Weight Training - Free Weights vs. Machines

Something you need to keep in mind when exercising is that you are training for life. You may spend an hour a day in the gym, but that will still leave another 23 hours or so for your muscles to function without using any fancy equipment.

Image via WikipediaWhenever you do any type of exercise, the movement of your body during the exercise is known as the range of motion. The more difficult the range of motion is, the more effective the exercise will be, because your body has to work harder to perform the movement.

Most of the time, when using machine weights, you will always be limited in both your range of motion, and what type of exercise you can perform. Unlike free weights, machine weights offer a certain degree of resistance which you set via the machine.

One of the best thing about using a weight machine is the fact that you just move a little chuck around to select the weight you want to use. Instead of dragging a weight over to your exercise area, you simply select it on the machine. When you are tired during a workout, this can be a blessing.

Image via WikipediaA lot of people argue in the fact that free weights are the best for your body. While this is normally true, many people out there prefer machine weights. There are pros and cons with both techniques, although free weights have been around a lot longer and have been proven time after time to achieve dramatic results.

Body builders for example, have used free weights over the years to build very impressive bodies. If you ask most of them about machine weights, they would probably laugh at you and tell you that you need to quit joking around.

In a nutshell, free weights will use more of your muscles than the machines do, which makes them more effective overall. This doesn't mean that the machines are a waste of use, as they offer some great advantages. In some cases, it is best to stabilize the muscles that are being used in a movement, which is where machines are the best to use.

The decision on which to use for you should be based on what you hope to achieve with lifting weights, and where you plan to use the equipment, such as home or at a gym. Both systems can be beneficial, but in general, free weights are best to use if you want the best possible workout for both your bones and muscles.

A Few Weight Training Tools: