Top

       alt text alt text alt text alt text alt text alt text alt text alt text alt text alt text alt text alt text alt text


Free weights vs. machines

November 12, 2008

It is the desire of all to be fit and fine. Some people like to go for work outs in the gyms. They like to work on machines available for exercises of different body parts. However, some like to work with free weights. Both of them have pros and cons of their own. Let us look at the differences between both of them.

Machines
In a gym, you will find a number of machines to work out for various muscle types. These machines are a guide for your body. You can sit, stand or lie on these machines. They provide a lot of resistance to your body. Various advantages of machines are as follows:
•    Faster work outs: Work outs become fast while using machines. You only need to select a weight and the rest of the task is done by the machine.
•    Less risk of injury: Machines help in controlling your range of motion, thus reducing the risk of injury.
•    Easy to use: One can easily work on these machines by reading the instructions given next to each machine, rather than going for a personal trainer.
•    Helpful in recovering from an injury: Machines help a great deal in getting recovered from any major injury, thus helping you to remain fit and fine side by side.

Some of the disadvantages of machines are as follows:
•    Increased risk of overdoing certain actions: While machine are of great help in reducing the risk of injury, they can cause injury also, if the same action of exercising on a particular machine is repeated more than required.
•    Safety mistaken: It is absolutely not true that the guidance given by a machine for work outs can never result in an injury. Overloading of muscles with too much of weight can cause strain.

Free weights
Free weights, like dumbbells and barbells, are an alternative for machines, to keep you fit and fine. They also have their own advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of free weights are listed below.
•    Increased use of stabilizing muscles: Your muscles get stabilized due to lifting of weights. There is no need to worry about the time being devoted on a particular exercise.
•    Helps to improve the balance: Weight lifting helps to gain strength and maintain balance. It helps to improve your brain power too.
•    Similarity with daily routine activities: Exercises performed with free weights are quite similar to the daily routine activities and hence help in facilitating daily routine activities.

Some of the disadvantages of free weights are as follows:
•    Increased risk of injury: Risk for injury is more if not used properly.
•    Decreased efficiency: Efficiency decreases if you are not able to adjust the weights according to your preferences.

Thus, it is advisable for beginners to start with free weights, as they are less risky and correspond to the daily routine activities. It is not as if machines are not good, but it is right that free weights are a better option.


What's More today?

alt text 6 ways to weight loss

If you are the kind of person thinking about diets, then probably your biggest dilemma is how to shed... 

alt text Weight Loss Tips

We are all tired of trying diets and never getting results. In this article, you will learn how to design... 

alt text Facial exercise to improve the shape of your face

Everyone wants to look beautiful. That is the reason they use facials and makeup and visit beauty parlors... 

alt text Eating fish – how good is it for you?

It would seem that just about every person who eats meat loves sushi. Eating fish has become increasingly... 

alt text How the Calorie Shifting Diet Works

If you are carrying some excess weight and would like to lose it so that you can feel healthier, then... 

alt text Foods to keep your heart strong and healthy.

You might be aware that your heart needs to move about two thousand gallons of your blood around your... 

alt text The dreaded swine flu – How to spot the symptoms and get help

It is no wonder there is so much panic about the new swine flu virus outbreak. In our society we are... 

alt text Acid Reflux and Your Food

It is always a common knowledge that food has a big contribution to the condition of our health. When... 

alt text Antioxidant Vitamins: The Secret to Age Reversal

People are now conscious with how they look, especially women, who are entering the period of forties... 

alt text Curing Swine Flu through Homeopathy

In the past, homeopathy has successfully cured influenza. This was true during the epidemic in 1918.... 

alt text Understanding The Atkins Diet

The Atkins Diet was a huge diet fad that came out several years ago. Did you know that the diet’s real... 

alt text Excellent weight loss tips

Are you overweight? Would you like to do something about it? If you want to lose weight, do it the right... 

alt text How Good Is A Diet Based On Corn Or Maize?

Corn, also called Maize by the American Indians is the main food in many parts of the world such as Asia,... 

alt text Healthy Eating and Asthma

People who suffer from asthma can help control their asthma attacks and limit the amount of attacks by... 

alt text Five Tips for Younger Looking Skin

If you are trying to regain your youthful skin, then take a look at these 5 tips to help you get youthful... 

Bottom