Have you ever been halfway through your workout, working
hard, on the machines and wondered if using the machine is better than using
free standing weights?
Both forms of equipment have some benefits and some
drawbacks; the key is to figure out which one is right for you.
Machines
When you walk into a gym, the first pieces of
equipment you usually see are loads of different machines set up to work each
muscle in your body. You get on the machine and let them guide your body through
the movement while they provide resistance; all you need to do is push or pull.
Machines are great for newbies because they don't
have much of an intimidation factor. You can easily select a weight that is
appropriate for you and just follow the machine's range of motion to guarantee
that you hit your target muscle. They can also help prevent injuries.
These are some of reasons why we think machines are
good.
- Faster workouts
- Reduced risk of injury
- Easy to use
- Useful when recovering from an injury
These are some of the reason we
have against using them:
Here are some of the downsides of weight machines:
- Increased risk of pattern overload injuries
- False sense of strength gain
- Mistaken sense of safety
- Locked-in-place body movement patterns.
Free weights
Free weights,
This Is equipment such as dumbbells and barbells. These are the alternative to
machines for your strength-training program. If you're a beginner but have
invested in some personal
training sessions, or if you're past the beginner stage, free weights are your better
option.
Some of the benefits of free weights are:
- Increased use of stabilizing muscles
- Similarity with everyday activities
- Improved balance
- Increased use of brainpower
- Convenient and inexpensive
Free weights also have some bad points.
- Increased risk of injury when not using proper form
- Decreased efficiency
So to sum it up.
While both free weights and machines have their
pros and cons, free weights tend to be a better choice for almost everyone.
Even beginners should try to progress to free weights as quickly as possible
since they will see more noticeable improvements with this type of equipment.
Every once in a while, a session with a trainer is a great idea to ensure you
are using correct form, and to give you ideas for different exercises to
increase your interest in working out.
If you want more help, guidance and just general motivation then follow us on social media Twitter @PTElite_ and Facebook or if you want information on personal training at our private training studios for Liverpool and Wirral simply contact us on 0151 668 0250 or email info@elitefitnessconsultants.co.uk