When it comes to weightlifting, you have a choice before you: free weights, or weight machines? Both have advantages and disadvantages, and it will depend on what you’re trying to achieve – and on your financial situation. Free weights are generally less expensive than weight machines – or memberships to gyms where you have access to weight machines – but there are very inexpensive weight benches that will simulate a weight machine feel well enough for many people at home, if you have the room. If you feel the need for a better quality machine, however, they’re far from cheap and they take up a lot of space.
One major advantage of machine weights over free weights is for people who are just starting with weight training or who have injuries and/or are using the weights as a form of physical therapy. Weight machines allow you to sit in an optimally comfortable position and not have to raise the weights all the way from the floor. This is especially helpful if you haven’t learned the proper, safe ways to lift weights yet, or if you have injuries or disabilities that make it impossible for you to lift weights from the floor.
You need very little training to use machine weights properly because they’re set so you can only move the weights along a path that will benefit you and not cause you injury. Machines typically have both written and illustrated instructions posted on or near them that help you use them properly. What you will need to know is: never pull the weights so hard that they “clank” – this is bad for the machine, and can jar your muscles, too, causing unhealthy stress. You may also need advice on what amount of weight you should be pulling, and how many reps and sets will help you achieve your individual goals without injury. Gyms typically have a number of machines available, each one working different sets of muscles. You move from one machine to the next, working each muscle set.
Another important advantage of weightlifting machines over free weights is that you don’t have to change plates on barbells – you just dial up the amount of weight you want to use, and the machine moves a pin so it will catch under the correct plate. This means more of your workout time gets spent actually working, and cuts down on your risk of injury from dropping a barbell plate or lifting one incorrectly and straining your back or arms.
Filed in Strength Training
Updated: October 13, 2009
Copyright: October 14, 2009
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