# How to set up a gym machine, and remember it next time

> Seat height and pad positions change every lift. Get them right once, then keep them.

[Guides](https://nomae.com.au/guides) · 6 min read

A machine only feels like the same exercise if it's set up the same way. One notch on the seat can shift which muscles work, how heavy the weight feels and whether your joints are comfortable. Here's how to set up the common ones.

## The general rule: line up the pivot

Most machines have a pivot, the point the arm or pad rotates around. Line up the joint that's doing the work with that pivot. Knee with the pivot on a leg extension or leg curl. Shoulder roughly in line with the handles' path on a press.

MachineSet thisAim forLeg extensionBack pad, shin padKnee in line with the pivot; shin pad just above the ankleSeated leg curlBack pad, thigh pad, ankle padKnee in line with the pivot; thigh pad snug so you can't lift off the seatChest pressSeat heightHandles about mid-chest; elbows slightly below your shouldersShoulder pressSeat heightHandles around shoulder height at the bottomLat pulldownThigh padThighs locked under the pad so you don't lift upSeated rowSeat or chest padArms straight and level with the handles at the startLeg pressBack rest angle, foot positionLower back stays on the pad at the bottom

A starting point. Bodies differ, and so do machine makers. Comfortable and repeatable beats textbook.

## Write it down

Most machines have numbered holes or a scale on each adjustment. Note them: seat 4, back pad 2, handle neutral. Take a photo of the setup if there are no numbers. Next session you're set up in ten seconds instead of fiddling for a minute, and your numbers are comparable week to week.

## Your gym probably has two of everything

Two leg presses from different makers are not the same exercise. If you switch, start a little lighter and log it as a different machine, or your progress will look like it jumped or fell for no reason.

Where NOMAE fits

Keep a note or photo of each machine's seat and pad settings so you can repeat your setup next time. The NOMAE app keeps your workout history and sets together; the tracker helps count reps on compatible weight stacks.

[Order · A$199 to 4 November](https://nomae.com.au/tracker#launch)

[Will it fit my machines?](https://nomae.com.au/fit)

General information about training, not medical or personalised advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, check with a doctor or physiotherapist first.

## More guides

[**What is NOMAE? The gym machine rep tracker explained**: What the NOMAE gym tracker does, which machines it fits, the free iPhone app, prices and availability in Australia. · 3 min](https://nomae.com.au/guides/what-is-nomae-gym-tracker)

[**Progressive overload on gym machines: a simple system**: Machines make getting stronger easy to measure, if you know what to change and when. · 5 min](https://nomae.com.au/guides/progressive-overload-on-machines)

[**Rep speed: why the same weight moving faster means you're stronger**: Before the weight goes up, the speed does. Here's how to read it. · 5 min](https://nomae.com.au/guides/rep-speed-and-strength)

[**How to track gym progress without a spreadsheet**: What to record, what to ignore, and how to tell if it's working. · 4 min](https://nomae.com.au/guides/track-gym-progress)

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