By GI Team Generation Iron
The Generation Iron Fitness Network doesn’t just deal in bodybuilding news and workout routines. We got our sights on a new fitness product that promises to aid your workouts immensely and decided to give them a shot and see if they hold up. Does this tool actually work? We’ve done our test run on the Performance Pin to see if it’s a tool that will help elevate your training program to the next level.
If you haven’t tried drop sets yet, what the hell are you doing? Drop sets are a great way to improve your workout and change things up in the gym. One of the downsides with drop sets is that you can feel like you’re losing time between each lift because you have to get up and adjust the weight on a lat pull down machine or a fly machine. Well the Performance Pin hopes to make drop sets all the simpler.
How they work
The usual lifting machine has a pin that you can place in a selector in order to measure how much weight you wish to lift. The Performance Pins can be utilized to allow for performing more efficient drop sets by going right from a heavier weight selection to progressively lower weight without even getting up. Place the Performance Pins into the selectors at heavier weight selections than where the standard selector pin is placed. NOTE: for every level of resistance selected with the Performance Pin, the slot above and below the pin must remain unoccupied by other pin shafts. The empty slots will be needed for the trigger function.
Once all three pins are in place (the two Performance Pins and the standard selector pin) you can begin your workout. You’ll lift the heaviest weight based on where the lowest Performance Pin is placed. Once you’ve completed your desired amount of reps in the highest weight, just lower the weights back into the default resting position and the lowest Performance Pin will be ejected. Continue performing the drop set and after completing your second set of reps on the middle weight, lower the weights again and the second Performance Pin will eject, leaving you with the last set of the lowest weight using just the standard selector pin.
Generation Iron Performance Pins Review
The Positives
– These are not technical devises and you don’t need to be a techy to figure them out. They are simple, one step, no options. Easy to use, for anyone. Just pop the pins in and start lifting. When you’re done, just pick them up and pop them back in.
– The split between sets is so much quicker now. You literally don’t have to lose any time or energy getting up to adjust the weights. This will not only make your time in the gym more efficient but it will allow you to work through your drop sets and maximize your gains.
– Keep the pump! Not only do you save time by not having to get up and change the weights but you keep up the intensity and stay mentally in the zone as the weights adjust themselves.
– Performing challenging resistances while maintaining great form allows for an intense workout and maximum gains.
– Strong/Durable = When we first tried them, we were a little nervous relying on these to hold all that weight but they proved to be strong and durable and stayed in place through a strenuous and plate slamming workout.
The Negatives
– The idea of having to carry these around while in the gym is a bit of a handicap, particularly after a grueling workout. They aren’t exactly heavy or anything, but it does give you something else to have to carry around after a hard session. Our suggestion: use the pins towards the beginning/middle of a workout so that you can put them away after your done using them. Keep the pins with your towel or shaker bottle off to the side when not using them.
– You can only separate the weights by every other weight. For example, 240 lbs down to 210 lbs to 180 lbs. This makes for less of a customizable decrease in weight as opposed to dropping weight by 10 to 15 lbs. But typically drop sets consist of dropping weights by 30lbs anyway.
– When the pins eject, you have to be mindful of where they land. On a positive note, these guys have clearly done tests to determine the proper spring load for ejecting the pins. They seemed to always land right next to each other and a good distance away from the machines while still staying close enough to you.
Conclusion
We can honestly say that these are pretty cool and we suggest giving them a try for yourself. They’re simple yet effective and can make doing drop sets a breeze. It took a few times to get used to the pins dropping out and the sudden weight difference but after we got the hang of it, it was simple and effective. Our suggestion: pause for a couple of seconds after the pin ejects to concentrate on the fact that you’re now lifting lighter weight. Also, what a great slogan: Get A Pair!
If you’re interested in checking them out; feel free to head over to their official website.
http://www.performancepin.com/
Source: http://generationiron.com/performance-pins/
