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Cable machines weight values?????


manwithav8

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OK, sorry if this has been asked already, I did a search on the site and nothing came up.

I am keeping a log of all my workouts and want to keep it accurate. Now, the cable machines in my gym are just like any other but the lables on each plate are somewhat desceptive. If it has a 20 on, I very much doubt that 300mm x 100mm plate weights 20kg.

So what is the unit of measure for these cable machines? Is there a standard or is it gym specific ie, should I ask the gym staff as to what their plates weight or is it a universal thing??

Thanks.

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I guess the most relevant aspect is that the weight of the plate never reflects the amount being lifted.

With these multi gyms and the variety of cabling machines theres are huge variation in the weight/cabling/pulleys etc and the stated weight of the plate is largely irrelavent.

You can walk into one gym and do the stack for triceps/pulldowns etc and then find elsewhere you may only get half way.

Bear in mind most of these machines are only working the sundry muscles so working to your max is more important than recording PBs on them or worrying too much about the weight of the plates..

Obviously use the machines for what they are though and record your progress when necessary.

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Yep, Gasp's right on the money - use intensity as your guide on these things... in my gym there are two flavours of stack, one's calibrated in 7kg increments, one in 5kg increments.

Some stacks use two pulleys (or more) in moving the weight, so you get a leverage gain from that as opposed to a straight (no-pulley) movement.

If you're using a machine which combines a stack and long rigid arms/ levers then the weights are also going to differ from free weights.

He makes another good point tho - if you're using the same machine consistency, the markings are good for tracking performance in your training journal.

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Some stacks use two pulleys (or more) in moving the weight, so you get a leverage gain from that as opposed to a straight (no-pulley) movement.

Yep more pulleys = possibly halving the 'true' effort BUT often a smoother movement.....

Yes, good point... but from watching the newbies I get the impression they overlook the leverage factor, as in "Cool - I can cable curl 40kg a side!" heheh try that with dumbbells... :grin:

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i have never been able to work it out myself

we have two cable machines, one in pounds and the other kilos

neither reflects the true weight even remotely

put the cable stack on 42kg and hang a 40 kilo dumbbell to the handle using a wrist strap to get a rough idea

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Some stacks use two pulleys (or more) in moving the weight, so you get a leverage gain from that as opposed to a straight (no-pulley) movement.

Yep more pulleys = possibly halving the 'true' effort BUT often a smoother movement.....

Yes, good point... but from watching the newbies I get the impression they overlook the leverage factor, as in "Cool - I can cable curl 40kg a side!" heheh try that with dumbbells... :grin:

Not quite right there teamfatboy, there is no leverage factor with cable machines, unless the pully is fixed to the weight to be moved.

There is mechanical advantage and velocity ratio. What is effected on these machines is the velocity ratio which means, to move the weight lets say 1m, if you pulled around 1 pully then then you would have to pull 1m worth of cable.. VR (velocity ratio ) = 1:1

If 2 pully's are involved then the VR is still 1:1 due to none of the cables "shortening"

Now, if the pully were attached to the weight, one side of the rope is shortening creating a MA (mechanical advantage) or 2:1 ie to lift 50kg only 25kg of effort is required, this then delivers a VR of 2:1 also meaning for evey 2 meters of cable pulled, the load will only move one meter.

Anyway all this guff aside, I wante to know to values due to logging my workouts on a different site. Now I'm sure people won't believe me being 74kg and move 135kg worth of weight on leg extensions, or 120kg on low cable pulls. etc

I am sure though that anyone reading my workout logs will understand lol

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OK, shoulda known that a ManwithaV8 would understand the differences - kinda like torque vs horsepower hehehe.

And yes, I understand... otherwise I've got wicked guns 'cos on a high-pulley station I can curl mega (but in reality can't curl f.s. :shock:)

So, labels aside, in some cable machines I've seen there IS a pulley attached to the weight-stack pin, and the weight moves half the distance of the cable-end....

And yes, I also try to use the same gear for consistency - logging results is essential, and if you don't know what you're logging, consistency's the last thing you'll get.

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I also try to use the same gear for consistency - logging results is essential, and if you don't know what you're logging, consistency's the last thing you'll get.

This bit is the key. If there are 2 (or more) machines that do the same thing at my gym, they all have different weights. Some are labelled, some are in pounds, others in kilos, some have both on the label.

I try to get the same machine each time so I know what weights I can handle, otherwise its a guessing game until you get it about right.

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Ket is good. I always, always use the same machines. We have two leg press machines right next to each other but I will wait if mine is in use. Maybe due to being a ginga I like red more than blue but I'm not too sure lol

You add the weight so it's not cable with weight plates but at least I know the weight carrier is the same as the last workout..

All is about to change though, heading off overseas for 6 months so can't wait to see the new gym facilities.

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  • 6 years later...

It took me  while,but I finally found the site I was looking for. Here's what I have to say on the subject of  weight stack machines.

====

 It's my contention that M.A.(mechanical advantage) has NOTHING to do with the unreliability/dishonesty of weight stack machines. Sure, we all know about levers, pulleys and such, but we should  never even have to think about M.A. All we need is for the dial/meter/gauge, etc. to reflect the real resistance. Think about it. If you knew the actual resistance at a particular setting. you could simply scratch out the lie and write in the correct weight with fingernail polish. Agreed? Well, since this could obviously be easily done, it's insulting to be told that the manufacturers couldn't etch/paint/label the CORRECT numbers when their machines are made. Damn them. This really makes me angry.

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