I started lifting weights (again) and accurately tracking my progress (I bought a “cheap” workout and weight loss plan, which requires a lot of data so you can see your progress (or regress)). When bench pressing and doing squats on the (Cybex) Smith Machine I had assumed that the bar weighed 45 pounds like a free bar does and added it to the total weight. It wasn’t until my most recent session (finished about 30 minutes ago) that I realized that the bar doesn’t in fact weigh 45 pounds…but weighs anywhere from 7 to 30 pounds, according to what I saw from a quick search. I should have realized that it wasn’t 45 pounds because it felt pretty light. Google says that the average weight tends to be about 15 pounds, but I have no idea.
I was also using the (Cybex) overhead should press machine and saw that the plates past 50 pounds went in 15 pound increments. Then I noticed the additional weight at the top, disabled by a pin. When I lowered it down on to the stack there was no number on it. Was it 5 pounds? 7.5 pounds? 10 pounds? Who knows?
How are people supposed to know how much weight they’re lifting if things aren’t numbered properly? They have these huge stickers that say everything, but they can’t put “bar weighs 15 lbs” on it?
With machines, just remember the “clicks” or “notches” to compare progress. You’ll never really know the real weight because who knows the maintenance on them and the amounts of friction per machine that are inherent let alone the pivot points that allow for leverage that can vary.