Strength training builds stronger bones and muscles, giving you the strength and endurance to perform everyday movements like climbing stairs and hauling groceries. Ideally, you should strength train your major muscle groups twice weekly. Gym strength-training machines are built to make this as convenient and easy as possible, with each machine targeting a particular muscle or muscles. Taking the time to familiarize yourself with your gym's weight machines will help you get the most out of your workout.
Types
You'll encounter three primary types of strength-training machines in the gym: Lever-based machines, with which you push or pull on pads or handles attached to levers; cable machines, with which you push or pull on handles attached to cables, which are routed through a pulley; and functional trainers, which are cable machines with the pulleys mounted on adjustable swing arms.
Dual-motion Machines
One of the advantages of many strength-training machines is that they limit you to a set motion. As such, you don't have to worry about controlling which way the weights track -- you just push or pull, and the machine guides you along the set track. But some weight machines allow you to move each handle independently in multiple planes, more closely approximately the experience of using free weights like dumbbells without the concern of accidentally dropping the weight -- and with pulley machines and functional trainers, you get the stabilizing workout of using free weights without the concern of accidentally dropping a dumbbell on your head.
Range of Motion
Although you don't have to worry about handling the weights themselves, you still have to monitor your range of motion when using gym weight machines. They're designed to fit such a wide variety of body types that they'll often allow you to move your arms or legs so far back that you can put your joints in a compromising position, or so far forward that you lock your joints or use muscles other than those you had intended to use.
Adjusting Resistance
Most gym weight machines adjust resistance in one of two ways. With selectorized machines, you slide a selector pin into a stack of weight plates. When you push or pull on the handles, you lift only the plate you selected and the plates above it. With plate-loading machines, you load weight plates onto short bars welded to the machine's frame. Pushing or pulling the handles moves the weights, A very few weight machines have electronic or hydraulic resistance that you adjust with push-button controls.
Other Adjustments
Because all weight machines are designed to accommodate the widest variety of body types possible, they usually offer a seat adjustment and, depending on the machine, chest-rest, backrest, leg pad and ankle roll adjustments. The best general rule for adjusting a weight machine is to sit down and make sure the major joint that will move during the exercise -- for example, your knees for leg extensions -- is lined up with the machine's obvious axis of rotation.
Member Comments