If you are a regular member at your fitness club, this post may make you look up to the sky with a sigh for the reason that it is primarily focused on the ‘great beginners’. We must remember that when we first land in a gym, the fitness machines can be quite confusing. We do not necessarily see how to use them and what purpose they serve. Here we will talk about a few machines and how to use them.
Bench Press
It is used to work the pecs, triceps and the front shoulders. It is relatively of little interest for the beginners at a gym. It is better to do knee pumps on the ground, and it is almost the same thrust movement.
To use it, try it first without weight on the bar. To put weight on the bar, put discs on each side and block them with small fasteners, so that they do not move. Generally, these small fasteners are found near the discs. Keep the feet flat on the ground for maximum stability and keep your back in contact with the bench to avoid arching your back.
Pec-Deck
This one is used to work the pectorals. It is relatively unimportant for the reason that it isolates the pectorals without working other muscles. To use it, adjust the seat to the correct height to have your arms spread, elbows 90 degrees to start the movement. Keep your back against the back of the machine. Do not move the arms too far backwards at the beginning and end of the movement to protect the shoulder joint.
Smith Machine
Several exercises are possible using this guided bar that moves vertically. The exercises I would recommend would be the lunges and horizontal pulls.
Smith Machine allows you to do several different exercises, while remaining stable. It moves only from top to bottom and there are protections to prevent the bar from falling in case of an accident.
To use Smith Machine, you have to unblock the bar to make it ‘slipable’ from the bottom up. Generally on most machines, you have to turn the bar slightly inwards to unlock it.
High Pulley
It works for dorsal, pectoral and arms. It allows to work the upper body in a complete movement, close to the movement of the pulls. Working on the dorsals creates the illusion of a slimmer waist. It is also possible to change the big bar to put a shorter one. We can also change the positioning of the hands.