How to Use Every Machine in the Gym (Without Looking Lost)

The Guide You Read in the Car Park

This is the post you pull up on your phone before walking into the gym. No fluff, just what each machine does and how to use it without feeling lost.

If in doubt about any machine, ask a staff member. That’s literally what they’re there for. Nobody will judge you for asking.

Cardio Machines

Treadmill

Works: legs, cardiovascular system How: step on, clip the safety key to your shirt, press start. Use the speed buttons to control pace (4-5 km/h is walking, 8-10 km/h is a steady jog). Incline adds difficulty without more speed. Tip: don’t hold the handrails — let your arms swing naturally. Start slow and build up.

Cross-Trainer / Elliptical

Works: full body, low impact cardio How: step onto the pedals, grab the moving handles, and start moving your legs in an elliptical motion. Adjust resistance with the +/- buttons. Tip: keep your feet flat on the pedals. If it feels too easy, increase the resistance rather than going faster.

Rowing Machine

Works: legs, back, arms, core — genuinely full body How: strap your feet in. The sequence is legs-body-arms on the pull, then arms-body-legs on the return. Push with your legs first, lean back slightly, then pull the handle to your lower chest. Common mistake: pulling with your arms first. The power comes from your legs. Think “legs, lean, pull.”

Resistance Machines

Leg Press

Works: quads, glutes, hamstrings Setup: sit down, place feet shoulder-width apart on the platform, about halfway up. Adjust the seat so your knees are at roughly 90 degrees. How: push the platform away by extending your legs. Don’t lock your knees fully at the top. Control the weight back down slowly. Common mistake: placing feet too high (more hamstring) or too low (more knee stress). Middle of the platform is the safe default.

Leg Curl (Lying or Seated)

Works: hamstrings Setup: adjust the pad so it sits just above your ankles. Set a light weight to start. How: curl your heels toward your glutes, squeeze at the top, lower slowly. Tip: don’t swing or use momentum. Slow and controlled.

Leg Extension

Works: quadriceps Setup: sit down, adjust the pad so it rests on your shins just above your ankles. Adjust the backrest so your knees align with the machine’s pivot point. How: extend your legs until straight (don’t slam into full lockout), lower slowly. Common mistake: going too heavy and swinging. This is an isolation exercise — keep it controlled.

Chest Press

Works: chest, shoulders, triceps Setup: adjust the seat height so the handles are at mid-chest level. Grip the handles. How: push forward until arms are nearly straight (don’t lock elbows), return slowly. Tip: keep your back against the pad and your feet flat on the floor.

Shoulder Press

Works: shoulders, triceps Setup: adjust the seat so handles start at ear height. Grip the handles. How: press upward until arms are nearly straight, lower to ear level. Common mistake: arching your lower back. Keep it pressed into the pad.

Lat Pulldown

Works: back (lats), biceps Setup: adjust the thigh pad so it holds you firmly in place. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width, palms facing away. How: pull the bar down to your upper chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Return slowly. Common mistake: pulling the bar behind your neck (unnecessary stress on shoulders) or leaning too far back.

Cable Machine

Works: almost anything, depending on the attachment and cable height Setup: set the cable height (high for tricep pushdowns, low for bicep curls, mid for rows). Attach the appropriate handle. How: varies by exercise. The cable provides constant tension throughout the movement. Tip: this is the most versatile machine in the gym. If you learn to use it, you can train every muscle group.

Assisted Pull-Up Machine

Works: back, biceps Setup: select a weight — on this machine, more weight means more assistance (the opposite of every other machine). Kneel on the pad. How: grip the handles overhead and pull yourself up until your chin is above the handles. Lower slowly. Tip: start with high assistance and reduce it as you get stronger. This machine is how most people work toward unassisted pull-ups.

A Final Note

Every machine has an instruction diagram on it. Read it. They’re actually helpful. And remember: everyone who looks confident on these machines once had no idea what they were doing either.

For detailed form guides on specific exercises, browse our exercise database. And log your workouts in PT Tracker so you remember what weight you used next time.