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?

  • Varyk
    252·
    10 months ago

    Step on a scale holding whatever you want to weigh.

    Put down the thing

    Step on a scale not holding the thing you want to weigh.

    Subtract the second number from the first.

    I realized I didn’t need a special scale to weigh light things if I just did it like that.

    • Kinglink@lemmy.world
      9·
      10 months ago

      Now lift it up 11 more times. You’ve done a set… do it four more times, move on to the next object.

      (I think OP is more talking about thinks you can’t bring to a scale)

    • morphballganon@lemmy.world
      5·
      10 months ago

      This is a great method if you own the object in question… Sounds like OP is curious about equipment at their local public gym though.

      • Varyk
        7·
        10 months ago

        I was under the impression most gyms had a scale, but I have a sample size of one gym that I’ve ever been to, and that gym had a scale.

        Maybe that’s not as common as I imagined it was.

        • Halosheep@lemm.ee
          2·
          10 months ago

          My gym has a scale, but not a digital one and it would be… Unusual, if not somewhat dangerous, to bring a bar across the entire place to where it’s placed.

          I can see reasons why they wouldn’t want to do that, even if there is a scale.

          • Varyk
            3·
            10 months ago

            Unusual? Sure.

            Dangerous? Are you planning to carry it perpendicular to your body? That’s like how a car is dangerous if you drive it on the sidewalk.

          • howrar@lemmy.ca
            2·
            10 months ago

            Depends on your gym layout I guess. I’ve done this a few times when the bar weight felt off at a new gym. Do what you need to do. Don’t let the fear of weird looks deter you.

    • howrar@lemmy.ca
      1·
      10 months ago

      OP is looking for the weight of the bar on a smith machine, which means they’ll have to take the scale with them to the machine. That’s definitely not going to fly in most gyms. Nor would it work on the weights on a machine’s weight stack.

      • Varyk
        5·
        10 months ago

        Many scales won’t register low weights, that’s what this method is for.

        Or for something less wieldy like a large rucksack or a weights bar, you can be sure that you’re getting the accurate weight by holding it and putting your two feet on the scale correctly instead of trying to manipulate the object itself.