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What Machines Are Great for Strength Training?

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Strength training plays a major role in most people’s workout routine, so your gym should offer ample opportunities for users to build strength. Having the right equipment in your gym helps with retaining members, attracting new clients, and creating an overall positive experience for gym-goers. Understanding which machines provide the most comprehensive strength training benefits helps you make informed investment decisions that will serve your business long-term.

Below, we’ve highlighted exercise machines that are great for strength training to help you make the best decisions for your gym.

Seated Leg Curl

The hamstrings, located in the back of the thigh, help counterbalance the quads, improve posture, and allow us to move around. A seated leg curl machine helps to isolate and strengthen the hamstrings, making it a great choice for lower body strength training. This machine features adjustable seating that accommodates various body proportions, ensuring a proper alignment for safe and effective exercise execution.

Moreover, by having seated leg curl machines in your gym, you can help members reach other fitness goals. Strengthening the hamstrings improves knee flexion and hip extension, enhancing other exercises such as walking, running, jumping, or climbing.

Deltoid Raise

The deltoid raise machine allows users to focus on their shoulder muscles, with a particular emphasis on the middle deltoid that creates the rounded shoulder appearance. Strengthening the shoulder area improves an individual’s upper body strength, making it easier to lift heavy items. Additionally, strong shoulders contribute to better performance in sports or recreational activities that involve throwing, swimming, or overhead movements. 

Hip Thruster

The hip thruster machine focuses on the glutes and lower back by facilitating a hip bridge motion that maximally activates the gluteal muscles. This is huge because the glutes are one of the largest muscle groups in the body; targeting this area burns more calories and can improve overall strength and power. Likewise, targeting the lower back muscles helps improve posture, reduce the risk of back pain, and improve athletic performance.

When using the hip thruster, it’s important to have proper form and technique to avoid injury. Members should be on the machine with their feet planted firmly on the foot platform and knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Their back should be flat against the pad, with their shoulders relaxed and core engaged. Once the user has the correct form, they’ll push through their heels and drive their hips upward, squeezing the glutes at the top of the movement.

Chest Press

Using a chest press machine allows users to simulate the bench press movement while also guiding their movement and stabilizing the weights. This is a great exercise for targeting chest muscles, specifically the pectoralis major and minor.

To use a chest press machine, users should sit with their back against the padded support and feet flat on the ground. The handles should be positioned at shoulder height, allowing for a comfortable and safe grip. The user will push the handles forward while keeping their elbows close to their sides until their arms fully extend. Slowly bring them back towards their chest in a controlled manner.

What Machines Are Great for Strength Training?

Pec Fly

The pec fly is another machine that’s great for strength training and activates the pectoral muscles. When using this machine, members will isolate the chest muscles by bringing the arms together in front of the body while sitting on a padded seat with their feet planted firmly on the floor. This movement imitates a hug or butterfly motion, focusing on the pectoralis major and minor muscles.

Seated Row

The latissimus dorsi and rhomboids are two important back muscles that allow us to pull objects towards our body. Since seated rows involve moving weights towards the body, it is an effective exercise for strengthening these muscles as well as the biceps and forearms.

To perform seated rows, users will sit on the machine with their feet placed firmly on the platform and grasp the handles in front of them. From here, they’ll pull the handles towards themselves, then slowly return to the starting position.

Rotary Torso

While there are many ways to target the main abdominal muscles, activating the obliques can be a bit harder since the rectus abdominis often overshadows them. When using the rotary torso, the user will set the desired weight for resistance, then sit or kneel on the seat with their feet secured in place. From here, they’ll rotate their torsos side to side using their obliques to move the weight.

Continued use of the rotary torso machine will strengthen core muscles, which improves overall balance and stability. This means better performance in sports and daily activities, and it also helps prevent injuries.

Functional Trainer

The functional trainer utilizes a versatile cable system that facilitates different exercises targeting multiple muscle groups through adjustable pulley positions. This equipment provides the flexibility to perform compound movements that replicate real-world movement patterns while maintaining the safety and guidance of machine-based training.

TRUE sells various functional trainers designed to enhance resistance workouts. Our machines come with integrated accessories, enabling users to tailor their workouts for a specific goal. With options such as the XFT-900 Functional Trainer, users can do pull-ups, bicep curls, rows, and more.

Smith Machine

The Smith Machine features a barbell fixed within steel rails that guide the bar path during exercises like squats, bench presses, and lunges. This design provides safety benefits and control during heavy lifting while maintaining the compound movement patterns of free weight exercises.

Modular Systems

Modular systems combine multiple exercise stations into large multi-station setups that accommodate various exercises within a compact footprint. Perfect for group training sessions and circuit workouts, these systems keep members engaged while maximizing facility capacity. Their enhanced space efficiency makes modular systems particularly valuable for facilities with limited floor space or those seeking to maximize member capacity during peak hours.

Selectorized Vs Plate-Loaded Machines

As you list out your options for machines, decide whether you want selectorized or plate-loaded machines. Selectorized machines use a weight stack with adjustable weights, while plate-loaded machines require you to add and remove plates. Both options have their unique advantages.

Selectorized Machines

  • Easy to use and adjust for different fitness levels
  • Can target specific muscle groups with ease
  • Safer for solo workouts as they have built-in safety features
  • Perfect for beginners or those who are unfamiliar with strength training
What Machines Are Great for Strength Training?

Plate Loaded Machines

  • Allow for greater flexibility in terms of weight increments
  • Mimic functional movements better than selectorized machines
  • Encourage the development of stabilizer muscles due to a lack of stabilization from the machine itself
  • Ideal for advanced lifters looking for a challenge

Most gyms offer a mix of both options, allowing users to choose the gear they feel most comfortable with for workouts. However, if you have limited space, base your decision on your usual clientele.

Contact TRUE

TRUE Fitness offers a range of sleek and modern weight-lifting equipment options. Our YMCA exercise equipment is perfect for any type of facility and will enhance every member’s experience. View our products online to compare your options, then contact our sales team to discuss costs and how the equipment can fit seamlessly into your gym’s design scheme.