Machine Exercises
Browse all machine exercises for strength training.
Showing 1–30 of 67 exercises
Ab Crunch Machine
The Ab Crunch Machine isolates the abdominal muscles by providing supported spinal flexion against resistance. It is an effective intermediate exercise for building strength and muscular endurance in the core, particularly the rectus abdominis.
Bicycling, Stationary
To begin, seat yourself on the bike and adjust the seat to your height.
Butterfly
The Butterfly or Pec Deck is an isolation exercise performed on a machine to target the chest muscles. It is excellent for developing chest definition and the mind-muscle connection, as it minimizes stabilizer involvement compared to free-weight presses.
Calf-Machine Shoulder Shrug
The Calf-Machine Shoulder Shrug is a strength exercise that isolates the upper back and neck muscles by using a seated, supported position. It effectively targets the trapezius to develop shoulder stability and upper back thickness, with the machine providing a stable movement path for beginners.
Calf Press
The Calf Press isolates and strengthens the calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) using a leg press machine. It's an effective beginner exercise for building lower leg size and power, which contributes to athletic performance and ankle stability.
Calf Press On The Leg Press Machine
Using a leg press machine, sit down on the machine and place your legs on the platform directly in front of you at a medium (shoulder width) foot stance.
Chair Squat
To begin, first set the bar to a position that best matches your height. Once the bar is loaded, step under it and position it across the back of your shoulders.
Decline Smith Press
Place a decline bench underneath the Smith machine. Now place the barbell at a height that you can reach when lying down and your arms are almost fully extended. Using a pronated grip that is wider than shoulder width, unlock the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms extended. This will be your starting position.
Dip Machine
Sit securely in a dip machine, select the weight and firmly grasp the handles.
Elliptical Trainer
To begin, step onto the elliptical and select the desired option from the menu. Most ellipticals have a manual setting, or you can select a program to run. Typically, you can enter your age and weight to estimate the amount of calories burned during exercise. Elevation can be adjusted to change the intensity of the workout.
Glute Ham Raise
Begin by adjusting the equipment to fit your body. Place your feet against the footplate in between the rollers as you lie facedown. Your knees should be just behind the pad.
Hack Squat
Place the back of your torso against the back pad of the machine and hook your shoulders under the shoulder pads provided.
Jogging, Treadmill
To begin, step onto the treadmill and select the desired option from the menu. Most treadmills have a manual setting, or you can select a program to run. Typically, you can enter your age and weight to estimate the amount of calories burned during exercise. Elevation can be adjusted to change the intensity of the workout.
Leg Extensions
For this exercise you will need to use a leg extension machine. First choose your weight and sit on the machine with your legs under the pad (feet pointed forward) and the hands holding the side bars. This will be your starting position. Tip: You will need to adjust the pad so that it falls on top of your lower leg (just above your feet). Also, make sure that your legs form a 90-degree angle between the lower and upper leg. If the angle is less than 90-degrees then that means the knee is over th
Leg Press
Using a leg press machine, sit down on the machine and place your legs on the platform directly in front of you at a medium (shoulder width) foot stance. (Note: For the purposes of this discussion we will use the medium stance described above which targets overall development; however you can choose any of the three stances described in the foot positioning section).
Leverage Chest Press
Load an appropriate weight onto the pins and adjust the seat for your height. The handles should be near the bottom or middle of the pectorals at the beginning of the motion.
Leverage Deadlift
Load the pins to an appropriate weight. Position yourself directly between the handles. Grasp the bottom handles with a comfortable grip, and then lower your hips as you take a breath. Look forward with your head and keep your chest up. This will be your starting position.
Leverage Decline Chest Press
Load an appropriate weight onto the pins and adjust the seat for your height. The handles should be near the bottom of the pectorals at the beginning of the motion. Your chest and head should be up and your shoulder blades retracted. This will be your starting position.
Leverage High Row
Load an appropriate weight onto the pins and adjust the seat height so that you can just reach the handles above you. Adjust the knee pad to help keep you down. Grasp the handles with a pronated grip. This will be your starting position.
Leverage Incline Chest Press
Load an appropriate weight onto the pins and adjust the seat for your height. The handles should be near the top of the pectorals at the beginning of the motion. Your chest and head should be up and your shoulder blades retracted. This will be your starting position.
Leverage Iso Row
Load an appropriate weight onto the pins and adjust the seat height so that the handles are at chest level. Grasp the handles with either a neutral or pronated grip. This will be your starting position.
Leverage Shoulder Press
Load an appropriate weight onto the pins and adjust the seat for your height. The handles should be near the top of the shoulders at the beginning of the motion. Your chest and head should be up and handles held with a pronated grip. This will be your starting position.
Leverage Shrug
Load the pins to an appropriate weight. Position yourself directly between the handles.
Lunge Sprint
Adjust a bar in a Smith machine to an appropriate height. Position yourself under the bar, racking it across the back of your shoulders. Unrack the bar, and then split your feet, moving one foot forward and one foot back. This will be your starting position.
Lying Leg Curls
Adjust the machine lever to fit your height and lie face down on the leg curl machine with the pad of the lever on the back of your legs (just a few inches under the calves). Tip: Preferably use a leg curl machine that is angled as opposed to flat since an angled position is more favorable for hamstrings recruitment.
Lying Machine Squat
Adjust the leg machine to a height that will allow you to get inside it with your knees bent and the thighs slightly below parallel.
Lying T-Bar Row
Load up the T-bar Row Machine with the desired weight and adjust the leg height so that your upper chest is at the top of the pad. Tip: In some machines all you can do is stand on the appropriate step that allows you to be at a height that has the upper chest at the top of the pad.
Machine Bench Press
Sit down on the Chest Press Machine and select the weight.
Machine Bicep Curl
Adjust the seat to the appropriate height and make your weight selection. Place your upper arms against the pads and grasp the handles. This will be your starting position.
Machine Preacher Curls
Sit down on the Preacher Curl Machine and select the weight.
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