While variety can often times be a good thing, it can also leave us feeling a little bit overwhelmed or even confused.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve ever walked into a large gym you might have felt totally inundated with the crazy amount of exercise options.\u00a0 You\u2019ll see machines, bands, dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, BOSU balls, cable columns, something called a \u201clandmine\u201d and so much more!\u00a0 For someone like me, this is like being a kid in a candy shop.\u00a0 So many options\u2026I get giddy just thinking about it!<\/p>\n
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For everyone else, though, all these options can feel a bit intimidating.\u00a0 You might also be wondering what is best?\u00a0 Should you be using the machines that are already set up and tell you what body part you are working?\u00a0 Or maybe you should be using dumbbells because they seem easy enough and you can do lots of exercises with them.\u00a0 With all these options can come a lot of questions.\u00a0 The short answer is that no one exercise format is necessarily better than the other.\u00a0 They each have their benefits and their drawbacks.\u00a0 And, like many things, it also depends on what your goals are related to your strength training.<\/p>\n
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The key is understanding what those are then making an educated decision about what is right for you!\u00a0 I am going to help give you some insight into the good and that bad for machines verse free weights.\u00a0 \u00a0These are the most commonly used and asked about in terms of which one is best.\u00a0 Next time you walk into the gym maybe you\u2019ll be giddy like me with all the potential!\u00a0 At the very least, you\u2019ll know whether you want to head for the dumbbells or the machines.<\/p>\n
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First off you might be wondering what exactly constitutes a free weight.\u00a0 Quite simply, this is any weight that is not attached to an apparatus.\u00a0 For example, this can include (but not limited to) dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells.\u00a0 These are the best option if you are planning to do your workouts at home.\u00a0 They are relatively inexpensive and small enough to store away when you are not using them.\u00a0 But hey, if you have room for a bunch of machines in your home gym then good on you\u2026and I\u2019m officially jealous!<\/p>\n
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One great benefit to using free weights is that they allow you to work three-dimensionally. \u00a0This is important because this is how our body normally moves in daily life.\u00a0 Therefore, free weight exercises can be considered more functional because you are working in all three planes of movement.\u00a0 Most exercises involve a primary muscle or muscle group and secondary muscles. \u00a0Many of the secondary muscles involved are the ones that help stabilize the joint your moving.\u00a0 When using free weights, you are engaging both the primary muscle(s) and a bunch of secondary stabilizing muscles to keep you moving smoothly throughout the exercise.\u00a0 Because of this stabilization, you will be engaging more muscles while performing a particular movement or exercise.\u00a0 Again, this is also how we move throughout our day and use our muscles we lift or pick something up.<\/p>\n
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While free weights have the benefit of being a more functional way of moving and requiring more muscle involvement they might not be for everyone.\u00a0 Using free weights, particularly barbells can be more challenging for beginners.\u00a0 \u00a0Barbell work requires a greater level of skill to perform accurately and without risk of injury.\u00a0 Free weights also tend to require more balance and coordination which can also be more challenging for beginners.<\/p>\n
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A good portion of a gym is likely to be taken up by a wide variety of machines, working all different body parts.\u00a0 There are many different types of machines and exercises you might encounter.\u00a0 Machines can be great because they place you in a good position to help you isolate a particular muscle or muscle group.\u00a0 They move on a fixed axis and will only allow you to move in two planes of motion.\u00a0 Because of this, they don\u2019t allow you to compensate or use a lot of momentum to assist with the movement.\u00a0 You also may be able to lift heavier because of being in a proper position.\u00a0 You could also improve some muscular imbalances and specific areas of weakness because you are able to better isolate that muscle and not compensate with other bigger stronger muscles.<\/p>\n
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Machines can be a safer alternative to free weights for beginners who are not as comfortable with a certain movement pattern or unsure of the set up for an exercise.\u00a0 As I mentioned above, free weights have a slightly higher potential for injury due to requiring proper setup and form with the movement.\u00a0 Machines inherently place your body in the right position and therefore can be safer in that regard.\u00a0 They are do not require the level of balance and coordination that free weights do.<\/p>\n
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Sometimes it just may come down to availability.\u00a0 The gym can get busy at certain times of the day and you may have a plan to do a leg press machine but it\u2019s taken.\u00a0 Don\u2019t feel like you have to wait around until it\u2019s free.\u00a0 The goal is to maximize your time in the gym and nothing wastes your time more than standing around waiting.\u00a0 You can switch to doing a dumbbell or kettlebell squat instead.\u00a0 We want to work smarter not harder so don\u2019t be afraid to adjust your plan for that day if machine or free weight availability is an issue.<\/p>\n
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