Equipment to Aid in Workout
Weight Plates
- It is the most common resistance used in free weight exercises. Weight plates are available in different weight values.They are generally circular plates with a hole at the center to insert in a bar. They are also available in different shapes.Their dimension depends on the amount of weight.
- But the central hole are generally two types, Standard size and Olympic size.
- The central hole diameter for standard size weight plate is 25 MM and Olympic plates are of 50mm.
Dumbells
- Dumbbells are one of the most used resistance for varieties of exercises all around the world.They are made-up of two equal weights attached in two ends of a short round bar. Usually the bar is a little longer than the palm width.It is usually held by gripping in between the gap left, by the weights. As they are free weights, they can be used for different resistance exercises.
Weight Stacks
- Weight stacks are the structures used to pile the weight plates by stacking them on top of each other.
- Plates are generally rectangular and have a central hole to pass a weight selector bar and a hole on side to insert weight selector pin.
- The weight selector pin isolates the required weight by adding it to the weight selector bar which is connected to cable. Cable transmits the weight resistance to the end part where the exercise is being performed.
Cables & Pulleys
The cables are the main means of the resistance transfer in most of the exercise equipments. The are flexible and strong and are used for pulling actions mainly.
Single Pulley Exercise
Double Pulley Exercise
Pulleys
- The pulley is a simple machine where the force applied works in opposite direction to the load and adds to the mechanical advantage of the system.
- Pulleys are circular discs that rolls around a fixed central axle. The disc has a groove on its edge, where the cable/rope is mounted. Force applied on the rope helps to uplift a load attached on the other side of the rope.
- Different sizes of pulleys are used in different locations and orientations and the same can be seen in cable and pulley connection.
- A single pulley means there’s no extra help when lifting the weight. This can be used for exercises such as upright cable rows and cable shrugs. The single pulley cable for gym equipment is usually on the outside of the cable machine stations.
- Double or compound pulley machines enable users to lift a greater weight over a shorter distance. The weight lifted is only half the weight on the stack, and the double pulley setup is good for targeting specific muscles, such as for back and chest muscles.
Helical Springs
Helical Springs:
These are mechanical elements used to store energy and provide resistance for tension or compression movements. Spring action uses the stored energy to come back to its original shape and length. Helical springs are coiled around a straight axis with uniform diameter and pitch from one end to other.
Extension spring resist the pulling force and try to retract to its initial length.
Force used to pull and retract the spring follows Hook’s Law which states that F=KX where
- K is the spring constant and
- X is the expansion or compression of spring.
Due to this property helical spring does not give uniform force during expansion or contraction. This poses a problem to its usage as a resistance option on workout stations.
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