Weight machine and confusion!

MelStren
MelStren Posts: 457 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm pretty new to the whole gym thing and I want to lift using the machines but I don't know how to tell How much I'm lifting.... Please look at the pic below and tell me if I'd be lifting at 59# or 80# and why in the heck are the plates marked like that?


Ok. I've tried to resize the pic but I'm not getting it. The other half of the plate says 80# where the pin is.....

003.jpg

Replies

  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    59

    I am a little perplexed to see such odd numbers though >.>
  • MelStren
    MelStren Posts: 457 Member
    I am so confused by it!

    On another note, I can't seem to get the pic to resize..... so you can see the other half of the plate.
  • chilly1979
    chilly1979 Posts: 24 Member
    Does the other end say 130?
    It could mean 59 kg and 130 lb. Just a guess though
  • peuglow
    peuglow Posts: 684 Member
    One side may be kilos, the other pounds.


    EDIT: Nope, I have no idea what those numbers mean now lol
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    that looks like the machine set up in my gym. One side is Kg and the other is pounds. I am positive of this as I just took a mini class with one of the trainers less than a month ago.

    Edit:: I don't know why the numbers don't add up...going to research it.
  • MelStren
    MelStren Posts: 457 Member
    Bumping to see if anyone can help.
  • drgndancer
    drgndancer Posts: 426 Member
    That is... weird. I mean the obvious answer was pounds on one side and kilos on the other, but the numbers aren't even close to right. I'd love to see the answer to this.
  • drgndancer
    drgndancer Posts: 426 Member
    Ok, so a quick look around on gives me an idea. According to the Repository of All Human Knowledge (sometimes call Wikipedia), plates on exercise machines are sometimes labelled with the actuation of their weight based on the assistance provided by the machine. The levers and pulleys on machines provide a level of assistance so that the weights of plates don't usually translate directly to how much weight you're actually lifting.

    Here's the thing though, the nature of the mechanics of the machines often mean that you're not lifting the same effective weight through the entire range of movement, often it's easier either at the end or the beginning of the exercise. Perhaps these labels are giving the actualized weight at both ends of the movement spectrum? Just a guess.
  • FullOfWin
    FullOfWin Posts: 1,414 Member
    I can help.

    Use free weights.

    :smile:
  • JasonDetwiler
    JasonDetwiler Posts: 364 Member
    Is it hooked up to more than one set of pulleys?
  • MelStren
    MelStren Posts: 457 Member
    Is it hooked up to more than one set of pulleys?

    Yes. I believe it is...
  • numsquat
    numsquat Posts: 133
    Here's the thing though, the nature of the mechanics of the machines often mean that you're not lifting the same effective weight through the entire range of movement, often it's easier either at the end or the beginning of the exercise. Perhaps these labels are giving the actualized weight at both ends of the movement spectrum? Just a guess.

    This is pretty much what I remember from lifting in high school (many years ago). The lower number is the weight resistance from the start of the lift, the right is the weight resistance at full extension of the left. You can kinda state your lifting weight as the average of the two. At least this is what we were told.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    It looks like the weight stack from an old Universal multigym. These things were ubiquitous 20-25 yrs ago. The design was a rudimentary variable-resistance system. The movement arms were angled so that a different amount of resistance was applied at the beginning and end of the movement. I think that's it-the details are starting to get fuzzy after the years.
  • Lady_Bane
    Lady_Bane Posts: 720 Member
    59 lbs
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    When in doubt...you COULD ask someone who works at the gym. The fitness staff at the Y where I work out are trained REALLY well.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    I can help.

    Use free weights.

    This x 2

    Also, if you're using the same machines on the regular, it doesn't matter. Just record it and try to progress from there. Even if you switch gyms it doesn't matter, as you just look for your 12 rep fail point and adjust from there. Plus the variation in pulley mechanics means that even if you used the same weight on a different machine it would behave and feel different.

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