Kinetic Chain

I am reading "Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training" by Mark Rippetoe & Lon Kilgore. Not only is this book very worth picking up it is very enlightening on many different topics. One thing that is emphasized in this book is the importance of the Kinetic Chain.

The Kinetic Chain is a fancy way of saying the foot bone is connected to the shin bone the shin bone is connected to the thigh bone and so on. Basically how it works is that the body is interconnected by soft tissue and connective tissue. These bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons and connective tissue is what allows our body to be strong, dynamic and highly mobile.

In the Book "Starting Strength: Basic Barbell training" the authors have one of the best explanations for how strength training with free weights trains the Kinetic Chain. In the chapter going over the deadlift the authors explain the lift simply and very concise with this explanation of how the body moves to perform the lift:

"The quadriceps straighten the knees, and if the back angle stays constant, the bar comes vertically up the shins. But, it is the hip extensors - glutes and hamstrings - acting as stabilizers during the initial phase of the pull, that maintain the back angle by exerting tension on the pelvis from the posterior, at their insertion points on the ischium and ilium. if the spinal erectors keep the back flat, the hip extensors "anchor" the back angle by pulling down on the distal pelvis. The pelvis and the spine are locked in line by the erectors, so the hamstrings actually keep the chest up and the back angle constant. This enables the scapulas to stay over the bar, allowing the quad work of straightening the knee to lift the bar off the ground."

That is a GREAT example of how the kinetic chain works. So if you think machines are better to train with than barbells and free weights. I challenge you to comment on this post and give me an explanation on how Machines & Nautilus can provide such a benefit to the Kinetic Chain.