• Weight machines use a stack of weighted bars attached to a pulley.machiine weights image by Neelrad from Fotolia.com
  
  People working on strength training have a few different options to choose from when deciding on weight-training equipment. Many prefer to work out with free weights attached to a bar, while others use body weight and resistance training, either with or without equipment. Those who prefer to use weight machines opt for an equipment list that uses a stack of weighted bars attached to a pulley system, with different pieces of equipment designed for different muscle groups.
  
  

Pec Deck

• The Pec Deck is a weight workout machine designed to work the muscles of the chest. Two pads are set about chest high on either side of the person. The unit that holds the pads is attached to the pulleys and the weight stack. The person sits with his forearms on the pads and the weight stack to his back and then closes the pads together in front of his chest before opening them back out. He repeats the action as many times as he desires.
  
  

Leg Press

• The leg press is designed with the person doing the exercise seated with her feet on a foot pad in a position in which her knees are bent at about 90 degrees. She presses the pad out to straighten her legs and then eases it back to the original position. The pad unit is attached to the weight stack by the pulley so she can press the desired amount of weight and work her legs.
  
  

Lat Pulldown

• The lat pull bar is attached to the weight stack by the pulley. The person uses the bar to work the muscles of the upper back and shoulders, and he can work either facing toward or away from the weight stack. The bar is set above his head, and he grabs it and pulls straight down either in front of or behind his neck, depending on which muscle group he is looking to work.
  
  

Bench Press

• The bench press is most commonly done with free weights, but there are machines that are used for the same purpose. The weight stack and pulley are attached to a handle with extended hand grips at chest level over a person lying on a bench. She raises the handle unit or bar to full arm extension and then lowers it back down. One advantage to doing bench press with a machine is it avoids the risk of losing grip and having weights crash down on the user.
  
  

Universal

• Many weight machines combine the different pieces of individual equipment into one unit, with all of them sharing the same weight stack. These universal weight machines save space and provide the same workout benefits as the individual pieces of equipment.