Error Proofing the Weight Room
I have always been active and continue to try and stay active. I go to the gym and workout a few days a week to try and stay in shape. A couple of weeks ago, I switched gyms that I was working out at. The new gym I go to has many more machines that target muscles more specifically. The thing that got my attention most was how well they targeted the muscle it was designed for. I wasn’t doing any new exercises or trying to target different muscles, but I was more sore than I had been in the past.
I have been using a weight machine for several years to do the overhead press to work my shoulders. At the new gym, I find the overhead press machine. It looks a little different. As I use it, I notice that my range of motion feels better…..more natural. I’m not fighting how my arms move. They are just moving comfortably. I did the weight that I have been doing for a few weeks. The next day, my muscles felt more exhausted and worked then I have ever felt. By making slight improvements to the design of the machine to mimic more natural of a movement the machine target the muscles more directly and made my workout more efficient.
One other improvement was the use of visual standard work. One the machine is a plaque that details what muscles it is designed for. It also gives instructions on how to set up the machine seating for use to best target the intended muscles. Below is an example (click to enlarge).
The instructions on the machines at the new gym are more detailed then this one, but I wanted to give an idea of what was on the machine.
Examples of lean concepts are everywhere. Do you see other examples at the gym? Where else do you see examples being applied?
Posted on June 11, 2010, in Error Proofing and tagged Error Proofing, Gym, Waste. Bookmark the permalink. 1 Comment.
Beyond Lean 
I don’t see other examples at the gym. Of course, I don’t GO to the gym either! I workout at home…inside and out.
Here’s my example: Celtics vs. Lakers. Sunday night (game 5), check out the quick changeovers. Most of the guys on the bench look like it would take them 2 or 3 minutes to get into the game. Long pants, a sweat jacket, drink in one hand and a spare headband in the other. They usually ‘fly’ off the bench and are ready to play in seconds.
It’s interesting to watch how the different teams ‘prepare’ their bench players to enter the game. The changeover rate is varied depending on how the game is going and is used as a strategy against the other team.
The speed of changeovers is usually a good sign as to how tired players may be. For me, it’s just as enjoyable (interesting?) to watch the changeovers as it is to watch ‘the game’. In my mind, changeovers are an important part of the game.