How to convert machine weight between gyms and brands
Short answer: there is no single factor that turns a number on one brand into a number on another. The pin number or the plates tell you what is loaded, not the force at the handles, and every machine sits something different between the two. An honest conversion needs the force at the handles on both machines; where we do not have it, we say "No data yet" instead of guessing.
Updated 2026-11-07
Why the same number feels different
- Pulley ratio. A movable pulley or a cable that wraps more than once changes how far the stack travels for each centimetre of handle travel, and so how heavy the handle feels compared with the pin number.
- Cam. A cam is a shaped pulley: it changes the resistance through the rep, so a machine can feel light at the start and heavy at the end, and another brand the other way round.
- Lever arm. On a lever machine, where the plates or the stack attach and where your hands are decide how much of the load reaches you. The same plates further from the pivot feel heavier.
- Starting resistance. The empty arm, sled or carriage already resists before you add anything, and it differs from one machine to the next.
- Friction. Bearings, bushings and pulleys add resistance while you lift and take some away while you lower. Older or poorly maintained machines usually have more.
- Units and increments. Stacks are labelled in kilograms or in pounds and the jump between pins differs between brands, so even the nearest setting may not be close.
Two cable set-ups, drawn
What an honest conversion needs
To convert a load from one machine to another, we need the force at the handles of both machines at the same point of the movement: measured with a force gauge, or estimated from a mechanical model built only from sourced inputs. The comparator then reads the force for your setting on the first machine and works out, between the settings it knows on the second machine, the setting that gives the same force. It shows the lower of the two confidence levels next to the result.
It never extrapolates beyond the settings it knows, it gives no number when the error band runs outside the second machine's range, and it only compares machines of the same movement. Without a force curve on both sides, it answers "No data yet".
Machines we can already work out
Each mechanical model below is built from the manufacturer's figures and documented engineering ranges. A computed model gives an estimated force curve; a partial model knows only part of the force; a model that needs measurements is waiting for an input nobody publishes, such as a cable ratio or a lever length.
gym80 Lat Pulldown Machine Needs measurements
F_handle(θ) = W · R(θ) · η^n with R(θ) = Δs_stack / Δs_handle measured at start / mid / end
gym80 Pure Kraft 45 Degrees Linear Leg Press Partial model
F = SR + P·sin(45°) ± friction → plate part known (0.707·P), SR unknown
gym80 Seated Chest Press Needs measurements
F_handle(θ) = W · R(θ) · η^n with R(θ) = Δs_stack / Δs_handle measured at start / mid / end
Hammer Strength Iso-Lateral Bench Press Needs measurements
F(θ) = SR(θ) + P·x_p(θ)/L_h (per arm, force perpendicular to the pivot→grip line)
Hammer Strength Plate Loaded Linear Leg Press Estimate computed
F = SR + P·sin(θ) ± μ·(SR·cot θ + P·cos θ)
A few estimated rows (pin or plates, then force mid-movement); the machine page lists every row:
| Machine setting (pin / plates) | Position in range of motion | Resistance at the handle/pad (measured or estimated) | Confidence and date | Review status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 kg | Mid-range | 53.52 kg Error band: 52.7–54.3 kg | Estimated Method: incline sled model · Derivation & sources Computed 2026-10-17 | Approved |
| 20 kg | Mid-range | 67.67 kg Error band: 66.5–68.8 kg | Estimated Method: incline sled model · Derivation & sources Computed 2026-10-17 | Approved |
| 40 kg | Mid-range | 81.81 kg Error band: 80.2–83.3 kg | Estimated Method: incline sled model · Derivation & sources Computed 2026-10-17 | Approved |
Hammer Strength Select Lat Pulldown Needs measurements
T_clip = W · R · η^n with R = Δs_stack / Δs_handle (virtual work)
Technogym Pure Strength Linear Leg Press Needs measurements
F = SR + P·sin(θ) ± friction
Technogym Selection 700 Lat Machine Estimate computed
T_clip = W (static) ; W/η² while lifting ; W·η² while lowering
A few estimated rows (pin or plates, then force mid-movement); the machine page lists every row:
| Machine setting (pin / plates) | Position in range of motion | Resistance at the handle/pad (measured or estimated) | Confidence and date | Review status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 kg | Mid-range | 10 kg Error band: 9.2–10.9 kg | Estimated Method: cable over fixed pulleys · Derivation & sources Computed 2026-10-17 | Approved |
| 20 kg | Mid-range | 20 kg Error band: 18.4–21.7 kg | Estimated Method: cable over fixed pulleys · Derivation & sources Computed 2026-10-17 | Approved |
| 30 kg | Mid-range | 30 kg Error band: 27.6–32.6 kg | Estimated Method: cable over fixed pulleys · Derivation & sources Computed 2026-10-17 | Approved |
Technogym Selection 700 Leg Press Needs measurements
F_footplate = W · R · η^n with R = Δs_stack / Δs_footplate
Which pairs can be converted today
No data yet No movement has two machines with a force curve yet, so the comparator answers "No data yet" for every pair. We prefer that to a guess. Machines that already have a force curve:
Hammer Strength Plate Loaded Linear Leg PressTechnogym Selection 700 Lat Machine
Until then: switching machines without a number
- Start lighter than usual on a new machine and work back up over a few sets.
- Judge the load by the reps you can do and how hard they feel, not by the number on the pin.
- Note your settings per machine and per gym: compare a machine with itself over time.
- If you can measure the force at the handle, share it: one measurement on each side is what turns "No data yet" into a conversion.
How every figure is labelled
MachineConvert never invents a number. Each figure carries one of three levels, with its source link and the date it was read:
- Measured
- Read on the machine itself with a force gauge, following the measurement protocol, with a proof (continuous video or photos) and the date.
- Manufacturer
- Quoted word for word from the manufacturer's official page or document, in the units printed there, with the link and the date it was read. A stack weight says what the plates weigh, not what you feel at the handle.
- Estimated
- Computed from a mechanical model of the machine (lever, cam or pulley) built from sourced inputs. Each estimate shows its method, its error band and a derivation page, and is marked as not verified by measurement.
Try it
Open the comparatorLat pulldown weight by brand: stacks, increments and what the pin meansHow do weight stacks compare between brands?Coverage by machine group
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