s Weider routine, as opposed to Kubiks’ stripped-down, no-nonesense approach, “old school” exercises such as the walking lunge (gah), and to add insult to injury, the only “old-timers” mentioned were Reg Park and Steve Reeves (two fine gentleman, but when you say “old-timer” I think John Grimek, Sig Klein, Louis Cyr…) ! Needless to say, I was not impressed.

Except by one thing. An innocuous one page ad for ProSpot Fitness systems.

Here’s the skinny on ProSpot stuff: With a remarkable resemblance to a Smith machine (a comparison they seem to hate!), the ProSpot apparatus consists of a frame and a bar suspended by 4 “spotting” cables. The spotting cables are activated and deactivated through a touch sensor system embedded in the bar; grab the bar and the bar is released to move through whatever range of motion your heart desires, release the bar and the cables lock the bar in a dead stop, wherever it is. It’s a great idea, especially if you’re wedded to the idea that you must perform free weights, and you can’t be bothered to properly set up a power rack.

Taking a look at the demonstration videos gives you a sense of how the machine works (although the demonstrator’s form could certainly use some work). The ProSpot machine definitely has the “ooh I want that” coolness factor going for it (as does much in gizmoland - Treos and iPods being two prominent examples). As might be expected, this little gizmo carries a hefty pricetag ($1400 for a stripped-down P-100, $2250 for one with all the bells and whistles), but if you can’t be bothered with a reliable power rack and have the means, it is a viable alternative.

It certainly is better than getting a Smith Machine - the machine of doom.

I implore you to check out the videos. As any individual who has come out of the bottom position of a back squat with any meaningful resistance on their backs (like, say, 2x bodyweight) can tell you, a machine that “racks” you as soon as you let go of the bar is very intriguing indeed.

I’d pay good money to see someone try to do a hang clean with that, though. LOL.