Question about dual pulley row

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seif0068
seif0068 Posts: 193 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am new to weightlifting so this might be a dumb question! My coworker and I just started NROLFW and for the seated rows, the first time we used a Life Fitness dual pulley row machine. There is one weight that the two pulleys go through and we put it on 20 lbs. This week someone was using that machine so we used the single pulley one, and it felt obviously lighter. The machine freed up so we went to the one we used last time. But we are wondering - did we really do 40 pounds (20 pounds each pulley) rather than the 20 we thought? Thanks in advance!

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  • seif0068
    seif0068 Posts: 193 Member
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    Update with what is, I think, the correct terminology - it is a single stack double pulley machine. So if I pick 20 pounds, is that 20 pounds each or total? Thanks!
  • OnTheGround
    OnTheGround Posts: 78
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    I'm not entirely sure which machine you're talking about, I tried to google it. If there is a plate labeled 20 and you set it to that plate, you are only lifting 20lbs. If I'm visualizing correctly, and it's a single stack of weights you select from, then it's just 20. And, I would say that's right. Cable rows are pretty hard.

    ETA in all the gyms I've been to, when you are actually lifting two sets of weights, you have to manually adjust two sets of weights, so you'd be setting two different plate stacks to 20lbs.
  • seif0068
    seif0068 Posts: 193 Member
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    Thanks! I tried finding a picture of the machine but can't find the exact one. What's weird is there are two machines side by side and the only difference is one has two pulleys and 2 handles and the other has just one. Both have only one stack of weights. But we both tried both machines one after another and it was quite obviously a difference in weight. One was totally easy.

    I have been googling and while I don't really understand it, it seems to have something to do with the way the weight is distributed and how high the weight is lifted - so while the weight is the same, it is more challenging? I don't really get it!
  • OnTheGround
    OnTheGround Posts: 78
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    That's true. I can do cable pull downs with a bar of 75lbs but I do cable pull ups with a rope and I can barely do 30lbs, and it's the same machine! I'm learning there is A LOT of subtle difference in these exercises with muscle groups, and I'm learning that I have some very weak muscles!!! :)
  • seif0068
    seif0068 Posts: 193 Member
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    Same here! What we're struggling with is trying to keep track of our weights. If the machine we used previously is in use and there is a line, we use something slightly different and it makes it hard to track our progress. Like with squats, last time we were in a squat rack where it was just a free bar but this time we used one that has a pulled system and that felt different, too. We are fairly sure the bar we used last time was a standard one (but it's not labeled...how do we know it was 44 lbs???) - this one it specified the bar was 20 lbs so we at least knew for sure!
  • OnTheGround
    OnTheGround Posts: 78
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    FWIW, I use the BodySpace app and I track my work outs on that. I know it's a little different than what you mean, but it's been a handy reference for me to not only see progress but to remember "oh yeah, last time I did this, I used this level of weight"
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Same here! What we're struggling with is trying to keep track of our weights. If the machine we used previously is in use and there is a line, we use something slightly different and it makes it hard to track our progress. Like with squats, last time we were in a squat rack where it was just a free bar but this time we used one that has a pulled system and that felt different, too. We are fairly sure the bar we used last time was a standard one (but it's not labeled...how do we know it was 44 lbs???) - this one it specified the bar was 20 lbs so we at least knew for sure!

    use it the same way every time and record the weights the same way. the actual amount you are doing isn't really relevant, stay consistent and increase the weight over time. Regardless if you go from 40-60 or it is really 20-30, it is still progress!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Same here! What we're struggling with is trying to keep track of our weights. If the machine we used previously is in use and there is a line, we use something slightly different and it makes it hard to track our progress. Like with squats, last time we were in a squat rack where it was just a free bar but this time we used one that has a pulled system and that felt different, too. We are fairly sure the bar we used last time was a standard one (but it's not labeled...how do we know it was 44 lbs???) - this one it specified the bar was 20 lbs so we at least knew for sure!

    instead of using a different machine for squats, wait for it to come free or see if you can work in. guided machines wont let you do proper form.
  • ncrugbyprop
    ncrugbyprop Posts: 96 Member
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    To answer your original question, you were probably using a single stack, dual cable system. Most, and I say most, list the weight on the stack for each handle (cable). So if it says 20lbs on that stack it would be the equivalent of 40lbs on a single cable station.

    The number of pulleys in the system does make a difference. Less pulleys would mean you are doing more work to move the same weight. Pulleys in parallel at the point of the split in a dual cable system are basically just one pulley and act the equivalent to the single cable one. I could go on in detail about single, double, triple pulley systems on machines, but you would probably want to hit me, so just use the first answer and ignore all of this.
  • seif0068
    seif0068 Posts: 193 Member
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    Thanks everyone! We are trying to use the same machines when we can, but we work at a university and it's the start of the semester so it is PACKED - it will taper over time but the other day we would have had to wait for 3 people who were in line. We just want to make sure if we do use a different machine we know what exactly it is we're doing!
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    I use the lat pulldown machine, and at my old gym there was a single-hand and two-hand one. So lets say on the dual handed one I'm doing 100lbs. If I use the single-hand one then I need to use 50lbs instead, and it's the same resistance. On the plates actually it even says something along the lines of "this is the weight for one arm"

    I'd assume this is the same for your row machines.

    ETA I feel you on the packed gym issue. Started back up in university and uuugh it can be so packed. Come October though, or first round of midterms, half those people stop showing up lol. I'm looking forward to that!
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    To answer your original question, you were probably using a single stack, dual cable system. Most, and I say most, list the weight on the stack for each handle (cable). So if it says 20lbs on that stack it would be the equivalent of 40lbs on a single cable station.

    The number of pulleys in the system does make a difference. Less pulleys would mean you are doing more work to move the same weight. Pulleys in parallel at the point of the split in a dual cable system are basically just one pulley and act the equivalent to the single cable one. I could go on in detail about single, double, triple pulley systems on machines, but you would probably want to hit me, so just use the first answer and ignore all of this.

    This is the answer for the OPs original question. If you are using both pulleys (or a square handle) on the MJRWD, the actual resistance is double what is listed on the stack.
  • creole_muslimah
    creole_muslimah Posts: 6 Member
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    I actually love the Duel Pulley Row! I been doing it all this week. I hold both handles at the same time but pull one arm back and keep the other straight. Then after a few I pull both handles at the same time.
    There's videos on YouTube is you search life fitness duel pulley row. Also on life fitness website they explain the equipment.
  • creole_muslimah
    creole_muslimah Posts: 6 Member
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    Life fitness has an app. It's lfconnect and website. You can scan each machine and track your workout, calories burned on said weight and seat levels/heights.
    Then it shows what you've done in the week, month or year
  • stealthbob
    stealthbob Posts: 3
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    creole_muslimah wrote: »
    Life fitness has an app. It's lfconnect and website. You can scan each machine and track your workout, calories burned on said weight and seat levels/heights.
    Then it shows what you've done in the week, month or year

    Found this with a search...

    For some reason the data logged on the ipod using this app is not syncing with the website?

    To be clear I am logging in both with the same account.

    Am I missing something to get this to sync?

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