Free Weights vs Machine Weights:

When you look around you gym or imagine what a gym looks like in your head you will probably see a lot of machines. You also may have head that free weight exercises, such as dumbbells and cables, are good to use. So which is the best way to work out?

The answer really depends on your goals. Machines are designed to isolate muscles to help increase muscle size and are general safe and easy to use. Machines are commonly used amoung body builders to help put on size. If you are not interested in isolating a muscle you probably want to use free weights. You may have heard the term functional training be used a lot today in fitness. Functional training is basically training the body in a way it was meant to be used. You are training your muscles and nervous system to get better at daily activities. In real life you will not be locked in place and have to push weight away. In reality you need to control your whole body in order to move around. For example, the leg press is a commonly used machine. Think of how many times throughout your day that you are laying down and pushing weight up with your feet. Now look at a squat. It is a common movement for most people to squat down and back up again. Or you may have to squat and twist your body with weight or balance on one leg. These are the movements your body will most likely do and without training them properly you will be more likely to injure yourself. In modern day fitness free weight, or functional training, are proving to be more beneficial for most individuals. This does not mean you should never do any machine exercises, but they should not be the majority of your program.

Mike