What's your machine routine?

petstorekitty
petstorekitty Posts: 592 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
If you go to the gym and use the machine to do weights and such, what is your routine?
Where did you get it?

I want a machine routine I can write down and take with me to the gym.
I like my areobic exercise but I know I might see more results if I did weights, etc.

Right now I can't do any videos, but I've got a whole gym at my disposal!
The machine area is a bit overwhelming, (the whole gym is, it's huge) but if I have a set plan written out I could focus on that and not worry so much.

Any suggestions on how to proceed? websites? books? printer posters? :D

I'm not looking to get ripped, I just want to add weights and/or strength training in because I feel it would help my weight loss.

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    I'll skip the part where I tell you how much better and time efficient free weights are.

    Look for these:
    Lat pull down
    leg press (or hack squat machine)
    cable bicep curl
    cable tricep pushdown
    cable crossovers
    cable rows
    chest press


    -->avoid leg extension machines


    Take one day and start really light, and figure out what the maximum weight you can do for a single rep is, then times it by .8
    Like this:
    Lat pull down 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, CANT DO 80
    70 x 8 .8 = 56. Round to closest on machine.
    Do 3 sets of 8 at 55lbs.
    Do this for each excercise.

    Next week, do 3 sets of 9
    next, 3 sets of 10
    Next week, add 5 lbs and do 3 sets of 8 again
    3 sets of 9
    10...
    add 5 lbs... and so on.
  • petstorekitty
    petstorekitty Posts: 592 Member
    I'm intimidated enough by the huge machine area, the even more huge free weights area filled with people who know what they are doing.... *shudder* One day I'll find a workout buddy or something for free-weights-land.

    For now... I'll take these notes you have left for me :)
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    If you go to the gym and use the machine to do weights and such, what is your routine?
    Where did you get it?

    I want a machine routine I can write down and take with me to the gym.
    I like my areobic exercise but I know I might see more results if I did weights, etc.

    Right now I can't do any videos, but I've got a whole gym at my disposal!
    The machine area is a bit overwhelming, (the whole gym is, it's huge) but if I have a set plan written out I could focus on that and not worry so much.

    Any suggestions on how to proceed? websites? books? printer posters? :D

    I'm not looking to get ripped, I just want to add weights and/or strength training in because I feel it would help my weight loss.

    Thanks in advance!

    I have a very basic approach to machine routines; it's called "avoidance." LOL. I use very very few machines and one is more of a specialized bench than a machine. Try free weights, it's not as scary as they look or as people will lead you to believe.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    If you go to the gym and use the machine to do weights and such, what is your routine?
    Where did you get it?

    I want a machine routine I can write down and take with me to the gym.
    I like my areobic exercise but I know I might see more results if I did weights, etc.

    Right now I can't do any videos, but I've got a whole gym at my disposal!
    The machine area is a bit overwhelming, (the whole gym is, it's huge) but if I have a set plan written out I could focus on that and not worry so much.

    Any suggestions on how to proceed? websites? books? printer posters? :D

    I'm not looking to get ripped, I just want to add weights and/or strength training in because I feel it would help my weight loss.

    Thanks in advance!

    what I did was ask the trainer on duty to show me a few machines...and I watched other people on the machines until I was comfortable trying a new one. Eventually I made time to take a free class lead by the trainer, and learned most of the machines. Every couple weeks or so I will have something that I have heard about here on MFP, so I will youtube it, then ask the trainer to watch me do it and check my form. He's not very busy lately, so he is happy to do so...

    I know the trainer LOVES barbells and dumbbells more than machines, so I have sweet talked him into showing me a few things with those too.
  • Jo2926
    Jo2926 Posts: 489 Member

    -->avoid leg extension machines

    Why is that? I've just joined a gym and (unsurprising) my induction focused on the weight machines. Leg extension machines were the only ones that intrigued me because I could think of a free weight alternative - I usually stick to squats.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member

    -->avoid leg extension machines

    Why is that? I've just joined a gym and (unsurprising) my induction focused on the weight machines. Leg extension machines were the only ones that intrigued me because I could think of a free weight alternative - I usually stick to squats.

    They are awful for your knees and useless for useful strength. They can make your quads pretty pumped though.
    But a leg press, in the same amount of time, works a lot better.
  • Jo2926
    Jo2926 Posts: 489 Member

    -->avoid leg extension machines

    Why is that? I've just joined a gym and (unsurprising) my induction focused on the weight machines. Leg extension machines were the only ones that intrigued me because I could think of a free weight alternative - I usually stick to squats.

    They are awful for your knees and useless for useful strength. They can make your quads pretty pumped though.
    But a leg press, in the same amount of time, works a lot better.

    Thanks.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    Have you looked into free-weight workouts? I've been doing Stronglifts for almost 2 months now and it blows away anything that I could've done on machines.

Categories