Machine Training vs Free Weight Training
January 10, 2009 at 9:09 am 1 comment
Most gyms today are packed with machines showing off their highly equipped facilities, on the other hand, free weights such as dumbbells and barbells are not given the same privileges. This occurs because fitness centers are looking to make profit, and to make profit they must find ways to attract clients into signing up at their gym. The best way to do so is by spending thousands of dollars on machinery that are no match to free weights when it comes to safety and efficiency.
Working out using free weights allows your body to function like it is intended to; that is, when using free weights you use many muscles of your body unlike machinery which restricts some muscles from working and tries to focus on others. In other words, free weights prepare you muscles and give them the opportunity to stabilize the pressure contrary to machines which support a part of your body hence taking away the benefits of muscle stabilization.
Belts are another type of tool that people are easily fooled by; the belts function is to support your lower back while training and protect it from injury, however, if you make a habit out of wearing it your lower back muscle won’t be able to function correctly because it has not been placed under enough pressure. In other words, when squatting or deal lifting you might have trained a muscle but your lower back was left behind; one way to avoid this is dilemma and be able to work out safely at the same time is by wearing belts only when you are lifting your max weight.
Entry filed under: gym. Tags: Free Weight Training, gym, Machine Training.
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Dave E | January 11, 2009 at 4:30 am
The problem with free weights is that most people don;t know how to isolate the target muscle for the exercise being performed. They end up cheating by swinging the weight and using its momentum to achieve the lift instead of the muscle.
That being said, machines can be valuable within an exercise routine when used to supplement a proper free weight routine.
In addition, medical conditions can limit some people to certain types of equipment. The choice of free weights or machines enables such people to get the most from their workouts within the limitations of their body. Remember, we are not all young.
As for belts, well I’ve never understood people who wear a belt when bench pressing. At least not at the types of weights seen in the typical gym. Typically using any form of support will prevent the muscles it is supporting from developing but then again the point is to let you do more with other parts of your body. If one follows a full routine, other exercises would be used to develop the muscles being protected by the support.