Website to show alternative compound movements to replace Cybex machine routine

W_Stewart

At age 55 I was finding I lacked the strength, endurance and mobility for many day to day activities so I returned to the gym. I was really surprised at how weak I had become. But I established a 3-day rotating workout routine of mostly Cybex weight machines and after 3 months am noticing significant improvements. I have started eating healthier, gaining strength and lost 25 pounds.

I think using mostly Cybex machines let me start safe and begin strengthening basic muscle groups. I also worked on my core along the way and did some stretching. Now I feel ready to begin switching over to compound exercises that still work the same core muscles groups but add in the supporting muscles. Is there a website where I can find comparable compound lifts that are replacements for specific machines? I think some machines are still great for keeping in my rotation (leg press, prone leg curl, etc) but some I'd like to swap out.

My preference are for dumbbell exercise right now as the bench and squat stands are heavily utilized and using dumbbells will let me easily transition through my routine without competing for one of the stands.

AnnPT77

I think people may have trouble answering your question. Cybex makes a lot of machines. We don't know which ones you're using. I've used some Cybex machines a bit in the past, but don't remember details and they probably aren't even the same specific machines, anyway, since different gyms have different assortments IME. I also think you're asking for a different approach than most people would likely use.

Most strength machines at the gym have a label on them with an exercise name, and/or they say which muscle groups they mostly work. Sometimes the machine exercise names are similar to freeweight exercise names, and you could find a similar exercise by looking those names up on a reasonable site or in a reference book. Alternatively, if the machines name the muscles/muscle groups that they work, then look up freeweight exercises for those muscles/muscle groups.

I have to admit, I don't totally get why you want to mimic a machine workout with free weights (that's what I meant when I said you're maybe doing a different approach than most people would). To me, it would make more sense to pick a dumbbell program (if dumbbell exercises are what you want) and do that program. You can find suggested programs here:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

If you figure out which muscle groups are being worked by each machine or dumbbell exercise, you can even mix and match to some extent, part machine and part freeweights. I still think a coherent program would make more sense, though . . . but I'm far from expert (which is why I think programs designed by experts are generally a Good Thing).