CommonHealth: As Gyms Discard Weight Machines, Fitness Experts Stand By Their Benefits

In the era of "boutique fitness," gyms have started ditching weight machines in favor of body-weight training and functional fitness.

But, some fitness experts say that the average gym-goer will not benefit from a fitness regimen with fewer machines.

"The basic exercises" — like leg or shoulder presses on machines — "improve function as well as anything else you can do, and actually quite a bit better," said Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., a professor of exercise science at Quincy College.

The best type of training should be a balance between functional exercises and exercises on machines, according to Tony Maloney, fitness center manager at the National Institute for Fitness and Sport.

Carey Goldberg, host of WBUR's CommonHealth blog, which tweets @commonhealth.