[RobinW]

I have been doing BFL workouts at home for quite some time. Using free weights. I have been doing it pretty much by the book and only switched up the exercise and intensity.

Well, I joined a gym, and I am now using the machines. I asked today, and the girl told me the weights are in 10lb increments....there is no way I can do BFL this way....12/10/8/6/24 Especially with my arms!!! My legs Im not to worried about.

So could someone give me an example of what I should be lifting, and how many repetitions? Should I pick one weight, and work that many times? Or point me to some good literature that would help me with this?

Thanks

[Meg]

Hi Robin! A few ideas ...

Our gym has add-on weights that look like black rubber bricks. They come in 5# and 7.5# and are made to fit on top of the weight stack. If your gym has something like that, you'd be able to do smaller jumps in weights. You're right, it would be very tough to jump ten pounds each set.

Or ... keep on using free weights.

Or ... if you want to use machines, switch to a more traditional rep scheme of say, three sets at X weight (something that's challenging at 10-12 reps).

Because all machines are different, it's hard to say what weight you should be lifting. I can give you an idea what I start a new gym member out at on LifeFitness machines, but wouldn't be surprised at all if you can lift 50% more since you're experienced .

This is where I'd start a beginner on machines:

Chest press - 30#
Back row - 30#
Lat pulldowns - 30 or 45#
Pec flyes - 15 or 20# (ours goes in 15# increments so I'd add a 5# brick)
Incline press - 15 or 22.5#
Shoulder press - 20#
Lateral raises - 20#
Arm curl - 20 or 25#
Arm extension (triceps) - 20#

As you can see, I use the 5 and 7.5# weights a lot! Keep in mind that there's a lot of variability between different brands of machines and you may be able to do more or less on different machines.

Hope this helps a bit.

[RobinW]

It helps alot Meg!! Thanks so much!! I havent seen the extra weights, but I'll ask when I go back tomorrow.

Alright, so 3 sets at 10-12 reps....how long of a wait time between reps or at all?

Im liking the machines for now, it seems to be working muscles that I havent felt get sore with the free weights. So far so good

Thankyou again

[northernbelle]

Some of our machines have plates pre-stacked and the increments are sometimes too much. For example, jumping from 20 lbs to 30 lbs. I rest a dumbbell on top of the plates to build the increments- 20 lb plate with a 3 lb dumbbell, then a 5 lb dumbbell. This seems to work well. Weights should be increased 2-5% at a time.

It's the dumbbells at the higher end that jump too much for me.

[Meg]

Glad you're enjoying the change to machines! It's so fun getting new toys to play with -- when you walk in a new gym, isn't it like a giant playground just waiting to be explored? I'm guessing that eventually you'll want to combine machines and free weights in your workouts, just to keep everything fresh and challenging.

As for rest between sets, I'd say 30 - 60 seconds. Maybe a little more after a heavy set of legs.

Have fun!

[Margarita]

If you need a smaller increment than five pounds, get a 2.5 pound ankle weight and fasten it at the top of the weights.

[WaterRat]

Our gym has those black bricks too. On machines that jump 15# on the stack, I just use 2 5# bricks. Sometimes I have to search for them, but eventually I find them. I'd worry about the dumbbell falling off the stack.

[kykaree]

We have 2.5lb and 5lb little black bricks at our gym except the boys always steal them and put four or five on the stack at a time, hello, why not move the pin down to the next weight??? We now have signs all over the gym about only putting one brick on, but a literary test is not a prerequisite for joining our gym

Can I beat the boys off with a rolled up towel if they sit on a weight machine for 10 minutes between sets???

[Meg]

Originally Posted by kykaree

Can I beat the boys off with a rolled up towel if they sit on a weight machine for 10 minutes between sets???

Absolutely! And it counts as cardio!