Exercise Virgin, need help identifying gym equipment

MsKittyCAT

I'm so proud of myself! Went to Planet Fitness for the first time today and spent an hour an a half using different pieces of exercise equipment. My cardio on the elliptical and stair-stepper were easy enough to identify when logging exercise but I have no clue about all the different strength training things I used with weights to work out arms and legs. No idea what the machines or the exercises were called, I just followed instructions and did them. Please help so I can record them!!! Thanks in advance!

taso42_DELETED

It might be helpful to have one of the staff members take you around and give you a tour of the equipment.

khrys1

The easiest way to do that is to not worry about what everything is called- just log your total minutes under "Cardio," then "strength training" for any weight equipment you used. Also, could you feel what muscles were used while you were working out? If you can feel where on your body you're working, you can probably figure out what type of machine you're on. I assume you know the arm muscles- shoulders, biceps, triceps. On the legs, your lower legs are calves (maybe you did a calf raise?), the top front of your legs are your quads (you'll feel these when doing exercises like squats), and the back top of your legs are the hamstrings. Good luck! I usually don't count my reps, just keep track of time and post that for my calories.

rc630

If you aren't able to figure out the machines and what not, you can always do non-machine exercises like pushups (girly pushups if you're like me and can't do real ones) and use the hand weights. If you look above the instructions, there is usually a name of the machine, or at least what it does, like "overhead press"

MsKittyCAT

I went with a friend who took me as her guest and showed me what to do with each machine, but I was just so excited to be at a gym in public exercising and NOT having a panic attack or feeling like an uncoordinated idiot that I didn't think to write down the names of things so I could log them .

rogergoodwin

Hey,

I'm the same, I see lots of different exercises and machines but forget to take down any notes etc. I seems that you have a great friend who is supporting you and I'm sure they wouldn't mind going through the exercises again. This will give you more confidence in what to do and also allow you to make a few notes.

A great start and well done, going into a gym and getting started can be nerve racking!

Well done and keep up the good work.

dave4d

Any move you do where you are doing pushing movements perpendicular to your chest would be considered. A chest press. If you are making a pulling move perpendicular to your chest, that works your back, and would be called a row. . If you are lifting overhead, it works your shoulders, you can call it a shoulderpress. If you are pulling downward from an upright position, it might be called a latpulldown. Leg extensions you try to straighten your knees, leg curls you try to bend your knees against weight.

Most machines try to emulate movements, and exercises that you can do with free weights. Free weights will give you a better workout, because they work the stabalizer muscles as well. Machines will usually isolate certain muscles. They will give you a good workout, but I would recommend using freeweights where you can. Bodybuilding.com will show how to do certain workouts if you need to see what they are, and what they work.

dengarrett

If you have an i-phone, there are several apps that will guide you. For strength training at home, I recommend a balance ball and a set of resistance tubes. Total cost can be $50. Gives you the same benefits at a fraction of the cost, and you can put the tubes in a box, take them with you wherever you go.