Why Use Machines for Weight Training
When I first started working out at an indoor gym, I was guided by a Bally's training coach on how to use each machine there in a safe way. The guidance I received from the trainer helped me in several ways. First, I was able to start out with little weight and perfect my form for each exercise. Once I was able to use the machines properly, I was able to narrow down which machines I could use on a regular basis to help me build and maintain muscle. I was able to increase my muscle mass and strength by using machines that targeted the muscles I needed to work on. Lastly, using the machines to weight train enables me to work out alone, without fear of severe injury when I increased the weight. I strongly recommend all beginners who weight train in a gym to start out with knowing what machines are available there, and learn how to use them all for your current and future benefit.
How Can This Website Help Me in My Fitness Journey
This website is designed to show you how to use weight training machines to help you build your muscles. It is designed for the beginning gym goer who wants to have some understanding of what machines can benefit them. There are multiple machines available in a number of indoor gyms, which can be intimidating. Reading the summaries on each machine to somewhat know what muscles they work, and trying to use them in one or several visits is time consuming. Some people do not have an hour or two, let alone days to try out all of the machines in the gym, especially on busy days when it is crowded with members.
On each page of this website, I will show two to three exercises that will help you begin your workout journey using weight machines. The machines I will show on this website target the following major muscles:
- Leg muscles-hamstrings, glutes, calf
- Back muscles-latissimus dorsi(lats), rhomboids, trapezius (traps)
- Chest muscles-pectoralis major and minor (pecs), and serratus anterior
- Arm muscles-biceps brachii (biceps), triceps brachii (triceps), brachiradialis (forearm)
- Shoulder muscles-anterior, lateral and posterior deltoids (delts), rotator cuffs
- Abdominal muscles-rectus abdominis (abs), internal and external obliques (obliques)
The names in parenthesis are the ones commonly used at the gym. As you get more experience with working out, you may want to learn more about targeting more specific muscles. For the sake of this website, I will keep things simple. It takes time, commitment and discipline to build muscle. Learning what tools are available to help you do so are part of the process.