Conquering my Weight Machine Phobia

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marciebrewer
marciebrewer Posts: 9 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am thrilled to share that I have successfully conquered part of my fear of the gym and have been attending group classes and using the cardio equipment in my gym for the last 4 weeks. Yay me! Now I'm thinking I'm ready to tackle the remainder (and perhaps larger portion!) of my phobia: the weight room!

Can anyone suggest 2-3 machines for me to start with? They should be easily identifiable and easy to use.

A little info about my current stats and routine:
I weigh in at about 275 (haven't weighed myself in the last 4 weeks) and I am 5'9". I have worked my way up and am currently doing a 10 minute warmup on the treadmill (3.5 mph) 20 minutes on the elliptical and 10 minute cool down (3.0 mph). I just started using HIIT during my ellipitical time (1.30 min at 120 strides/min and 30 seconds at 160 strides/min.)

My goal is to make exercise a part of my daily life. I'm assuming weight loss and fitness will follow!

Please let me know if you need more information to make a recommendation. Thanks!

P.S. also welcome feedback on my cardio routine.!

Replies

  • itsgradyy
    itsgradyy Posts: 23 Member
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    Lifting is such an important part of fitness! When I was beginning to try and lose weight, I had little to no results until I started incorporating weight training. My advice is to begin with things like leg presses or something like that. Make sure you're doing appropriate reps/sets/weight for yourself (lots of info online). Also, if you're not sure how to use a machine, just watch someone do it while you stretch and then as soon as they leave a machine, get on it! I learned by watching (not in a creepy way hahaha) hope this helped!
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
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    Stay phobic of the weight machines, and go straight to the free weights. :)

    Learn it right the first time.

    grab a program - like new rules of lifting for women. Study form.
  • itsgradyy
    itsgradyy Posts: 23 Member
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    Aworkoutroutine.com is helpful

    A balance between body weight, free weights, and machines is a good idea :)
  • ftrobbie
    ftrobbie Posts: 1,017 Member
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    Stay phobic of the weight machines, and go straight to the free weights. :)

    Learn it right the first time.

    grab a program - like new rules of lifting for women. Study form.

    ^^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    go for the free weights and d compound lifting exercises. if your gym has power cages, barbells and weight pltes then make use of those.

    if not and there's dumbbells then use those.

    but if you absolutely positively have to use machines, look for ones that you can do multiple things with

    cable machine
    my-killer-ab-routine-by-thaddeus-21310649.jpg

    with its many attachments you can do a lot on this like deadlifts, lat pull downs, rows, wood chops etc
  • Stage14
    Stage14 Posts: 1,046 Member
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    I'm another advocate for free weights for 2 reasons.

    1. You can get a full body routine done in around 30 minutes, 3 a week, so it does more in less time.

    2. I never got results when I was using the machines, but saw results quickly once I switched to compound lifts with free weights (visible differences started showing in the mirror after about 4 weeks).
  • marciebrewer
    marciebrewer Posts: 9 Member
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    Thank you for the opinions in support of free weights. How would you all propose to go about learning how to use them safely? And I'd appreciate links to info as to why they're felt to be superior to machines as well, if you have them...

    Really, I'm just looking for a non-intimidating "In" to the strength training experience. Free weights feel even scarier than the machines, so I'd appreciate additional info.

    (I'm still open to info about weight machines as well!)

    Thanks!
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
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    Stay phobic of the weight machines, and go straight to the free weights. :)

    Learn it right the first time.

    grab a program - like new rules of lifting for women. Study form.

    Absolutely agree.

    My reasons are simple: Machines force you into their planes of movement, not your joints' natural movements. They slow down or remove entirely the need for stabilization muscles, leading to some interesting (read: detrimental) imbalances of strength and development around the joints.

    Cable machines are about the only machines I'll use because they don't restrict the plane of movement the way fixed-steel-and-lever machines do. Everything else is a barbell or a dumbbell.

    [edit - more info]

    Read the book Starting Strength. The author goes in excruciating detail of the five major and all accessory lifts he recommends, in how to do them safely, the cues to use, and how to detect form problems.
  • eslcity
    eslcity Posts: 323 Member
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    I really only use two machines the first is leg press.... because of a bad heel.. and i'm scared that if i press down wrong during barbell squat that I may find myself under alot of weight.....

    Leg-Press-622x485.png

    The other is a smith machine for bench pressing (i know, i know please no negative remarks...) I use the smith machine because I live in Korea and don't have access to a spotter and without a spotter bench pressing is a dangerous sport...
    SmithMachineBenchPress.gif

    Rest of the time I use mainly dumbbells....

    Here is a great site for dumbbell exercises:
    http://www.dumbbell-exercises.com/index.html
  • ftrobbie
    ftrobbie Posts: 1,017 Member
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    Thank you for the opinions in support of free weights. How would you all propose to go about learning how to use them safely? And I'd appreciate links to info as to why they're felt to be superior to machines as well, if you have them...

    Really, I'm just looking for a non-intimidating "In" to the strength training experience. Free weights feel even scarier than the machines, so I'd appreciate additional info.

    (I'm still open to info about weight machines as well!)

    Thanks!

    The trouble with machines is that you do not engage the stabilising muscles. Machines are great at isolating muscles, the issue is that we do not use muscles in isolation, we use them together, hence using the compound lifts. I started with compound weights 5 weeks ago and the differences are noticable already. As previously suggested New rules of lifting for women, Starting strength (rippetoe), Stronglifts 5x5 or strong curves will all give you a briefing, some people prefer one to another. I use Stronglifts primarily because of the apps, but Rippetoe gives you a thorough grounding in the mechanics, NROL in the nutrition and putting plans together. They all rely on large compound movements, Squats, deadlifts, barbell rows, Overhead press, bench press. There are plenty of resources on the web around all of those programmes, Nerdfitness is also pretty good. The key is start very light and focus on form.

    Good luck on your journey
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
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    I think it is alright to repeat the mantra of "free weights are better than machines." But, when you are starting out, it is more important to establish a habit of exercise and a routine that you will stick with. Most of the machines are easier to learn to use, can be made into a circuit, and may be a bit safer for the inexperienced.
    I might keep things simple when you are starting, and machines keep it simple.
    I like the suggestion, made here, of using the leg press and the Smith machine, and augmenting that with some dumbbell exercises. Get used to that. Learn a bit in the meantime. Make a bit of progress. And, assume that your goal, eventually, is to work towards free weights and a good heavy lifting routine -- in the future.
    Learn to walk first, and get comfortable walking. Then try running.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    The other is a smith machine for bench pressing (i know, i know please no negative remarks...) I use the smith machine because I live in Korea and don't have access to a spotter and without a spotter bench pressing is a dangerous sport...


    Rest of the time I use mainly dumbbells....

    Here is a great site for dumbbell exercises:
    http://www.dumbbell-exercises.com/index.html

    do you have a power cage? You can bench in a power cage with the rails set up on the sides for safety. I bench all the time there- mostly because I do a lot of sets and I don't lift with anyone and sometimes it's to much to ask someone to spot you for 6 sets of like 2 reps each- it's just annoying and unfair.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    these are my favorite machines at the gym

    crossfit-barbell.png

    if you don't have a regular spotter like someone else said, that's okay, since you only really need one for bench press. so if you do want to bench and are pushing your max, just go up to a random person at the gym and ask for a spot. you'll seldom be told no.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    Thank you for the opinions in support of free weights. How would you all propose to go about learning how to use them safely? And I'd appreciate links to info as to why they're felt to be superior to machines as well, if you have them...

    Really, I'm just looking for a non-intimidating "In" to the strength training experience. Free weights feel even scarier than the machines, so I'd appreciate additional info.

    (I'm still open to info about weight machines as well!)

    Thanks!

    here are some articles that you should read to help steer you in the right direction.

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/02/15/how-to-build-your-own-workout-routine/

    lift weights http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/02/28/strength-training-101/

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/03/03/strength-training-101-how-to-squat-properly/

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/01/14/strength-training-101-where-do-i-start/

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/02/06/strength-training-101-how-much-weight-should-i-be-lifting/

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/03/05/101-equipment/

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/09/11/7-strength-training-myths-every-woman-should-know/

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