There is only one real way to build up muscles: use the muscle to exhaustion. As the muscles recover they will add more muscle tissue to accommodate the new work load which is what is meant by building muscle. Some people have jobs that require a lot of physical exertion such as lifting or carrying things from one place to another or digging which is stationary lifting. For the rest of the folks who want to build up their muscles but have sedentary work there are excellent machines available to help.
Fitness equipment such as a stationary bike are not generally used for muscle building so much as for muscle warm-up before the work out or for stamina training which are important parts of any fitness training program. To build muscle one must push or pull against resistance. The advantage of machines over free weights is that they are designed for safety while effectively working with a specific muscle group.
First let us consider stack machines. These pieces of fitness equipment have been around for many years and continue to be very popular for the very simple reason that they are effective for muscle building. The inclined press is used to build the upper pectorals. The user begins with very light weights and as he or she gains muscle they move to higher weights simply by moving a setter pen thus gaining greater resistance. The vertical press machine was developed to eliminate the danger of tearing the pectoral muscles during exercise. In fitness training eliminating risks is a good thing.
Other Fitness equipment in the stack machine category include the lat pull down which trains the latissimus dorsi muscles so that the user can attain the V-Taper body shape. The seated overhead press machine eliminates the need for a spotter while doing efficient deltoid exercise. Unlike free weight training, resistance machines are safe to use while alone.
There are many other machines in the stack machine group: triceps extensions, leg extensions, leg press, lying leg curl, seated leg curl, seated calf and toe press, abdominal crunch, and lower back extension. All of these are used to target individual muscle groups and are based on the principle of increasing the weights in the resistance gradually as the muscles are built up.
All exercise or fitness programs include weight loss and a diet plan as part of their basic structures. Weight loss occurs naturally as exercise increases. A diet plan is important because the muscles need to have the nutrients available to rebuild themselves as more and more stress is applied. Without a healthy diet plan associated with the training program the muscles just can’t grow.