Bodybuilding Exercises With A Weight Machine

Bodybuilding is more than simply lifting weights. It is the pursuit of hypertrophy, which is the increase of muscle tissue and size. Weight machines are popular among bodybuilders because they place the body in a stable position and allow for moderate to heavy weight lifting, which is important to produce hypertrophy.

Underhand Seated Row

Any gym will have some type of seated row machine and likely will contain many variations. The seated row exercise works the muscles of the back. The rear of the shoulders and the muscles of the arms are also engaged with the underhand seated row. Perform the row by sitting on a seated row machine facing the handles. Reach your arms straight forward and grasp the handles with your palms facing upward. You should sit up straight and place your chest against the chest pad. Then, pull the handles toward you by bending your arms. The elbows stay tight next to your sides. Extend your arms forward to complete an underhand seated row.

Machine Bench Press

The machine bench press is another common weight machine. The machine bench press targets the muscles of the chest, though the triceps and shoulders assist with the exercise. Begin sitting on the bench with your back against the backrest and your feet on the floor. Grasp the handles with your arms bent, elbows lifted, and your palms facing the floor. Your wrists should be straight. Next, press your arms forward. Do not allow any part of your back to come off the back rest as you straighten your arms. Bend your arms again to move the handles back to the starting position and complete a bench press.

Leg Press

The leg press on a machine is a comprehensive lower-body exercise. The leg press targets the quads and hamstrings in the front and rear of the upper legs, the calves in the lower legs and the glutes. Use a leg press machine by sitting on the seat with your back against the back rest. Hold the handles on the sides of the chair to stabilize your upper body. Your feet go on the leg pad in front of you with your knees bent. The feet should be parallel to each other and placed about hip-width apart. Some machines will have a movable leg pad, others a movable chair. So, press your legs straight to activate your muscles and be prepared for either your seat to slide backward or the leg pad to move forward. Return to the starting position.