Hobby

To an engineer, hydraulics is the science of using liquids power to apply force to a specific object. To most other people, it’s that tube on top of the doors in public buildings that keeps them from slamming shut too quickly. To the world of fitness, however, hydraulics is a variation in exercise equipment that can make a big difference in your workout.

Strength training is all about resistance. With free weights, you’re fighting against the pull of gravity. With springs and rubber bands, you fight against their elasticity, their tendency to return to their original shape. When rowing a boat, you’re fighting against the resistance of the water against the oar. It’s not just how heavy something is; it’s how much resistance you have to fight against. That is what strength training ultimately boils down to.

The same effect can be achieved with hydraulic cylinders or pistons. When you push or pull the bars on a hydraulic exercise machine, you have to exert a force to make the piston move. The main difference between hydraulic equipment and the exercise machines that use weights is that the amount of force needed to move the hydraulics varies not according to weight, but by how much force you apply. If you try to work a hydraulic exercise machine quickly, it requires more force. If you try to move it slowly, it requires less. If you start to try to move it quickly, then realize you’ve bitten off more than you can chew, you can slow down mid-swing until you reach a resistance that is challenging but possible for you to do. Imagine trying to do that with an overloaded set of weights!

Many people prefer hydraulic exercise equipment to regular weight equipment because they can go at their own pace, and it leaves their muscles less sore than typical weights would. This factor makes it ideal for children, seniors, women, and people who are simply too daunted by the stacks of weights to try regular weight machines, although models are of course also designed for men and more advanced exercisers. Also, since with hydraulic machines you do not have to lift heavy weights, you are less likely to overstrain yourself, or to need a spotter to help you get the weights back in place.

Hydraulic exercise machines are very popular right now in public fitness programs, since it means that people of varying levels of fitness can exercise together without having to worry about someone falling behind or running too far ahead. Gyms and exercise franchises can get a wide variety of machines specialized for leg extensions, arm curls, shoulder presses, hip adductors, rotary torsos, biceps, and more, along with units that can be used to exercise many different muscle groups. However, there are not yet many models available for those consumers who would prefer to exercise at home, and those that can be found seem to cost about $2000 or more. The one exception may be the hydraulic rowing machines, which are less than a tenth of that price, but are considered to be of slightly lower quality than other types of rowing machines. (They still give you just as effective a workout; they just aren’t quite as smooth at imitating a rowing movement.)

Hydraulic exercise equipment does have its drawbacks. As has been found with the rowing machine, you may find the machines to not move as smoothly as other exercise machines, especially if you cannot maintain a steady pressure as you push or pull, or with older or lower quality equipment that might have air bubbles within the fluids in the hydraulic cylinders. There is also an upper limit to the amount of resistance most models can provide, which makes them less than desirable to more advanced athletes and bodybuilders. Finally, the price tag on most models, as well as the lack of selection for home consumers, makes them a poor choice for most home gyms.

There are many ways to provide a good strength-training workout, and hydraulic exercise equipment is one of them. However, if you have your heart set on hydraulics, it is probably better to join a gym or fitness program in which you can take advantage of their many quality machines and trainers, and choose something a little more versatile for your home.