On the days you plan to lift at Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, you’ll notice that we offer several different types of strength training equipment to choose from. Our mission is to keep our Thornton gym stocked with a range of different options so that:

• Our gym appeals to people of all fitness levels.
• Our members can vary their workout, which helps to prevent boredom and muscular imbalance.
• Our members can grow with our gym and graduate to more advanced equipment as they make progress in their fitness journey.

Two key types of strength training equipment you’ll find at AFAC are plate loaded machines and selectorized machines. While both are equally effective to use during your workouts, each has its own benefits.

Below, we’ll explain the differences between selectorized and plate loaded equipment and the advantages that come with each. If you ever have questions about how to use the equipment at our gym or would like assistance with making your workouts as effective as possible, our personal trainers are here to assist you.

What Are the Differences Between Selectorized and Plate Loaded Gym Equipment?

The key difference between selectorized and plate loaded gym equipment resides in how you change the weight burden on the machines.

Selectorized equipment

One of the benefits of a selectorized weight machine is its ease of use. Selectorized equipment includes one or more stacks of rectangular weight plates that are attached to a frame and a system of pulleys. You select your desired amount of weight by inserting a pin or key into a weight stack. All the weights above the pin are the ones you’ll lift. Adjusting weights on a selectorized machine only takes a matter of seconds and often can be done without requiring you to get up from your workout. Selectorized machines also allow you to quickly and easily determine how much you’re able to lift — simply keep adjusting the pins until you find your sweet spot.

Plate loaded equipment

Plate loaded equipment uses conventional round plates, the same plates you’d see on barbells. To change the amount of weight on the machine, you need to manually add or remove the plates. While it takes more effort and time to adjust the amount of weight on plate loaded equipment, these machines are generally able to hold much more weight than selectorized machines. Likewise, plate loaded machines also can hold much lighter weights than selectorized machines, which means plate loaded equipment can be fine-tuned to the precise amount of weight you desire.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of selectorized gym equipment?

As mentioned previously, one of the major benefits of selectorized gym equipment is how easy it is to use. You can adjust the amount of weight you want quickly and without even having to get up.

Other benefits of selectorized machines include the following:

• They encourage solo use — Many gym members feel comfortable using selectorized equipment on their own because it’s safer than freeweights and no spotter is required.
• They are easily incorporated into a workout routine — Gym members often find that they see fast results with selectorized machines. Again, this is likely because these machines are so easy to use which leads to more frequent workouts and healthier workout behaviors, leading to noticeable progress in one’s fitness goals.
• They can be used to target and build individual muscles and muscle groups. One primary feature of selectorized equipment is its pulley system that’s designed to put maximum resistance on any muscle you’re targeting with your workout. This helps each muscle develop to its full potential.
• They don’t rely on joint function as much as other equipment does. When you lift with barbells, you’re depending on healthy joints to complete each exercise successfully. If one of your joints is weakened or malfunctioning, you could end up with an injury. Selectorized exercise machines place the greatest amount of force on your muscles instead of your joints to maximize muscle growth and prevent injury.
• They create metabolic overload. Metabolic overload is what happens when a muscle works until it’s so fatigued that it can’t perform another contraction. You get muscle growth by lifting until you reach this point of momentary muscle fatigue, drop the weight, and then try again until you reach your next moment of muscle fatigue. Selectorized machines are the most efficient and safest way to create metabolic overload.
• They provide you with the time efficiency needed for circuit training. Circuit training — which is often performed in groups using equipment like barbells, kettlebells, and sleds — is designed to push you from one exercise to the next without any rest in between. For people who want to circuit train alone, selectorized machines are a great solution because they allow for fast transitioning from one exercise and weight set to another.
• They can help you define specific muscles. Muscle definition is achieved by keeping specific muscles in a state of semi-contraction. Since selectorized machines are designed for muscle isolation exercises, they’re great for workouts that enhance muscle definition.
• They’re safer. Freeweights like kettlebells, barbells, trap bars, and dumbbells are very effective when they’re used properly, but you can get injured if you try to lift freeweights that are too heavy for you, or if you lack the form or skill to lift them correctly. Selectorized machines allow you to test your limits on how much weight you can lift without the risk of a weight falling and causing injury.

One of the main downsides of selectorized machines is that they have a maximum weight limit, which means some users will eventually outgrow the machine.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of plate loaded gym equipment?

No gym is complete without traditional plate loaded equipment. Why do gym members appreciate the plate loaded machines at AFAC?

• Because they allow for a classic weightlifting experience. Plate loaded equipment is the icon of true, traditional, brute-force weightlifting. It provides an experience that no other machine can replicate, allowing you to defy gravity and lift the weight using only your body, with no cables attached. These machines are designed for those who want the pure, unfiltered weightlifting experience.
• Because many of our gym’s plate loaded machines can be used as bilateral or unilateral. This helps you find out which arm is stronger and does not allow one side to work harder than the other side.
• Because they’re more customizable. Plate loaded equipment is more customizable than selectorized equipment. By mixing and matching plates, users can set up the exact weight load they desire, instead of being somewhat limited by adjusting the pre-determined loads on selectorized equipment.
• Because they have a higher maximum weight limit. Plate loaded machines can hold more weight than selectorized equipment, so they’re ideal for gym members who like to lift heavy.
• Because they can be loaded with smaller weights. Unlike selectorized equipment, plate loaded machines can be used with a range of different plate sizes, including smaller plates that appeal to members who prefer to lift lighter.

The main drawback of plate loaded strength machines is the time and effort it takes to change the weights on the machine. To do so, you need to dismount from the machine which disrupts your workout. Plus, if you want to lift large amounts of weight, you might need to make several trips to carry the weights to the machine you’re using.

Weigh All Your Options at AFAC’s Thornton Gym

In conclusion, both plate loaded and selectorized machines have their upsides and downsides, and they’re both viable options to use for your workouts. We welcome members of Adventure Fitness Athletic Club to try each and decide what works best for them. You might find yourself alternating between them, or you may start with selectorized and eventually work your way up to plate loaded machines. Either way, our staff is here to assist and support you in your fitness adventure, which is why we are the best gym in Thornton.

Since strength training puts a lot of stress on your muscles and joints, we invite you to use our cryotherapy chamber and hydro massage bed to encourage faster recovery. To find out more about our strength training equipment, please talk to one of our personal trainers. You can also contact our gym owner, Susan at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club.

To read more articles from Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, check out our Adventure Corner blogs by clicking here.