Ideal setting on the weight machines?

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i was told that using a lighter setting on the weight stack machines at the gym is more benefical for my muscles.


so what is the ideal weight stack setting too use on the weight machines?

Depends on what you're trying to achieve.

- High weight for low repetitions will build stronger muscles and train your central nervous system to recruit more muscles when you move. This is called strength training.
- Low weight for high repetitions will build bigger muscles by creating more micro-tears in the muscle tissue. This is called hypertrophy.

So, if you're trying to get stronger, it makes sense to lift a heavier weight for a lower amount of reps. If you're more focused on getting bigger muscles, however, lower the weight and do more repetitions. You will get both benefits to some degree regardless of which training style you choose, it just depends which one you want to prioritise.

The rep range for strength training is usually around 1-6, meaning that you can even have a 1 rep set if you are lifting heavy. The weight you select should be heavy enough that it is difficult to finish the last few repetitions with good form.

For hypertrophy, the rep-range is usually 8-12, meaning that you should select a weight that makes the last 8-12 repetitions difficult to complete with good form. If you do 12 repetitions and feel you could easily do more, then you are not lifting a heavy enough weight.

Practising good form is very important. If you are using the weight machines on a weight that is too heavy for you at the moment, you might not be getting the intended benefit of the exercise. For example, when I started doing cable flies at the gym, I was using too high a weight. This meant that my body was having to recruit the wrong muscle groups, and my arms were doing a lot of the work. I wasn't feeling it in my chest at all like you are meant to. When I dropped to a much lower weight, I started feeling it in my chest muscles. Now that I have built those muscles up, I am able to work with the weight I started at.

I'm not sure what the person who gave you that advice meant by 'more beneficial for your muscles', but hopefully some of this will help.

Can you take it up to eleven?

Cool so it's now my turn to ask questions like what temperature I should set the oven on for dinner, or how much sun lotion I should apply next week...