Lubrication is essential in weightlifting, especially with gym machines with several moving parts. It is challenging to use these machines if the moving parts do not move fluidly and efficiently. As a result, it is essential that you know how to lubricate your gym equipment properly. In this regard, this article will examine how to lubricate home gym pulleys, helping you keep your home gym pulleys functional for longer.
Lubricating your pulleys
The most crucial step to take when you want to lubricate your home gym pulley is to go through the user’s manual to know what kind of lubricant you can use for the machine.
In addition, the user’s manual will also describe the machine’s lubrication points so you can know where to apply the lubricant. After that, clean out any previous lubricant around the pulley. To apply the lubricant, apply it directly on a neat and dry piece of fabric, then use the fabric to wipe the joints and movable areas of your home gym pulley. After that, tighten any screw or nut that may have come loose while lubricating the pulley. Depending on the lubricants you can use for your machine, check out WD-40 Original Formula.
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You should note that lubrication should be one of many approaches if you notice your pulley is no longer moving freely. Before bringing out the towel and lubricant, ensure that the pulley is not moving poorly because of any dirt lodged in it. Often, dirt may get stuck in the pulley, increasing resistance and making it difficult to use the machine. In these cases, clean out the pulley and see if it restores your machine’s fluidity. You should also check that the cables have not come out of their tracks, as this could also make it difficult for it to move freely over the pulley. If you want to lubricate your pulley, you can use the PlanetSafe Exercise Equipment Lubricant.
Other tips for using home gym machines
Lubricating your home gym equipment is one of several steps you can take to improve the machines’ longevity and give you returns on your money. Here are other steps for keeping them functional for longer:
Keep them indoors if possible
It can be challenging to keep your machines indoors if you prefer the outdoor feeling of gyming outside. However, gym machines are complicated pieces of equipment that require a cool and predictable environment for them to function correctly. Keeping your gym machine outdoors or in a poorly covered shed leaves them vulnerable to the elements, which can severely affect their performance and longevity.
Sturdier free weights like barbells and weight plates also find it challenging to survive the elements, much less equipment as complex as gym machines. The metal parts are vulnerable to rust, so keeping them outdoors increases the likelihood of damage from corrosion. Likewise, particles in the outside air can easily find their way into the pulleys, clogging them and making it difficult or impossible for the cables to move along the pulleys. Machines are complex and expensive gym equipment; you should treat them as such.
💡 Quick Tip: Looking for corrosion-resistant weight plates for your outdoor gym? Try out the Rogue Deep Dish Plates
Rogue Deep Dish Plates
Keep them away from liquid
You want to avoid liquid around your precious gym machines as it can affect their optimal performance. Water plays an essential role in the chemical reaction that causes iron to rust. A rusting gym machine may be challenging to use as the rust may affect the cable’s fluidity across the machine. Furthermore, liquids like pre-workouts, protein shakes, and smoothies that you may take in the gym also contain residue that can dry up in hard-to-reach areas responsible for the machine’s fluid movements. This residue can increase resistance along the tracks and on the pulley. You can prevent accidental spillages in your home gym by keeping your liquid in the Hydracy Water Bottle with Time Marker.
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Clean them after use
The best way to ensure that your gym machines remain free from dirt and rust-inducing liquid is by cleaning them after your workout session. During workouts, you can stain the machine with sweat or inadvertently spill your water or drink on it. So to prevent these factors from accumulating and rendering your machine unusable, you should clean it after your workout session, so it remains pristine.
Do not abuse the machines
It is easy to see machines as huge gym equipment and mistake them for being invincible. While most gym machines have designs that allow them to endure heavy use, you should ensure you do not abuse them. The most common way weightlifters abuse gym machines is by slamming the weight plates down after a set. Repeatedly free-dropping the weights on your machine can weaken the plates and the shock-absorbing mechanism below them. You should also ensure you use the machines as the manufacturers intended it. As a result, you should perform the correct exercises with the correct machines. Some machines come with explanations on how to use them. For machines without these, you can look them up to learn how to use them properly.
💡 Quick Tip: Machines are a good place to begin any weight training because of their benefits. If you have the cash to spare, you should consider the Rogue CC-1 Cable Crossover
Rogue CC-1 Cable Crossover
Schedule regular maintenance checks
Regular maintenance checks are also essential to improve your machine’s longevity. You can set up weekly and monthly maintenance check-ups. During the weekly check-ups, you can go over easily accessible parts of your gym machines to see if they are in permissible conditions. You can use the monthly maintenance checks to observe the more intricate parts of the machine to ensure they are functioning correctly. Because of the technicality necessary for the monthly maintenance, it is advisable to outsource it to professionals so you do not damage your gym machine or miss key signs that the machine needs to be fixed.
