What Equipment Should I Use at the Gym?

A common question for those starting out is what equipment they should use at the gym? It can be overwhelming and confusing especially if you are going alone and don’t have a lot of experience. And though there isn’t a simple answer since it does depend on goals and experience, there are some general guidelines that can help you.

In summary, the typical lifter will want to prioritize free weights in their routines, with machines as accessory movements to burn out specific muscles, and cardio as a tool to increase fat-loss.

What Are the Different Kinds of Equipment at the Gym?

Each gym will be a little bit different and there are some gyms that are specific to certain types of workouts though we will be focusing on what you will find in your standard commercial gym.

Usually one of the more prominent sections in the gym is the cardio section. This section contains treadmills, rowing machines, stationary bikes, stairmasters, etc.. The purpose of these is to essentially burn calories and work your heart. 

Then you have the free weights. These consist of dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells in combination with benches, racks, or platforms. Essentially these are weights you can pick up and move around that aren’t connected to anything.

Next, you have machines. These have a wider variety but they are specific to usually one exercise or muscle group and should allow you to adjust the starting position to match your size. These will have pulleys attached to weights that you move around through certain movements. Some machines are more fixed than others. Cable machines are a little more adjustable and more natural because there is more freedom of movement. There is also the smith machine which mimics a barbell in a squat rack but falls slowly and the bar is connected to the rack.

What Equipment Should I Use?

You should use all types of equipment to a certain degree, though your goals and experience come into play as well. It is more of a good-better-best scenario when it comes to what you use. Everything will help you get into better shape but how much you use each type of equipment will depend on you. 

The general rule is to have the majority of your routine consisting of free weight exercises with machines thrown in as accessory movements to help concentrate or burn out specific muscle groups generally near the end. Cardio can be emphasized more if the goal is more fat loss though you can also get great fat-loss results just from lifting and a good diet.

Free Weights

Free weights should be the bulk of your weight-lifting routine. Many people are afraid of them because they require a little more technique and creativity. There is also the idea that they are more likely to be injured. In reality, free weight exercises performed with proper form are less likely to hurt you than fixed machines and even help you prevent future injuries. A machine is fixed in place so if you don’t adjust it perfectly before your set you could put your body and joints into a strange position. Free weights are a more natural movement because they mimic lifting something in real life and they automatically conform to your natural movement patterns.

Free weights will work the muscle more fully because they will activate your smaller stabilizer muscles since the weights aren’t on a fixed plane. This helps with greater activation of the muscle and protection from injury in real life when you actually have to pick something up.

Free weights also allow you to perform compound lifts or multi-joint exercises. Some of these include the squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, and bent over row. These exercises should be at the beginning of your routines because they are the most taxing on your nervous system (see How to Create Your Own Gym Routine).

Compound exercises will build more functional strength, burn more fat, and are faster and more efficient if you don’t have a lot of time. So always have free weights at the beginning of your routines and have someone help you with the form or watch YouTube videos. There isn’t an excuse for not knowing how to do something in today’s age of information.

Machines

Machines should primarily be used as accessory movements to really target one specific muscle. These require less technique and are less taxing on the full body so are best performed at the end of your workout. Machines are also more commonly used for bodybuilding and don’t contribute much to athletic ability. 

You may use machines as a beginner as a primary workout method though you shouldn’t remain in that phase for long. The ideal would be to utilize free weights primarily as we have already explained.

So on a day when you are working out your chest for example, you may start out with a barbell bench press and dumbbell incline bench press. Then, you move to machines such as a cable chest fly or fly machine to burn out the pec muscle more and increase time under tension.

Machines are also sometimes used to “pre-exhaust” a muscle that may not tire out as much as you like in a compound movement. So you may do a chest fly before a bench press so that you feel it in your chest more and your triceps have to work harder, though it is not a commonly used technique.

In short, machines can be good in a very beginner phase but should become accessory movements to free-weight exercises more specifically for bodybuilding.

Cardio Machines

How much you use cardio machines should depend on your goals. However, for most people if they have a solid lifting routine and diet, they will be able to maintain a healthy weight. For those whose primary goal is fat loss, it would be a good idea to include 20-30 min of cardio or high intensity interval training either at the beginning or end of your routine. Near the end is typically a better idea or you will be very drained before you even pick up a weight.

Lifting weights will burn more calories after you leave the gym and help increase your resting metabolic rate by increasing muscle mass. Cardio will only burn during the workout so you may burn 200-500 calories but if you just eat a few bad things in the day then it equals out.

I would always recommend doing some cardio a few times a week though because it does benefit your heart and also has a greater benefit on your mental health. So don’t throw it out entirely, though it is typically not as beneficial overall as weight training and diet, especially when it comes to aesthetics (read Cardio: Which Type is a Better Fit for Me)

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Again, the typical lifter will want to prioritize free weights in their routines, with machines as accessory movements to burn out specific muscles, and cardio as a tool to increase fat-loss. Don’t be afraid to try new things that will be better for you in the long run. All the information you need is out there. You just need to look for it.