Gym fitness equipment names and how to use them

When you go to the gym, you don’t have to be confused by all kinds of equipment in the room. There are just over 10 kinds of core equipment that ordinary people can use to build muscle and lose fat. They are divided into three categories: free weights, fixed equipment, and aerobic equipment according to their attributes. The general principle of using all equipment is "first adjust the adaptation parameters such as seats and weights, and then add weight. Prioritize finding the target muscle group to exert force instead of blindly pursuing heavy loads." 90% of newbies skip the step of adjusting equipment and directly create it, which is completely unnecessary.

In the first week after I entered the gym, I stood in front of a row of dumbbells ranging from 2.5kg to 30kg for ten minutes, not daring to reach out, for fear of picking up the wrong weight and being laughed at by the guy who was training next to me. After practicing for three years, I realized that dumbbells have the highest error tolerance among all equipment and can train almost all muscle groups in the body. For shoulder training, do dumbbell presses, for chest training, do dumbbell bench presses, and for arm training, do curls, dips, and extensions. Even if your core is weak and you can't do standing movements, you can find a right-angle bench and sit on it, and the effect won't be much different. Oh, yes, there are always different opinions in the fitness circle about the posture of dumbbell press. One group thinks that the sitting posture is more stable and can completely concentrate the force on the deltoid muscles. The other group believes that the standing posture can also train the core stability and is more cost-effective. If you are a novice, I would say that you should start from the sitting posture first. When you can stabilize the core and stop shaking, it is not too late to change the standing posture. There is no need to compete with the big guys.

Barbells, which are both free weights like dumbbells, have a much higher threshold. After all, a barbell plus weights can easily weigh dozens of kilograms. If you don’t master the movement pattern, it’s easy to injure your waist. Back squats for leg training, bench presses for chest training, and bent-over rows for back training are all classic barbell movements. If there is no one around you to protect you, don’t put the weight directly on the barbell for the first time. Practice 10 sets of action patterns with an empty bar first. Make sure your waist is not collapsed and the force is exerted at the right point before adding weights. Stability is more important than speed. Oh yes, there is also the kettlebell that has become popular in the past two years. Some people say it is an IQ tax, and some people say it is a magical tool for training explosive power and cardiopulmonary training. After practicing it myself, I feel that if you usually like to do high-intensity training such as HIIT, kettlebell swings and kettlebell deadlifts are indeed more exciting than dumbbells. If you want to build muscle honestly, then dumbbells can completely replace it, and you don’t need to follow the trend and buy classes.

Compared with free weights, which require you to control your own balance, fixed equipment is much more friendly to novices. The trajectories are fixed. As long as the parameters are adjusted correctly, it is difficult to make mistakes. The first thing I want to mention is the leg press machine. I have seen too many novices pile weight on it when they get up. The pile is heavier than their own weight, and their knees hurt for three days. In fact, it is completely unnecessary. Place your feet higher to focus on training the buttocks, place them lower to focus on training the quadriceps, keep your back close to the backrest, don't lock your knees, and don't fully straighten your legs when pushing. Just choose a weight that you can do 12 times. I used to add 120kg, and my knees hurt for a week, then I reduced it to 60kg to adjust my foot position. The next day, my glutes were so sore that I shivered when I walked down the stairs. It was much more useful than carrying a heavy weight.

When it comes to fixed equipment, the controversy over the Smith rack cannot be avoided. The fitness circle has been arguing for almost ten years. One group says that it has a fixed trajectory and cannot train stable muscle groups. It is a "beginner's happy frame" and the movement pattern will be deformed after practicing for a long time. The other group says that novices use it to find a sense of force in squats and bench presses. When punching the weight, there is no one to protect and will not be pressed. It is full of safety. My own experience is that when a novice is just practicing squats and bench presses, they can first use the Smith rack to get a feel for it, and then switch to a free barbell when your movement pattern is stable. There is no need to devalue it as worthless. Many big guys in the gym also like to use the Smith rack when pushing weights. Safety is more important than anything else.

Among the remaining fixed equipment, lat pull-downs and seated rowing exercises for back training are must-haves for novices. Last time I saw a little girl practicing lat pull-downs at the gym. The weight was adjusted to 70kg, and her whole body was pulled up by the weight. I thought I was exercising hard, but in fact, my back had no strength at all. It was all pulled by my arms. After half a month of training, my trapezius muscles were almost higher than my head. She also asked me why her neck was getting thicker and thicker. In fact, it’s enough to pull down to the clavicle in a high position. Don’t shrug your shoulders. Grip the bar with a wide grip to practice the latissimus dorsi muscles to make your waist thinner. Grip the bar with a narrow grip to practice the middle and lower back to improve rounded shoulders. Just choose a weight that you can do 15 times with a low shoulder. Don’t struggle with the counterweight. There is also a gantry that looks fancy, but many novices dare not touch it, thinking that it is only used by the big guys. In fact, it is a universal device that can be used for chest clamping, shoulder training, triceps training, and butt training. When clamping the chest, use a high rope to train the upper chest, a flat position to train the middle of the chest, and a low position to train the lower chest. Different coaches have different opinions on this. When you do it yourself, just press whichever area you feel sore and bloated. You don't have to stick to the textbook standards.

If your plan for the day is to remove fat, choosing the right equipment in the aerobic area will help you lose fat faster than lifting weights. The first recommendation is the elliptical machine, which is friendly to knees and can also be used by people with heavy weights. When you don't get up, adjust the maximum resistance and pedal hard. Keep your back straight and press the pedals with all your feet. Choose a resistance that allows you to maintain even breathing and pedal for 30 minutes. There is no need to pursue speed. Oh, there are always disagreements about aerobics. Some people say that fasting aerobics will help you lose fat faster, while others say it will cause muscle loss. My own feeling is that novices with a body fat rate of more than 25% can try fasted aerobics within 20 minutes during the fat burning period. If you are already thin and still building muscle, don't join in the fun. Just practice one hour after a normal meal.

Many people set the treadmill speed to 10 and run hard. After running for 10 minutes, they are exhausted. In fact, it is completely unnecessary. The intervals between brisk walking and jogging are much more efficient in burning fat than running at a constant speed. People with heavy weight should not run for too long, which will put a lot of pressure on the knees. It is better to switch to an elliptical machine or a rowing machine. The rowing machine is a combination of aerobic and strength equipment. Some people use it for steady-state aerobics, rowing for 40 minutes to slowly lose fat, while others use it for HIIT, rowing for 1 minute, resting for 30 seconds, and sweating after 20 minutes of training. It all depends on your own training goals. The core is to use your back to exert force when rowing, don't just rely on your arms to pull.

Oh, yes, there are also small equipment that people tend to overlook, such as foam rollers, yoga mats, and elastic bands. Don’t think that they can only be used for relaxation. Elastic bands are used for hip activation and foam rollers are very effective for core training. When I get tired from training, I sometimes use a yoga mat to do plank support in the corner. The effect is no worse than lifting weights. In fact, there is really no need to make gym equipment too mysterious. Good equipment is suitable for your current training level and allows you to feel the power. Don't hurt yourself by rushing to heavy weights just to save face. After all, fitness is a long-term thing, and doing it slowly is better than anything else.