Back to the machines!!!!

R

R.Lewis

1
Couldnt believe it!

Im always looking for new workout ideas and am always changing my rep/set plans. So just as an idea I decided to spend 1 month doing a 100% machine workout, just to see what would happen.

The results were great. I started off with a pyramid rep/set system then when i found my strength I went for straight sets 6x4.

I found it much more relaxed and found that my rest between sets was utilized much better as i didnt have to keep getting up to change weight etc...

I know that by using machines we dont train our bodies to work together as a unit. However, I think that after doing only free weight compound exercises for 18months the machines really gave my "major muscles" a bit of a boost. Now things are uneven, when I go back to Oly lifting I should find my smaller muscles take a beating to catch up.

Has anyone every tried this before? What results did you get?
 
using isolation exercises isn't anything new. can do it on machines, can do it with freeweights too for most muscle groups.

bodybuilders will spend as much time on isolation, if not more, than compound lifts...of course they've been training for years, sometimes decades, and are a little more 'advanced' in their training.
Also remember they are training for size, not strength.
 
did you test your gains on the machines up to gains on functional exersices? i mean, who cares if you leg press press advances 50kg if your squat stands still?
 
Karky said:
did you test your gains on the machines up to gains on functional exersices? i mean, who cares if you leg press press advances 50kg if your squat stands still?
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I do if it makes your quads fuller, different goals here karky ;)
 
another thing to remember is that you might do 50lbs on a machine, but with pully's and fulcrum points on levers, you get mechanical advantages, so you're really moving less weight than you think.

as long as its still the right intensity, great. my point is just this: just because you can do 60lbs of cable crossovers for pecs, doesn't mean you can do 60lb dumbbell flyes :)
 
well, After my cutting phaze I do 8 weeks training for size, then 8 weeks of oly lifting for strength, then back to cutting.

I have just finished my cutting phase and am trying this as an experiment.
I have not yet been able to test how it has effected my lifting, I doubt it has very much, but has made a dramatic diffrence in size in a short time. But yeah, I do understand that using machines is not gonna push my dead lift up.

I felt much safer pushing out bench and shoulder presses on the machines cos you know that your not gonna drop anything and I feel that I put in a bit more effort, and I pushed out an extra 1 or half a rep than i would normally risk.
The only problem is that the machines in most gyms dont cater for stronger people, I'm using most of the stack on all the exercises and there is no way of adding to it. This is ok when im on a 12x3 rep scheme but no good if i wanted to do 5x5.
 
manofkent said:
The only problem is that the machines in most gyms dont cater for stronger people, I'm using most of the stack on all the exercises and there is no way of adding to it. This is ok when im on a 12x3 rep scheme but no good if i wanted to do 5x5.
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Talk to the gym owner and see if he might buy some of those magnetic weights that you just slap on the side of the weight stack. I had a few machines pegged at my gym so I would just slap a couple of those on. We had 5 & 10 pounders. I usually had to walk around and check all the weight stacks to find them. but they work great!
 
Yeah, sounds like an awsome idea.
However the weights are all in enclosed cases, not sure that would work. Ive tryed putting a couple of 5lbs plates in there but they keep getting stuck.

I'll deff have a work tho.
 
I def. agree, you'll probably see increase in muscle size, but strength gains will be harder.

just make sure you hit everything, so you don't end up with underdeveloped posterior delts, or anything else that could set you up for an injury when you go back to freeweights.
 
mreik said:
I do if it makes your quads fuller, different goals here karky ;)
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whoops, sorry. I forgot :p
 
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