Increasing the weight by smaller increments on a cable machine

[iudsghzdg]

The cable row and pull-down at my gym increase by increments of 20 lbs, and the cables that are used for tricep pushdown, chest cross-over, etc. increase by increments of 10 lbs. Is it acceptable to place 5 lbs dumbbells or 2.5 lbs plates on top of the weight stack to increase the weight by a smaller increments, or is there a specific reason that you should increase by a certain amount?

[squat]

Fascinating. Someone asked this question really recently. Only thing is, don't break the machine. Chances are that the cables can withstand further loading, but it would be more clever to change your programming, first. Do higher reps or something else. You can't stack on dumbbells forever. Think ahead.

[thombrogan]

Weighted ankle bracelets for power walking would allow you to make less than 10 pound jumps without as much risk as a falling dumbbell. Two pairs of 2.5 pound weights would let you make more moderate weight jumps and let you keep a spare, fourth ankle-weight in case one falls off a machine and splits open on the floor.

[iudsghzdg]

Originally Posted by squat

Fascinating. Someone asked this question really recently. Only thing is, don't break the machine. Chances are that the cables can withstand further loading, but it would be more clever to change your programming, first. Do higher reps or something else. You can't stack on dumbbells forever. Think ahead.

My question is different though, I'm not wanting to add more weight than what is included in the plate stack so the strength of the cable isn't an issue.

[Fivetissimo]

If you can do it without damaging the machine or causing the weight to fall off and hurt someone, why not?

I had a similar issue once with cable side raises...with 30 lbs I could do like 12 reps, but moving the pin to 40 lbs dropped my reps to barely 2. I found that I could microload by hanging 2.5 or 5 pound plates off of the pin in the stack.

On other cable setups that doesn't quite work, so I've also put those mini lady-dumbbells on top of the weight stack.

[zLeeKo]

Originally Posted by Fivetissimo

If you can do it without damaging the machine or causing the weight to fall off and hurt someone, why not?

I had a similar issue once with cable side raises...with 30 lbs I could do like 12 reps, but moving the pin to 40 lbs dropped my reps to barely 2. I found that I could microload by hanging 2.5 or 5 pound plates off of the pin in the stack.

On other cable setups that doesn't quite work, so I've also put those mini lady-dumbbells on top of the weight stack.

Haha, I do the same.

Pink 1kg DB's for the win. Not quite macho, but works.

Stuart McRobert and HG crew had this obsession wtih adding tiniest amounts of weight possible. It got stupid at one point.

[muki]

Originally Posted by iudsghzdg

My question is different though, I'm not wanting to add more weight than what is included in the plate stack so the strength of the cable isn't an issue.

as someone already said, increasing weights on the machine is not the only type of progression you should blindly focus on when performing an exercise, especially if we are talking about an isolation exercise, like in your case. Work on programming your overall workout a bit better and think about incorporating shorter rest periods, rest/pause, supersets or some other similar technique for those exercises and focus on small, incremental weight increase on your main lifts. That way you will also be able to make more significant jumps on those auxiliary exercises as well, indirectly.

[LightCrow]

Originally Posted by muki

as someone already said, increasing weights on the machine is not the only type of progression you should blindly focus on when performing an exercise, especially if we are talking about an isolation exercise, like in your case. Work on programming your overall workout a bit better and think about incorporating shorter rest periods, rest/pause, supersets or some other similar technique for those exercises and focus on small, incremental weight increase on your main lifts. That way you will also be able to make more significant jumps on those auxiliary exercises as well, indirectly.

This is bro-tastic level advice. End of the day the person is going to need to make progression on isolation movements as well. Trying different techniques but staying at 50 lbs on the lateral machine month to month is not going to do anything for delt growth.

[zLeeKo]

I think the question is whether it's better to add tiny amounts of weight over long periods or larger amounts over shorter periods. I'm inclined to think that the latter is superior for most.

My usual suggestion, is to use a larger rep range. You might have to build from 8 to 15 reps before you can go up. And you might get 8 when the weight increases.

[squat]

Originally Posted by iudsghzdg

My question is different though, I'm not wanting to add more weight than what is included in the plate stack so the strength of the cable isn't an issue.

I definitely did not understand. Well, zLeeKo said it. Rep range solves your problem.