4 Benefits of Using Free Weights As Part of a Weight Training Program

When you decide to embark on a weight training program, one of the first questions you will have to address is, "Do I use machine weights or free weights?"

Beginners will tend to gravitate toward machine weights, because they do not have to worry about balancing a set of dumbbells through a range of motion, and they can just focus on feeling the burn.  And that's okay.  However, as you progress and become more comfortable with a weight-training program, consider incorporating free weights as they have many advantages.

So what are the advantages of using free weights in comparison to machine weights?

Dumbbell chest fly (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1. By using free weights, you will innervate many more stabilizer muscle groups as you work to balance the weight through your range of motion.

* The fact that machine weights are supportive is actually their hugest downfall.  They are so supportive that you only need to use a few major muscles groups for any given exercise.

* In contrast, when you use free weights, you are targeting extra muscle groups.  This will help to burn more calories than with machine weights alone - and will balance your muscles and help avoid injury.

2. Using free weights allows you the flexibility to change the path that you will take when performing an exercise.

* Unlike the singular, repetitive motion of a machine that targets the same muscles over  and over, varying the path of your dumbbells will work different muscle groups.

* Dumbbells and other free weights have a tremendous versatility that machine weights cannot match.  You can use any given dumbbell to work out almost every different area of your body.

For example, in addition to doing bicep curls, a dumbbell can be used: 
o in a bench press
o it can be held against your chest during a series of crunches
o it can be pressed over your head to work out your shoulders
o it can even be held between your feet during a hamstring curl.

* Using machine weights for all of these exercises would require multiple machines.

Free weights (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

3. Free weights take up much less space when compared to the size of a typical machine system.

* Further to this, since machines usually boast of attachments and the latest technology, they inevitably cost many times more than what it would cost to equip yourself with a basic set of free weights.  Cost and space are two key factors when people choose any workout equipment.

4.  Free weights do not allow your stronger side to compensate for the weaker side.

* Weight machines focus on working out both sides of your body in tandem.  The pec fly machine is an example.  If you have one side of your body that is stronger, which is often the case, the machine will allow your stronger side to work harder and compensate for the weaker side.

* As a result, machine weights will often hide your weaknesses on one side, however small they may be.  This cannot happen with free weights, because if your left side cannot push out that last rep, your right side cannot help it at all.  This allows you to develop more evenly balanced strength.

In summary, a weight-training program does not have to be one dimensional – only machine weights or only free weights.  It can be a combination of both.  However, definitely consider letting free weights play a significant role in your weight training, as the benefits to using them are numerous.

Fun & Easy Twenty Minute Exercise Routines

Want to exercise but lack time and ideas? Here are some quick ideas to get you moving. These routines can be performed at home, in a hotel room, or even on your lunch break, and they're only 20 minutes, so they're easy to fit into your day, even when you're pressed for time.

1. Weight training.
Deltoid - Muscles of the Upper Extremity Visual Atlas, page 39 (Photo credit: robswatski)For the upper body, choose a light weight, say one to five pounds.

• Begin with the bicep curl. The bicep is the two headed muscle on the front of the upper arm. It works to bend the arm forward at the elbow. 
• The triceps is the three headed muscle on the back of the upper arm. They serve to lift the arm straight out behind you. 
• The shoulders are next. There are three heads: the front, medial, and rear deltoid. Front and side dumbbell raises work the first two parts of the deltoid muscle. Bent dumbbell flyes work the rear deltoid muscle. 
• To work the chest, butterflies performed with the dumbbells hit both the major and minor portion.

Three sets of eight repetitions performed for two exercises per body part will equal up to a total upper body workout that can be done in twenty minutes.
The same principle can be applied to the lower body but using heavier weights.

• The quadriceps muscle of the front thigh has four heads that move the body along when walking. Squats and lunges work the quadriceps muscle. 
• For the back of the legs, the hamstrings, rear leg curls isolate this muscle for a shapely appearance. 
• Sitting or standing calf raises shape the muscle known as the gastrocnemius. 
• Leg curls from an all fours position on the floor, with the weight held firmly in the bend of the leg isolates the gluteus muscle. 

Three sets of ten repetitions performed for one exercise per body part can be done in twenty minutes.

2. Outdoor Activities.
If you have a neighborhood, twenty minutes, and a clear day, then you have a workout! Start out slow to warm-up and then kick it in gear. Walking works all the muscle groups of the body. Avoid rocky terrain or uneven pavement. They could cause injuries to the ankles and the knees.

Compact Disc player. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)3. Dance.
All you need is a CD player - you can dance in any location, on any surface, and in many different types of footwear. Dancing works the entire body and the abdominal region in particular. With all the new dance steps today, you need a strong core just to perform them. Dancing is fun and the beat of the music keeps the body energized and motivated. Create a CD of your favorite fast-paced tunes. This is one of my favorite ways to work out - I just put on some music, dance around the living room, and before you know it I'm breaking a sweat. So whenever you have twenty free minutes, get moving to the beat and burn some calories!

All exercise has health benefits even if it’s for only twenty minutes a day. Pick one that’s interesting to you and that you enjoy and you will be more likely to stick with it over the long term. If none of these catch your eye, think up your own, or just visit this blog on a regular basis - we cover lots and lots of new fun ways to exercise - even some you may never have heard of before! You can also find more tips and suggestions at http://www.newholisticliving.com/exercise.html.