Anyone had sucess with weights machines??

lucyhemming31 · June 2013

I am on a 6 week programme (paid for up front) with my local gym and go 3 times a week. I spend 1 hour on the weights machines and also do 30 minutes of speed walking at the end on the treadmill at a 4.5 incline.

I want to start stronglifts 5x5 once I have finished this programme but the gym I am currently in does not have a bench for doing bench presses, or a squat rack or an olympic bar. There is a selection of dumbells and a cable machine. I have spoken with the trainers and they have shown me squats and cable rows which I am doing.

The weight machines I use are:

Chest Press
Pec Fly
Cable Row
Preacher Curl
Leg Press
Hip abductor / adductor
Abdominal Crunch
Dip Machine
Seated Torso Rotation

I do 3 sets of 10 reps on each machine and increase my weight by 5lbs each session.

I eat a high protein diet but am on a calorie deficit as I want loose fat. During the 6 weeks programme I aim to decrease body fat and try and build/maintain lean muscle, my long term goal is to train for strength.

My last measurements I have gained 3 lbs but lost a further 2 cms from my hips and waist (total 8cms lost so far). My body shape is improving and my strength appears to be increasing too.

I do want to move on to heavy lifting with free weights but will need to change gyms to do Stronglifts 5x5 so I can access the correct equipment. This is such a shame as I love the gym I am currently in.

I just thought I would put up my current workout to get your thoughts - maybe some suggestions of alternatives with dumbells even.

The current topics seem to swing between cardio versus heavy lifting so I thought it would be interesting to throw weight machines into the mix........maybe opening a can of worms here but hey!!!!

Please note I am new to all this and currently feeling my way around the gym. I know once I start Stronglifts I will have to look closely at upping my calories etc etc but thats another thread all together.

Here and now I am just interested to hear opinions and experiences of using machines in a gym (and would appreciate suggestions for use of dumbells - espesh for upper body strength training).

Thanks

bluefox9er · June 2013

Bump for later

DancingMoosie · June 2013

My gym only has machines and so that's what I do. I have increased my weight over time, but not dramatically. Anything is better than nothing, and you will still see results. I do walking 3.5 with incline 15% to warmup 5 min. before weights, but I do running~ 5k on non-weight days. Actually, this was my plan before, now the gym is closed for the summer and I will be doing body weight and hand weight exercises till it opens again or I join a gym. Good luck!

nadz6012 · June 2013

I don't think that there's really anything wrong with designing a program around machines if that's all you have to work with. The problem that most people cite with machines is that they're isolating certain muscles. You don't use smaller stabilizer muscles like you would with free weights, and it takes longer to do your total body than it would with compound movements.

I think as long as what you're doing is challenging, you'll get results, it just may be slower than other methods. If you can use dumbbells, go for it!

ILiftHeavyAcrylics · June 2013

I personally didn't have any visible success when I did machines in college. I've seen more changes to my body in 6 weeks of stronglifts than I got from a year of doing machines. That's not to say that you can't be successful with them, but I think that free weights are much more efficient.

However, anything is better than nothing imo, and if you're enjoying it and getting stronger then that's a win.

lucyhemming31 · June 2013

Thanks guys - one of the guys that works in the gym knows I am really wanting to get away from the machines and LIFT and has just got hold of some tractor tyres that he said I could have a go at....grrrrrrr now that got me all excited

The gym I am in has a Ez Curl bar - could I use this to do squats with??? I would love to start practising my squats now if possible as this is the main lift in the stronglifts 5x5 so I would love to start really practising my form but with a bar.

Angelambert - is it the stronglifts 5x5 that you are following?

ILiftHeavyAcrylics · June 2013

Thanks guys - one of the guys that works in the gym knows I am really wanting to get away from the machines and LIFT and has just got hold of some tractor tyres that he said I could have a go at....grrrrrrr now that got me all excited

The gym I am in has a Ez Curl bar - could I use this to do squats with??? I would love to start practising my squats now if possible as this is the main lift in the stronglifts 5x5 so I would love to start really practising my form but with a bar.

Angelambert - is it the stronglifts 5x5 that you are following?

Yes but I've gone to 3x5 on squats at this point. I admit that I didn't go very long with the adding weight to the bar every workout, but I'm only 125 lbs so that's part of it.

nadz6012 · June 2013

The gym I am in has a Ez Curl bar - could I use this to do squats with???

Ouch. I've tried it (apartment complex had a fitness center and it was the only thing I could use ), I was able to lessen the suck on my shoulders by wrapping a floor mat around it, but it's definitely not ideal.

lucyhemming31 · June 2013

The gym I am in has a Ez Curl bar - could I use this to do squats with???

Ouch. I've tried it (apartment complex had a fitness center and it was the only thing I could use ), I was able to lessen the suck on my shoulders by wrapping a floor mat around it, but it's definitely not ideal.

I was thinking it might be kinda painful lol - thanks for the heads up

contingencyplan · June 2013

Given that your gym has dumbbells, I would use their dumbbell selection to do the Spartacus Workouts listed on youtube. They'll do much better for you than machines.

Absonthebrain · June 2013

Thats all I was using up until last month! And I think I have some decent progress, see my profile pics..

NovemberJune · June 2013

Great post here!
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/902569-barbell-routines-when-you-only-have-dumbbells

silverinc13 · June 2013

My current workout program is using only dumbbells - and it's killer. As long as they have an incline bench you could try it out!

http://eatmore2weighless.com/heavylight-workout/

Be sure to watch how to do the exercises properly and keep proper form - even if it means using 5 lb weights or no weights at all.

xampx · June 2013

I started doing machine weights in March, doing similar ones to you, I lift as heavy as I can for either 5x5 or 5x10 reps.

I have seen a massive difference, I can feel muscle everywhere and the fat is melting away too so I look better. And I feel strong.

For the last month I have been venturing into free weights and the multigym type machines and they are so much harder at the same weights I was used to! Carry on, do what you can, it all helps!

alpine1994 · June 2013

Given that your gym has dumbbells, I would use their dumbbell selection to do the Spartacus Workouts listed on youtube. They'll do much better for you than machines.

Completely agree with this. Dumbbells are your next best option, then the machines if there are no dumbbells. You can still get results from machines though, obviously (or else they wouldn't exist, right?). I just think that you'll be able to get better strength gains and work the stabilizing muscles a lot more with dumbbells.

holothuroidea · June 2013

You will build muscle if you use machines, but the thing with machines is that they only make you good at using machines. There's no practical, functional, real-life equivalent to those isolated movements.

Dumbbells still count as free weights. You can build a very good strength program around dumbbells and bodyweight work.

dbmata · June 2013

I didn't have success in gaining strength until I started using a barbell and free weights.

I did get hurt often on machines though, that was fun.

larsensue · June 2013

I have just started working with machines at work (lunch hour) as this is all I have access to. I am happy to have them at this point. we will see how it goes and move on from there.
would be interesting to keep in touch with our progress.
I do the following:
10X10 ab crunches at 50lbs
non-weighted squats X80 (adding 10 every day)
10X10 leg presses @ 120lbs (adding 10 lbs every week)
5X5 arm curls @ 60lbs (adding 10lbs every week) I hope.....
5X5 seated chest presses @70lbs (adding 10lbs every week)
5X5 seated mid-row @ 70lbs (adding 10lbs every week)
5X5 leg extensions @70lbs (adding 10lbs every week)

I also power walk 2X/week at the track for 50minutes and ride my bike to work everyday if it is not raining or too windy....

tehboxingkitteh · June 2013

My strength went up exponentially the month I started using free weights instead of machines. It took me a while to get stability down with the bench press, because the machines had guided my path of motion.

I know there's plenty of dumbbell workouts if you don't have access to a barbell, like previously posted.

Good luck.

randrews0407 · June 2013

The weight machines I use are:

Chest Press
Pec Fly
Cable Row
Preacher Curl
Leg Press
Hip abductor / adductor
Abdominal Crunch
Dip Machine
Seated Torso Rotation

For the chest press, pec fly, curls etc - you will see better results faster using free weights. I use machines to do variations of the leg press (seated leg press, unilateral leg press etc.). IMHO, the machines for the crunch, torso rotation and hip abduction / adduction are a waste of time. Read this: http://www.shapingconcepts.com/blog/health-club-machines-to-avoid/

lucyhemming31 · June 2013

Thanks guys!!!!!

I will defo check out the workouts using the dumbells - I'm in tonight and its usually one of the quieter nights so I will make the most and ask the trainer to help me with my form.

I was reading today about avoiding the torso and hip machines.....eeek!! I will speak to my trainer about alternatives to these.

For larsensue this is what I currently do:

Chest Press 3 sets of 10 @ 75lbs
Pec Fly 10 x 25lbs - 10 x 35 lbs - 10 x 40lbs
Cable Row 10 x 90lbs - 10 x 100lbs - 10 x 110lbs
Preacher Curl 10 x 35lbs - 10 x 45lbs - 10 x 50lbs
Leg Press 10 x 155lbs - 10 x 160lbs - 10 x 165lbs
Hip abductor / adductor (in) 10 x 70lbs - 10 x 75lbs - 10 x 80lbs (out) 10 x 130lbs - 10 x 135lbs - 10 x 140lbs
Abdominal Crunch 10 x 75lbs - 10 x 80lbs - 10 x 85lbs
Dip Machine 10 x 60lbs - 10 x 70lbs - 10 x 80lbs
Seated Torso Rotation 10 x 65lbs - 10 x 70lbs - 10 x 75lbs

Each session I start on the weight that I was on during my last 2nd rep and then increase the next two by 5lbs. For example tonight I will try to leg press 10 x 160lbs - 10 x 165lbs - 10 x 170lbs. If I cant complete 10 reps then I mark the amount I got to and try again next session with the same weights - I only increase if I complete the 10 reps. You can tell from above my upper body strength is terrible - I couldnt beat my way out of a paper bag even if there was a naked chocolate covered johnny depp on the other side :blushing:

Your responses are all greatly appreciated and further more fuel my desire to start lifting with free weights "jumping up and down clapping hands frantically like a first rate biffer!"

It all started as "I need to loose weight gfor my hols!!!"...now its turned into - "I wanna lift...I wanna lift big weights..I wanna be strong roooarrrr!!!"

I bet as soon as I start with the free weights I'll be in for a shock - think rabbit in head lights expression..but its all good :glasses:

Just for laughs....I thought the other day "lets see how many press ups I can do"....cue me promptly faceplanting the floor :grumble: ...ok...thats a great starting point....big fat NONE!!! ppfff...I have a way to go!!

Anyone had sucess with weights machines??

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