Free Weights vs Machines For Weight Loss Workout

Free Weights vs Machines For Weight Loss - Introduction

As you go about designing your workout program, you are going to ask yourself a primary question here. Should you be using free weights or exercise machines?

They are different in the way the body reacts to both of them. One has the benefit of improving stability and gives your limbs a greater angle of motion. The other is ideal for isolating muscle groups.

But still each method does have its pros and cons. Let us first take a look at the main difference between free weights and machines

Free Weights Vs Machines - The Difference

Hand weights are inexpensive, portable, and readily available for purchase in just about any department store.

Keeping them in your living room or office will allow you to get a few sets when you are under stress or when you need a break to take your mind off something.

The benefit of a resistance machine is that it will allow you to focus your mind on the effort, as opposed to the mechanics of the movement.

However, unless you have enough space for a machine in your home, you will need a gym membership.

Besides the facts that I will provide you on the topic free weights vs machines. I have myself used machines and free weights for general fitness (not to become a body builder), so you can trust me with what you are going to read ;)

Free Weights vs Machines- Pros

Weight Machines

Most machines have a demonstration for its use. This makes them easy to use on their own.

They are easy to figure out by watching anyone using them in the gym. While free weight exercises need more learning and practice to be able to do them properly.

Machines are beneficial to those who are trying to improve their muscle mass by building bigger muscles. However, it can be the best method for some.

It may also be useful if you are bench pressing or squatting without having a partner or someone to help you with the weights.

For someone who is just recovering an injury, machines may be the way to get back on his feet.

Since machines isolate, it may also be easier to work around certain injuries. Also if someone is new to the gym and doesn't know how to exercise using free weights, then he may use the machines with easy to follow instructions.

When size is your main goal, you better get yourself to the machines to get those inches added to your muscles easily.

However, for a balanced physique and better-shaped muscle, I recommend to use a combination of both weight machines and free weights, though.

Free Weights

Here you will engage the core muscles more since you are not locked in a certain position, enhancing their strength level.

Machine-based exercises keep you fixed into one motion. They don't engage the muscles surrounding the main muscle that  you are training. Hence, leaving the core muscles weaker which may lead to injury.

There are far more exercises that you can do with free weights as compared to machines.

When using free weights, you will be challenging your body to keep its position when you perform the movements. This prevents the weight from oscillating in your hand, which is a challenging process itself, it has its benefits as you will see.

Exercising with a heavy weight and moving in slow motion in your reps puts an extra load on your muscles. This helps them to reach full excitation. This means your muscles, especially your core, have to engage to stabilize you.

The Advantages Of Using Free Weights

For Athletes, it is recommended to use free weights to remain away from injury and to step up their fitness levels and stamina.

They are often advised to use free weights to gain muscles. Once you build up your strength, you can use some machines to build specific muscle groups, in other words, to shape these muscles.

Free weights may also speed up the rehab process by adding in the functional movements to get you moving and feel better.

Some machines are just not useful. For example, the Smith Machine keeps you in a certain position with no allowance in any other direction. Its design is not suitable for different body types doing different exercises.

Although machines are safer to use with lower levels of skill, it is still possible to use too much weight and enough poor form to cause a serious injury.

Doing the same movement every day will surely get you injured, which I call an overuse injury. The form is important and like anything else the danger is in the dose.

Training Tips For Using Free Weights

The best strength training exercises are done using free weights or body weights. Sometimes, a combination of them is also recommended.

Here are some of the best examples of training exercises by free weights.

• A squat that you do while holding a weight in front of you (like a goblet). It improves the strength of your core and legs.
• Push-ups are the simplest, yet most effective movements that engage your upper body muscles, your core as well as your lower body depending on the type of push-up you are doing.
• A combination of a lunge and a squat is very useful for stretching and strengthen your hips and thighs. They are also known to increase the testosterone level in men.

[button_2 color="green" align="center" href="www.weightlosswellbeing.com/reach-your-workout-goals-proven-7-steps/" new_window="Y"]Learn How You Can Reach Your Workout Goals Easily![/button_2]

 

Free Weights Vs Machines - Conclusion

Generally speaking, for most people free weights will be the better route to go for a wide variety of different reasons.

If you feel uncomfortable using these because you are unsure of the routine, then you can ask for the trainer's help in the first couple of sessions before you go on your own.

This will ensure that you maintain good form and stay injury-free well into the future.

The following post Free Weights vs Machines For Weight Loss Workout was first published to: http://www.weightlosswellbeing.com/