Buzz
Gym machines are among the simplest tools to begin your fitness journey. They demand minimal technical skill and eliminate the hassle of intricate setup details. Unlike barbell exercises, you won’t need to piece together equipment scattered around the gym. Two key points to remember about gym machines: First, nearly every machine features a small instructional placard with step-by-step guidance, complete with visuals. Second, adjustments are often necessary—details typically outlined on the placard—and skipping these can lead to discomfort. Here’s an overview of popular gym machines and tips for using them. Since designs vary by brand, if you’re unsure, look up the machine’s name and manufacturer online—or consult gym staff or seasoned members for assistance.
Leg extension machine
Targeted Muscles: Your quadriceps, located at the front of your thighs
Usage Instructions: Sit on the machine, position the pad against your shins, and extend your knees to lift the pad. This machine focuses solely on this motion.
Key Adjustments: Ensure the seat is adjusted so the machine’s hinge aligns with your knee joint.
Pec deck
Targeted Muscles: In the forward position, it engages your chest muscles, commonly referred to as a chest fly. Certain models of this machine include a reverse setting, allowing you to pull the handles backward to target your rear deltoids (the back of your shoulders) and upper back muscles.
Usage Instructions: For chest flyes, sit with your back against the seat and bring your arms together. For the reverse setting, face the opposite direction with your stomach against the seat’s backrest.
Key Adjustments: Ensure the machine’s starting position is properly set before use. For instance, when using it in the forward direction (bringing your arms together), you shouldn’t need to overreach to initiate the movement. Adjust the settings to start from a comfortable position.
Lat pulldown
Targeted Muscles: The latissimus dorsi, or lats, connect your arms to your lower back. They function to bring your elbows closer to your hips. This exercise also engages your biceps and grip strength.
Usage Instructions: Grip the bar with your preferred hand position and pull it down toward your chest. The standard technique involves leaning back slightly and bringing the bar to touch the top of your chest. (While behind-the-neck pulls aren’t necessarily unsafe, they are less beginner-friendly.)
Key Adjustments: The main adjustment is the thigh pad, which secures you in place as the weight increases. If you’re shorter, you can start the movement standing and then sit down to complete the exercise. Additionally, you can switch out the wide grip bar for other handle attachments if preferred.
Leg press
Targeted Muscles: Primarily your legs, focusing on the quadriceps. It engages more muscle groups than a leg extension machine but fewer than a barbell squat.
Usage Instructions: Leg press machines vary widely in design. Some feature a selectorized weight stack with a pin, while others use standard barbell plates. In certain models, the footplate moves, while in others, the seat slides along a track—or both. Hack squat machines operate similarly but require you to stand while supporting the weight on your shoulders via pads.
Key Adjustments: Ensure your legs are slightly bent in the starting position. For machines with a weight sled above you, straighten your legs to lift the sled, release the lever, and adjust the machine to allow full knee flexion. If a taller user adjusted the machine before you, avoid straining to reset it; either empty the weights or ask for assistance to adjust it to your height.
Assisted pullup/dip machine
Targeted Muscles: Assisted pullups primarily target your latissimus dorsi and biceps, while assisted dips focus on your triceps and chest muscles.
Usage Instructions: Stand on the foot platforms and place one knee at a time onto the support pad. The pad helps stabilize your knees as you perform pullups or dips.
Key Adjustments: When setting the weight, note that selecting a lower weight increases the difficulty—unlike most other machines. The weight plates effectively reduce the load you’re lifting relative to your body weight.
Additionally, the knee pad can be flipped aside to allow for unassisted pullups or dips. This feature makes the machine ideal for transitioning between unassisted and assisted exercises, especially if you can only complete a few reps without assistance.
Chest press
Targeted Muscles: Primarily your chest muscles, with secondary engagement of your triceps.
Usage Instructions: Sit on the machine’s seat and push the handles forward, mimicking the motion of a bench press.
Key Adjustments: Adjust the seat height so the handles align with your chest. Ensure the starting position of the handles is comfortable for your shoulders, with your elbows roughly in line with your back rather than positioned too far behind you.
Seated cable machine
Targeted Muscles: Primarily your latissimus dorsi and biceps.
Usage Instructions: Sit on the bench, press your feet against the footplates, and pull the handles toward your abdomen. Unlike a rowing machine, this exercise isolates your arms. Avoid using your legs to slide back or leaning your torso excessively during each repetition.
Key Adjustments: Similar to the lat pulldown, you can replace the handle with any attachment you prefer. (Some machines even feature dual cables for separate handle options.)
Adductor/abductor machines
Targeted Muscles: The adductor machine focuses on your inner thigh muscles, while the abductor machine targets the outer hip muscles. The abductor muscles are responsible for moving your legs away from your body, akin to how an alien “abduction” involves taking someone away from their home planet.
Usage Instructions: Sit on the machine, position your legs in the designated pads, and move them inward (adductor) or outward (abductor). These are typically two separate machines.
Key Adjustments: Like the pec deck, you can adjust the starting position for comfort. Essentially, this machine functions as a pec deck for your legs.
Cable machine
Targeted Muscles: Virtually every muscle group, depending on the exercise performed.
Usage Instructions: A cable machine offers endless exercise possibilities. Start by selecting an exercise and researching its proper form. For beginners, consider tricep pushdowns, pallof presses, or cable curls. For more inspiration, check out my guide to the best cable machine exercises.
Key Adjustments: First, determine if you need one or two pulleys and ensure the machine accommodates your needs. Adjust the pulley height using the pin—higher for tricep pushdowns, lower for bicep curls, and chest level for pallof presses. Finally, choose from the wide array of attachments, such as a standard handle, pushdown rope, or curl bar, to suit your exercise.
Smith machine
Targeted Muscles: Highly versatile, the Smith machine is often used for squats, good mornings, and overhead or bench presses. While not a perfect substitute for barbells, it serves a unique purpose.
Usage Instructions: Research the specific exercise you plan to perform, as Smith machine variations differ from barbell exercises. For squats, position your feet slightly forward of the bar. Plates are loaded onto the bar similarly to a barbell, and collars are unnecessary.
Key Adjustments: Set the safety mechanism at the bottom of the machine to a suitable height to prevent being trapped under the bar. The bar’s weight is often unspecified; if no sticker indicates its weight, assume it weighs nothing and only count the plates you add.
