A Short Guide to Different Gym Equipment
Walking into a gym for the first time can seem a bit like stepping into a medieval torture chamber. Imposing pieces of machinery surround you, none of which you have a clue about. It’s no wonder that you feel like a fish out of water.
The purpose of this article is to provide you with a short guide to the different pieces of gym equipment so that you can get your head around your new gym environment.
Areas of the Gym
Gyms will typically have three designated workout areas. The area that is closest to the reception is usually the cardio area. Cardio stands for cardiovascular and this is where you do exercises that get you puffing. You can expect to find the following types of machinery in the cardio area:
Treadmills
Elliptical trainers
Rowing machines
Stair climbers
Exercise bikes
The next, and largest common area will be the resistance training part of the gym. It will typically be divided into two areas. One of the areas will contain weight training machines that are designed to work a single body part. These machines will typically have pin-loaded weight stacks and lever arms for you to push and pull.
The other area of the resistance training part of the gym is where the free weights are located. This is where you will find barbells, and dumbbell bench press benches, incline or decline benches, weight plates and squat and power racks. This area will also usually feature plenty of mirrors to allow gym members to check their form as they are exercising.
The third distinct exercise area in most gyms is the group fitness room. This is where group fitness classes take place.
Gym Floor Equipment Overview
The part of the resistance training area that contains individual exercise machines will usually include one or more of the following:
Chest Press Machine – Chest
Chest Pec Fly Machine - Chest
Shoulder Press Machine - Shoulders
Side Lateral Raise Machine - Shoulders
Lat Pulldown - Upper back (lats)
Machine or Cable Row - Mid & upper back
Biceps Curl Machine - Biceps (Front of upper arm)
Triceps Extension Machine - Triceps (Back of upper arm)
Leg Extension Machine - Quadriceps (Front of upper leg)
Leg Curl Machine - Hamstrings (Back of upper leg)
Leg Press - Total lower body
Inner/outer Thigh Machine - Inner and outer thigh
Calf Machine - Calves
Abdominal Crunch Machine - Abs
Low-back Extension Machine - Lumbar spine (Lower back)
Free Weights Area
The main pieces of equipment you will find in the free weights area of the gym are the following:
Flat Bench Press Bench
The bench press bench is a flat bench that has a rack attached to it to place a barbell on. When you’re lying on the bench you can reach up to unrack the bar, perform your bench press repetitions, and then put the bar on the rack.
Incline Bench Press Bench
This is similar to the flat bench press bench, except that the back pad of the seat is on a 45° angle. It is designed to allow you to focus on working the upper part of the chest.
Adjustable Benches
Adjustable benches allow you to change the angle of the back support from flat to either incline or decline. They are designed to be used for a range of dumbbell and barbell exercises.
Squat / Power Racks
Squat and power racks steel cages that have hooks on the uprights that a barbell can be placed upon. They also feature safety catches to allow you to perform exercises like squats in relative safety.
Fixed Barbells
Most gyms will have one or more weights of fixed barbells. These have locked collars that cannot be removed. The weights generally run from 5 kg up to about 35 kg.
Dumbbell Rack
Most gyms have dumbbell racks sitting below the mirrors. The dumbbells will generally go up in increments of 2.5 kg and may run from that weight up to 50 kg or heavier.
Olympic Weight Plates and Bars
The gym will probably have a number of weight trees that are home to Olympic weight plates. These plates are larger in diameter than those designed for home use, having a 2-inch diameter hole that allows them to fit on the ends of Olympic barbells.
Wrap Up
You now have a good understanding of the types of equipment that you will encounter down at your local gym. Now that you know what it is, and what it does, you know have no excuses for putting it to use. Doing so will enable you to build and shape your body just the way you want it.
