Most efficient way to use weight machines?

[FnG]magnolia

[FnG]magnolia

[FnG]magnolia

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Hello all. Long time lurker, first time poster looking for some guidance on a hopefully easy to answer question.

I started going to the gym about 6 weeks ago and I've been using weights machines (yes, I know) three/four times a week mixed with 20 or 30 minutes of aerobic exercise. My question is about the most efficient or 'best' way to use these machines.

So, if I'm using the bench press machine : Is 3 reps of 10 with a weight of 27kg better or worse than 3 reps of 8 with a weight of 39kg? Is it just simple arithmetic, i.e. the number of reps times the weight, with the bigger number being the 'best' option or is there more to it than this? I do the above twice in each session ( 2 lots of 3 x 10 @ 27kg or 2 lots of 3 x 8 @ 39kg) and both set ups are equally challenging. How do I know what is better for me?

I have the same question for leg presses, lat pulldowns, multipress etc.

Thanks in advance.
 
From a set/rep perspective, I have read that 1-2 reps works on power, 3-6 reps works on strength, 8-12 reps works on mass and 10-15 reps is ideal for cutting. There is probably some citation needed.

As a response to what I've read though; I always stick to 5x5s on my legs and 8x3s on my upper body. I believe that more sets will cause a higher response from your muscle fibres.

This article kind of leaves it in the open though:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/toddblue11.htm

I hope this helps.

Kind regards,

David
 
OK then.
  • Lower reps (higher % of 1rm) is most ideal for increasing strength.

  • Higher reps (lower % of 1rm) is most ideal for improving muscle endurance.
  • Moderate reps in the middle of the two (moderate intensity) is most ideal for building muscle and really anything related to improving the way your body looks (rather than performs).
HUGE generalization though.
 
There's a little more to it than that. For example you could do 100 reps at 2kg but you wouldn't get the desired result out of it (assuming that desired result is building muscle).

I think 8-12 is generally regarded as ideal for building muscle, lower reps would be more efficient at building strength. As long as the final rep of each set is literally as much as you can manage then you're pretty much on the right track.
 
As it's not ideal to build strength on machines, go for high reps (10-15) and do several sets with short rest times. This way your maximising the hypertrophic effect, and maximising the efficiency of using a machine :)
 
5 x 5 stronglifts (with free weight*)

Perfect for beginners. I hated walking round going from weight to weight.

Sometimes doing 10 reps, sometimes 6, 20 what next . Strong lifts is easy and it works.
 
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I only ever use machines to do 15-20 reps light and really slow constant tension with no lock out.

Every thing else should be free weights

OP why are you not using them?

If its coz your worried about starting light don't be, your going have to start at near zero anyway as you wont have any stabilising muscles, start the right way your use more muscles thus gain more and burn more kcal as not sat down all bloody time.
 
To be honest, as good a guide as the rep ranges are, different peopel will respond to different types of training, you need to learn these and adjust accordingly.

I'll use myself as an easy example.

Training for months at 8-12 holds no real benefits for me, switching to 6-8x3 or 4 sets, is working wonders in terms of strength, size, and my body weight.

Ofcourse, it is all trivial as the real determining factor will be your diet.


And squid is right, you will have to start light on free weights, but you need to not give a damn about what the guy next to you lifts, concentrate on yourself and your own progress. The only people in my experience who give a damn about that kinda thing is the middle-aged skin head men ripped to shreds looking to intimidate people, roid heads, and the teens who turn up in groups of 3/4 all trying to out do each other.
 
To be honest it all depends on your goals. If your goal is to get stronger you would need a different regime than if you wanted simply to get fitter.

Bench pressing is a compound movement (multi-joint) that is typically performed to gain strength. A by product of this will be size and shape, but only if coupled with an appropriate diet. If you want the best results from bench pressing you need to lift as heavy a weight as you can for 5-8 reps only. The last reps should be a real struggle. No more than 3-5 good hard work sets should be needed. If you can do more work sets than 5 then you aren't lifting enough weight to begin with.

The reason people will recommend free weights rather than weight machines is because when using free weights you aren't just using the primary muscles to complete the movement but lots of the little stabilising muscles too. In order to gain size and strength (the two expected results from performing compound movements) large weights need to be lifted. To lift large weights the body needs to be taught how. You will be limiting your results by using machines.

That isn't to say they are useless and should be avoided but you need to be aware of their limitations.
 
^^ Pretty much.

The machines at my local gym see very little use, have yet to see them used for more than the odd exercise within a routine. One thing that has surprised me, and I don't know if this is typical throughout all gyms, is that dumbells are far and away the most used piece of equipment. I rarely see people squatting, and almost never see anyone doing a standard bench press, in almost all cases the smith machine is used. Fortunately this means I don't often have to wait for the power rack to become available.
 
Guys, I'm assuming he's using machines due to equipment limitations (if not, shame on you, sir!).

ExRayTed, that's a pretty arbitrary rep range you're recommending considering he didn't state his goals. He also hasn't said he has access to a proper flat bench.
 
icecold said:
Guys, I'm assuming he's using machines due to equipment limitations (if not, shame on you, sir!).

ExRayTed, that's a pretty arbitrary rep range you're recommending considering he didn't state his goals. He also hasn't said he has access to a proper flat bench.
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If he is performing bench press then I would have assumed he had researched the best use of the exercise. If his goals are anything other than strength/size then it simply wouldn't be an appropriate movement. Arbitrary it may seem, but arbitrary it has to be as the actual optimum rep range would depend on his physiology. Less than 5 wouldn't usually be enough..more than 8 usually means it isn't enough weight.
 
Didnt read all the replies, but there is no reason for you to be using a bench press machine or smith machine of any sort.

If you don't feel comfortable using the bench and doing barbell press, find a normal bench and do dumbell press, theres no risk of any bar falling onto you, if you feel you cant lift the dumbells, just drop them to the side.
 
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