5 Best Tips for Using Gym Machines to Build a Stronger Upper Body

Gym machines are excellent tools for building a stronger upper body. They offer consistent resistance, minimise the risk of injury associated with free weights, and help you isolate specific muscles more effectively.

However, using gym machines incorrectly or inefficiently can hinder your progress. This article will outline five science-backed tips for maximising your upper body strength gains with gym machines.

Tip 1: Focus on Proper Form Over Heavy Weights

When using gym machines, prioritising proper form over lifting heavy weights is critical. Machines are designed to guide your movement along a fixed path, which reduces stabiliser muscle involvement. While this makes them ideal for isolating muscles, poor form can still lead to joint stress or muscle imbalances.

Research highlights the importance of controlled movements for optimal muscle activation. A study by Schoenfeld et al. (2014) emphasised that controlled, full-range repetitions stimulate muscle hypertrophy more effectively than jerky or incomplete movements. For example, during a chest press, ensure your back stays flat against the pad, and you push through a full range of motion to fully activate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps.

Practical Tip:

Start with a lighter weight to master the movement pattern. As your strength improves, gradually increase resistance without compromising form.

Tip 2: Use Machines to Complement Free Weights

Gym machines should not replace free weights entirely. Instead, they should complement your routine by targeting weak points or assisting in high-volume training. For example, cable machines allow for greater flexibility in movement angles, which can be ideal for exercises like cable crossovers to target the chest.

A study by Schwanbeck et al. (2009) found that while free weights activate more stabiliser muscles, machines generate greater muscle activity in the primary movers. Combining both methods ensures you develop balanced strength across your upper body.

Practical Tip:

Incorporate machines at the end of your workout to isolate fatigued muscles or as part of supersets. For instance, follow a barbell bench press with machine chest flys to fully exhaust the chest muscles.

Tip 3: Adjust Machine Settings to Fit Your Body

Many gym-goers fail to adjust the settings of gym machines to suit their body size and proportions, which can lead to suboptimal results or even injury. Machines come with adjustable seats, pads, and grips to ensure proper alignment with your joints and muscle groups.

Studies have shown that improper alignment can reduce muscle engagement and increase strain on joints. For example, a poorly adjusted shoulder press machine can shift the focus from your deltoids to your trapezius, limiting shoulder development. A study by Cogley et al. (2005) demonstrated that alignment significantly influences muscle activation patterns during machine exercises.

Practical Tip:

Always ensure your joints align with the axis of rotation on the machine. Ask a trainer for help if you’re unsure how to adjust the equipment.

Tip 4: Incorporate Variable Resistance Machines for Strength Gains

Variable resistance machines are designed to provide different levels of resistance throughout the range of motion, mimicking the natural strength curve of muscles. For instance, during a lat pulldown, variable resistance ensures the load is lighter at the weakest point (when arms are fully extended) and heavier at the strongest point (when arms are near the chest).

Research by Folland et al. (2002) suggests that variable resistance machines can lead to greater strength gains compared to constant resistance machines due to their ability to match the muscle’s force-generating capacity at different points in the lift.

Practical Tip:

Include variable resistance machines like cable machines or plate-loaded machines in your upper body routine for exercises like lat pulldowns, chest press, or bicep curls.

Tip 5: Use Progressive Overload Strategically

Progressive overload, or gradually increasing the resistance or intensity of your exercises, is a fundamental principle for building muscle. Gym machines are ideal for safely implementing progressive overload because of their stability and controlled movement patterns.

A study by Radaelli et al. (2014) demonstrated that progressive overload significantly increases muscle strength and size, even in resistance machine training. You can apply this by increasing the weight, performing additional repetitions, or incorporating advanced techniques like drop sets or rest-pause training.

Practical Tip:

Track your progress on machines to ensure consistent improvements. For example, if you can perform 12 reps comfortably on a chest press machine, increase the weight slightly until 8-10 reps become challenging.

Table of Key Takeaways

References

Cogley, R.M., Archambault, T.A., Fibeger, J.F., Koverman, M.L., Youdas, J.W. and Hollman, J.H., 2005. Comparison of muscle activation using various hand positions during the push-up exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 19(3), pp.628-633.

Folland, J.P., Irish, C.S., Roberts, J.C., Tarr, J.E. and Jones, D.A., 2002. Fatigue is not a necessary stimulus for strength gains during resistance training. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 36(5), pp.370-373.

Radaelli, R., Fleck, S.J., Leite, T., Leite, R.D., Pinto, R.S., Fernandes, L., and Simão, R., 2014. Dose–response of 1, 3, and 5 sets of resistance exercise on strength, local muscular endurance, and hypertrophy. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28(10), pp.2655-2664.

Schoenfeld, B.J., Ogborn, D. and Krieger, J.W., 2014. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: A meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences, 35(11), pp.1073-1082.

Schwanbeck, S., Chilibeck, P.D., and Binsted, G., 2009. A comparison of free weight squat to Smith machine squat using electromyography. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23(9), pp.2588-2591.