Posted: 5/21/2026 6:47:52 PM EDT
| I just had to move gyms because my old one closed down. That guy used machines that had belts to move the weight stacks. The new gym's equipment has cables. I have noticed that it seems that on most machines, the weight I can do seems to be about 40% of what I was doing at the old gym. I assume this has to do with the number of pullys the old equipment had vs the new? Like using a snatch block on a winch? The more pullys, the more I could lift. |
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Originally Posted By caduckgunner: I just had to move gyms because my old one closed down. That guy used machines that had belts to move the weight stacks. The new gym's equipment has cables. I have noticed that it seems that on most machines, the weight I can do seems to be about 40% of what I was doing at the old gym. I assume this has to do with the number of pullys the old equipment had vs the new? Like using a snatch block on a winch? The more pullys, the more I could lift. Yes. Many cable machines dead end the cable and the weight rides in a loop with pulley which gives greater mechanical advantage. The weight numbers on machines are not relevant outside that machine for reference. |
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Originally Posted By cb69: Yes. Many cable machines dead end the cable and the weight rides in a loop with pulley which gives greater mechanical advantage. The weight numbers on machines are not relevant outside that machine for reference. This. The "weight" of each individual plate on a given machine will be and feel different from s different brand. Just use it as a guide to gauge progress over time. |
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Originally Posted By cb69: Yes. Many cable machines dead end the cable and the weight rides in a loop with pulley which gives greater mechanical advantage. The weight numbers on machines are not relevant outside that machine for reference. The last sentence is 100% the truth. Also goes for calorie counts on cardio machines. |
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Originally Posted By Grey_Man: The last sentence is 100% the truth. Also goes for calorie counts on cardio machines. Absolutely, the weight "numbers" on the stack are relevant to that machine and that machine only! Even on 2 machines from the same manufacturer, there will be a tolerance deviation. |
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Originally Posted By Ironmaker: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/57471/1775642788425_jpg-3769100.JPG Not a lot of wear marks after 100. You place that pin down there for the photo? 
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You can actually look up the ratios on a lot of machines, or even just count the pulley doubles to get a good idea of actual weight lifted. They do it to flatten the strength resistance curve on the machine so you have more even resistance through the entire motion, rather than just at the top or bottom. |
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Yeah, machine strength doesn't equate free-weight strength lb for lb. And all machines are different. That said, they do prevent using momentum to finish lifts. What you're lifting/pulling on a machine is preferable to hip thrusting and gyrating that ez-curl bar up to a new PR. I prefer dumbbells for strength training. Lat pull downs, leg extensions, a couple tricep exercises on machine. Barbell for squats and DLs. Dumbbells for everything else. |
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The perceived tension is determined by leverage afforded to you by the design of the machine. The 'number' on the weights is irrelevant. I personally think manufacturers of machines should simply label the plates 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. As people get too caught up with 'how much weight' they are lifting. The only reason to track it is so next session you can progress by increasing the reps, weights, or decreasing the rest periods with the same weights. The only thing that matters is free-weight numbers. Barbell, Dumbbell or Kettlebell. Aint no competition measuring a machine lift. And aint nobody gonna ask you what your max cable triceps extension is. |
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Originally Posted By ICEAGE: The perceived tension is determined by leverage afforded to you by the design of the machine. The 'number' on the weights is irrelevant. I personally think manufacturers of machines should simply label the plates 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. As people get too caught up with 'how much weight' they are lifting. The only reason to track it is so next session you can progress by increasing the reps, weights, or decreasing the rest periods with the same weights. The only thing that matters is free-weight numbers. Barbell, Dumbbell or Kettlebell. Aint no competition measuring a machine lift. And aint nobody gonna ask you what your max cable triceps extension is. In 1:1 machines, like most adjustable cable stacks total weight is still a good metric for progress, even in machines with a different ratio it gives you a metric that matches the rest of your exercises, so it's clean on paper. |
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