how to move beyond the machine?

MKEgal

(I suppose this could happen with any weight machine, so if people have general suggestions of how to proceed it might help more than just me.)

I'm to the point where there's one leg machine I'm nearly maxed out on (hip adduction, I think I have 20 lb left to increase, which won't take long), and another that's not too far behind (hip abduction, here I think I still have 40 lb or so to go).

I can't think of how to increase intensity once I get to the max weight available, other than more reps or sets, possibly speed. (But there are limits to that... including simple boredom if I end up doing 5 sets of 20, or something ridiculous like that.)
Any suggestions for the best course to follow, trying to increase strength & probably size?
Alternate exercises? (Pictures or links to such would be very helpful here.)

As a side note, it amazes me that these machines only go up to 250 lb! And they start at 20 lb. Are most people's legs really so weak? Why not start heavier & have a higher top weight too?

pianoman1703

Squats and dumbbell lunges work those muscles and more, if you have them available. But I'm sure you've considered those. Good luck!

zipa78

The machines are there to provide people with places to sit and hang their towels on. Exercising is done in the weight room...

tbilly20

A machine is certainly a poor substitute for the natural motion of the body. Having a seat really takes the work away from your core and any other muscle groups associated with stabilization and form for a particular exercise.

Once your form is good enough, you should probably consider ditching the machines. You'll have a much more intense workout!

Chieflrg

Machine is better than nothing, but hardly a substitute for free weights. Do squats and deadlifts and there is no limit to the weight you use. You will also notice that the number on the plates you use now and the number on the plates you slide on a bar are two different animals.

DavPul

Switch to this machine

AllanMisner

Squats and deadlifts. I’d start with bodyweight squats and use dumbbells for the deadlift. Once you master the form, then start adding weight (moving to the barbell once you’ve built up to that).

If you want something that keeps building that lateral strength you’ve developed using those two machines, I’d do bodyweight side lunges and only add weight once you’ve mastered the form.

Muscleflex79

I had the same issue with the hip adduction one (mine goes to 295lbs and I was at that ages ago). I still use the machine because I do find it hits areas of the leg better than some of the above suggestions (and I do it when I need a change/something extra to add to the other suggestions above). What I've ended up doing is alternating between sometimes doing full-reps (sometimes 5 sets of 20 - although you called this 'ridiculous') and other times I do more of a pulsing (up to 50-100 mini-pulses for a few sets). I really feel this in all the right places! Obviously it doesn't replace the other exercises suggested above, but if you are using it as a supplement to them its worth trying.

ndj1979

move to free weights and ditch the machines.

I would suggest strong lifts 5x5 as a great beginner program to introduce you to free weights and compound movements.

note that you will probably not be able to lift as much as you think you can with free weights, so start off with lighter weight and make sure form is good and then start increasing the weights..

starting strength is also a great resource to read up on lifting...

MKEgal

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.
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Muscleflex79 wrote:

What I've ended up doing is alternating between sometimes doing full-reps (sometimes 5 sets of 20 - although you called this 'ridiculous') and other times I do more of a pulsing (up to 50-100 mini-pulses for a few sets).

The main reasons I object to doing 100 reps would be
1 - that it's obviously not enough weight if I can do that much, so I should be able to find a better (more stressful) use of my time to work that muscle group,
2 - and as I said simple boredom.
But I'm willing to give it a try.
The pulses seem like they'd work one smaller area of the muscle; do you vary where you do them (how far apart your legs are to start/end)?
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ndj1979 wrote:

you will probably not be able to lift as much as you think you can with free weights

Yeah, I found that out real quick when I moved from the regular life fitness weight machines to free weights for my arms & back.
Also that using a dumbbell for rows (leaning over on a bench) is harder than doing a row on a cable machine, sitting up. I don't even use half the weight. Yet.
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strong lifts 5x5 as a great beginner program

I'll look into that too; have seen it recommended several places.
So far, I've just been maintaining muscle mass, which is more than I expected as I lost weight so I'm actually pretty happy with that. But I'd like to do more as I'm getting closer to my goal weight, get stronger, possibly keep lowering my body fat & getting better-defined muscles. I doubt I'll actually make them much bigger (I'm a middle-aged woman; not much testosterone around to build muscle mass).
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zipa78 wrote:

The machines are there to provide people with places to sit and hang their towels on. Exercising is done in the weight room

I've used my muscles, burned calories, and gotten sweaty doing all sorts of exercises:
weight machines, free weights, and cardio.
I want to be more of an all-around healthy & strong person. (And it's been working so far! The weight is coming off & the muscles are showing up. Me with muscles... wow. An even stranger concept than me at a healthy weight.)
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tbilly20 wrote:

Once your form is good enough, you should probably consider ditching the machines

That's the problem, I couldn't think of non-machine exercises that work the same inner/outer leg muscle groups.
I've been adding some time on the stair climber to work on the buttocks, quads, hamstrings, calves.
Squats & lunges obviously do some of the same outer & back thigh muscles.
Will consider the side lunges. I'm not real happy about lunges in general because of the stress on my knees (have had knee surgery), so I'll have to research those more.