How To Use Weight Machines a simple how to guide
As a New Gym Specialist, all sorts of people come to me wanting help in opening a new gym. Often, the new owner has no fitness industry experience, but sees the real opportunity that gym ownership brings. They understand that having the best modern equipment in design and functions is extremely important to the success of their new gym, but they may not be well versed on how to use weight machines and the different types available.
For those starting out in their search for the best equipment, but don’t know a lot about the different weight machines, or how to use weight machines, here is a breakdown on some of the most widely asked for selectorized weight machines from our State-of-the-Art Impact Fitness Triumph Series.
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Impact Triumph TH9900 5-Stack Jungle Gym
Purpose – This machine is used primarily to work the chest, upper, mid and lower back, and arms. It also can be used for a multitude of other exercises to target muscles in the shoulders, abdominal region and even the legs.
How to Use – On each end of the wide bar there is a weight stack. These two stacks can be worked independently of one another or they can be worked in unison for cable crossover chest work by holding a handle in each hand while in an outstretched position and pulling downward and inward toward your chest. The pulleys on each cable crossover weight stack are adjustable to various heights to accommodate different size users and allow for various exercises from different starting points.
On one side of this machine there are an additional 3 weight stacks, each working a specific station.
- Lat Pulldown Station –
How to Use – Facing the weight stack in an upright seated position with your knees under the knee hold down roller pads, pull the overhead lat pulldown bar straight down to your chest while remaining in position.
- Low Row Station –
How to Use – Facing the weight stack in a seated position with your knees slightly bent and your feet comfortably positioned on the foot plate, pull the row handle towards your lower rib cage and bring your position to an upright seated one. Arch your back at the finishing point of the row to target the mid back area deeper.
- Tricep Pressdown Station –
How to Use – Facing the weight stack while standing. Hold the tricep rope with both hands, (one on each side), with your palms facing one another and your arms bent at the elbows. Bring the rope downward, straightening your arms.
As an added feature, there is a dual sided chin up bar centered on the cable crossover crossbeam where you can do standard chin ups and palms in narrow grip chin ups.
Note: The Impact Triumph TH9901 80Stack Jungle Gym features a Lat Pulldown Station, a Low Row Station and a Trricep PRessdown Station on BOTH ends of the Cable Crossover.
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Impact Triumph TH9923 Chest Press
Purpose – This machine is used for chest development by performing a seated chest press safely and properly by having your body in the correct alignment due to the angled back support pad and seat along with 2 sets of ergonomically angled hand grips.
How to Use – Sit with back comfortable against the back pad. Adjust the seat height so that the handles are at about your mid chest height. Place your right foot on the foot assist lever bar and press down on it. This will automatically bring the handles to the proper starting point. Press outward.
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Impact Triumph TH9913 Shoulder Press
Purpose – This machine is used for shoulder development by performing an overhead press safely and effectively.
How to Use – Sit with your back against the back pad. Adjust the seat height to where the starting position has the handles roughly at shoulder height. Hold either set of ergonomically positioned handles and press upward.
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Impact Triumph TH9910G Pec Deck / Rear Delt
Purpose – This dual function machine is used for both concentrated inner chest work and to work the muscles of the rear shoulder
How to Use –
- For Pec Deck Exercise – Sit with your back against the back pad. Adjust the seat height so that the handles are approximately at mid chest height. Pull the yellow knobs at the top and move each arm to your desired starting point. This starting point is usually straight out from your chest. Make sure that the yellow knobs are securely in the holes at the top before you begin your exercise. Holding either of the handles in each hand, bring the handles toward the front and center of your body in one smooth, arcing movement.
- For Rear Delt Exercise – In the same seated position and with the same seat height as with the Pec Deck exercise, pull the yellow knobs at the top and move the arm to be in front of you. Securely put the knobs in their holes. Hold a handle in each hand and bring them back towards the sides of your body, (where the starting position was for the pec deck exercise).
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Impact Triumph TH9911 Bicep Curl
Purpose – This machine is used to develop long, well rounded and functional bicep muscles.
How to Use – Sitting with the weight stack to your right, adjust the seat so that your armpits rest at the top of the arm pad and your upper arms from the shoulder to the elbow rest comfortably on the angled arm pad. Your arms should be parallel to one another running straight down the pad. Grab the ergonomically designed curling handles with your palms facing either upward or slightly inward and raise them up towards your face, keeping your upper arms flush against the arm pad throughout the exercise movement.
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Impact Triumph TH9930 Tricep Extension
Purpose – This machine is used to target the triceps without added joint strain that often accompanies tricep work with free weight equipment.
How to Use – Start in the same position as with the bicep curl machine. Hold each handle with your palms facing one another and push the handle down and away from you while keeping your upper arms flush against the arm pad at all times.
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Impact Triumph TH9928 Assisted Chin / Dip
Purpose – This dual function machine is used to help people to be able to perform chin ups and dips. The user can use the weight stack to offset whatever amount of weight that they require so that they can perform these basic exercises with the proper form and build their muscles to be able to do chin ups and dips without assistance in the future.
How to Use –
- For Assisted Chin Up Exercise – Step up into the unit by using the attached secure steps. Select the amount of weight that you desire to offset your own weight. (For example, if you weight 159 lbs. and you select the 50 lb. weight stack amount, you will be offsetting 50 lbs. of your total weight and doing a 100 lb. chin up). Facing the weight stack, adjust the kneeling pad so that you can comfortably kneel on it. Grab the ergonomically designed chin up handles and pull yourself up towards the handles while maintaining your kneeling position on the kneeler.
- For Assisted Dip Exercise – In the same kneeling position as with the assisted chin up exercise, position yourself so that your hands are roughly at mid chest height while you are holding the dip bar handles. Again, you can offset your weight to different amounts as with the assisted chin up exercise. Press down on the dip bar handles, straightening your arms, which will raise your body upwards.
Note: This machine features the capability of flipping the kneeling pad out of the way entirely if you want to do chin ups and dips without any assistance.
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Impact Triumph TH9918 Ab / Low Back
Purpose – This dual function machine is used both to work the front abdominal muscles and the lower back with restricted motion that maintains the user’s proper form throughout the exercise.
How to Use –
- For the Ab Crunch Exercise – Facing the roller pad, sit with the base of your spine against the back support pad. Adjust the roller pad so that it rests at about mid chest height. Adjust the starting point of the roller pad arm by pulling the yellow tab and inserting it securely in the chosen hole. This will determine your starting point and the range of motion for the exercise. The further forward that you start the roller pad at, the less overall motion you will have. Place your chest against the roller pad and hold the far side of the roller pad either with your hands or the inside of your forearms. Bend forward, concentrating on your abdominal muscles performing the motion while remaining seated throughout the exercise.
- For the Low Back Exercise – Start in the same seated position as with the ab crunch exercise except that the roller pad should be positioned behind you at approximately the height of your mid to upper back. You will need to lean forward to get in the proper position for the roller pad. Lean back into an upright seated position, keeping the roller pad on your back throughout the exercise movement. This is the same motion as the abdominal crunch, except that this time the heavy exercise portion is when you come back up as opposed to when you bend forward.
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Impact Triumph TH9917 Leg Extension
Purpose – This machine is used to specifically target the quadriceps muscles, (the front thigh muscle group), without undue stress on the knee or hip joints.
How to Use – Sit with your back against the ergonomically angled back support pad. Adjust the back pad so that behind your knees rest comfortably against the front end of the seat pad and your legs from the knees down run straight down towards the floor. Adjust the roller pad so that it rests on the top of your feet. Using the yellow knob, adjust the roller pad arm to a starting position that is comfortable for you. The further back towards the seat that you start the exercise, the more difficult the exercise is. While holding the hand grips on each side of the seat to maintain your position, straighten your legs out in front of your body, bringing the roller pad with you as you maintain your contact with it throughout the exercise.
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Impact Triumph TH9921A Prone Leg Curl
Purpose – This machine is used to develop the muscles behind the thighs (the hamstrings), and is often used in conjunction with the Impact Triumph Leg Extension machine for a well-rounded leg training regimen.
How to Use – Lie face down on the pad with your torso bent at the split in the two pads and your feet a the roller pad end. Adjust the roller pad so that your heels go under it and your knees are just off of the end of the lower torso pad. You can adjust the starting point as well using the roller pad arm adjustment lever. This will allow you to determine the range of motion and degree of difficulty. While holding the handles on either side of the upper torso pad, bend your knees and curl the roller pad up towards your back. Make sure that you do not lift your torso from the pad during the exercise.
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Impact Triumph TH9927 Inner / Outer Thigh
Purpose – This dual function machine is used to work the muscles of the inner thigh and the outer thigh in a safe and private, user friendly setting.
How to Use this –
- For the Inner Thigh Exercise – While facing the shrouded weight stack, use the lever and select the exercise motion that you want. Position the pads so that they rest comfortably on the inside of your knees or inner thighs. While holding the handles on either side of the seat, close your legs, bringing the pads closer together.
- For the Outer Thigh Exercise – Maintain the same seated position as with the inner thigh exercise, but move the lever arm to change the range of motion resistance to when the pads are moving outward. Place your knees or outer thighs on against the pads and, while holding the handles on each side, open your legs, pressing outward.
In Summary of how to use weight machines
These Impact Fitness Equipment Triumph Series are an integral part of any gym. Understanding how to use weight machines, when properly stationed in a gym is important. They provide a complete circuit of equipment for a full body workout. With knowing how to use weight machines makes targeting a specific major muscle group simple. The user can easily move from one station to the next for a comprehensive training session. Because of their ease of use, (no weight plates to self load), they are both a safe and effective way of training for muscle growth, development, toning, weight loss and more. The pin select weight stack allows for quick weight adjustments and is ideally suited for performing strip sets as the muscles fatigue throughout the exercise.
New gym owners can appreciate the addition of these weight machines in their gym because they enhance the smooth traffic flow pattern of their gym. Wait time to use a weight machine is less than that of a free weight or plate loaded piece of equipment because there are no weight plates that need put back or added on. What’s more, this above equipment circuit allows members to get a full body training session within one-half hour or less, which makes it a great selling feature for the gym owner and an easy way for the member to train on a lunch break.
There are several other weight machines in the same State-of-the-Art Impact Fitness Triumph Series lineup and these can be a great compliment to the above standard machine mix. The right weight machines and the right mix of machines is essential to the composition of any gym and your New Gym Specialist will be able to put together the best Gym Equipment Package to suit your specific gym/s needs and your budget.
Written by Bill at BAMPSCO International Inc. / Gymstarters