Strength Training Exercise Ideas

It is a well known fact that strength training is ideal for toning up, strengthening muscles, making our bodies injury resistant and boosting our metabolism.

However, when you go into your gym you will be faced with two choices. Do you use the strength training machines, or the ‘free’ weights? There are advantages and disadvantages to using both, and in this article we outline the pros and cons.

Strength training machines are ideal for beginners, as they are much easier to use. The body is supported, and as the weights are moved in a controlled motion along a fixed track, it is very difficult to lift them incorrectly.

The body is automatically in the right position for lifting, so the likelihood of injury is much less. Also machines allow you to isolate certain muscle groups, which is a flexibility free weights lack. Machines are ideal for anyone recovering from an injury due to the extra support they give.

They are much easier to use then the free weights, as there are often clear instructions displayed- there are usually diagrams so that you can see the exact group of muscles you will be working.

It is also easier to track your progress with machines.

They are very convenient as they require very little setting up, and are a lot less intimidating for beginners than the racks of free weights.

The disadvantage of using machines is that they can be somewhat limited, in that each one exercises only one muscle group. You will need to switch to different machines to exercise all the muscle groups. This can be very time consuming, especially if your gym is busy and you have to wait.

Machines don’t always offer a natural body movement, as certain muscles are isolated. This goes against the natural body function of using several muscle groups simultaneously to support the body through each movement.

They can be too supportive, which means that only one muscle group is being worked at any one time.

The metabolic rate and amount of calories burnt may not be as great as using free weights.

If you are considering weights for a home gym, strength training machines take up a lot of room, and you are likely to need several different ones for a full workout. They can also be very expensive.

Free weights include dumbbells and bars to which different weights can be attached. Free weights have some advantages over machines; they are a lot more versatile as you are not restricted to just one range of motion. This means that you can alter how you lift slightly in order to work a different muscle group.

Free weights workouts are generally done standing, meaning that you are working more than one group of muscles at a time, as the other muscles work to support your weight whilst you lift. Using free weights will also improve your coordination and balance as your body works to stabilize you.

You can give yourself a total body workout with just a few sets of dumbbells, without the need to move from machine to machine. Free weights take up a lot less space than machines, and are a lot cheaper.

The main disadvantage of using free weights is that it is much easier to injure yourself using them than using a machine. Free weights require more skill and balance.

It is more difficult to know exactly what muscle groups you are working with each exercise. There are no clear instructions, so you will need to be shown how to use them effectively; this is especially important if you plan to use them at home.

As the free weights don’t follow a fixed track, it can be too easy to do the movement incorrectly, which could lead to injury. Free weights are responsible for far more injuries than machines and you have to be vigilant against getting into sloppy lifting habits.

That’s what the mirrors at the gym are for- not to admire your physique but to check that you are lifting correctly and maintaining a good posture.

Both options have their uses in helping you realize your fitness goals, and many people incorporate both into their routines. If you are a beginner or suffering from an injury, using machines would probably be best. Whichever you decide, make sure that you are given a proper instruction to using strength training equipment before you start.