Silja Tanner
ENG 090-166
Van Dyken
1 July 2012
Getting Fit With Strength Training: Machine
Weights vs. Free Weights
Getting fit or keeping in shape requires
three things: excellent nutrition, aerobics, and weight-lifting. Most people know that exercise and eating
well contribute to good health, but until recently, lifting weights has been seen
as something only body builders like Arnold Schwarzenegger did. In fact, according to livestrong.com, in
2011, only about 21% of American adults lifted weights. In reality, you cannot burn as many calories
to lose weight or maintain muscle mass into old age unless there is some kind
of strength training integrated into your life.
There are two kinds of weights to lift: machine weights, which are any
high-tech machines affixed to the ground and whose weights are connected to it
like a Bowflex system, and free weights, which are low-tech and move freely
through the air like a dumbbell. While
machine weights and free weights are similar in their fitness value, they are
different in their expertise required, cost, and effectiveness.
Each type of weight system requires a
little know-how. If you are starting to
exercise for the first time, weight machines are an excellent start. They are easy to use with pictures of the
muscles they work and instructions on how to use them, or one can just watch
the person in front of them to figure out how to use the machine. There is less intimidation because there is
only one way to use any particular machine, usually. But for a beginner faced with a multitude of
barbells and dumbbells it may seem impossible to know what to do with any of
them. Machine weights require no
expertise on proper form like with free weights because the machine supports
and stabilizes the body, reducing the risk of injury. Machines also control the body’s preferred
range of motion – the range of flexing and extending for a joint – making sure
that joints are not over-extended, which also causes injury. However, there are free-motion and cable machines which can offer more variety of exercises but have a higher
learning curve, requiring more skill than the normal weight machines lined
up around the weights room.
A beginner may be intimidated by all of the free weights piled up in a
gym or on sale at a store: hand-held weights, medicine balls, ankle weights,
kettle bells – it can all be confusing as to where to start or what to do. That is why a personal trainer may be
required to teach proper movement and posture within an exercise to avoid
injury and boredom. So if you are a
beginner, machines may be the best way until you feel comfortable enough to try
learning how to use free weights.
Machine weights work less of your
total body and so are limited in function which is why classic bodybuilders use
free weights because they are versatile and effective. When you either sit or lie down on machine
weights, they are able to isolate certain muscles in the body. This support you receive by sitting or lying
down does not allow other major muscle groups or any stabilizing muscles like
in your lower back or thighs to work.
This can be useful if you only want to build up a certain muscle, but if
you only use machines, then you are not getting “real life” strength that will
help you lift heavy objects, for example.
This also requires you to use multiple machines in order to get a total
body workout and it does not burn as many calories as with free weights. However, the isolation may be useful when you
have an injury and do not want to recruit other muscles or joints that may be
sore, allowing you to stay in shape while recovering. On that note, machine weights do not wear out
the body as much as with free weights.
For example, using a machine that simulates the bench press does not put
much stress on the shoulder, thereby reducing strain. Along with that is the fact that the weight
you lift with a machine is not the actual weight you would lift with free
weights because you are not training your other muscles as well. Free weights allow the body to move naturally
through real life motions like squatting and lifting objects over your head
consequently performing better at building muscle, increasing metabolism, and
burning calories.
Since most machine weights are in a gym,
you’ll need access to a gym which will require a membership fee unless your
insurance company covers the cost or you are active duty military or a military
dependent. The cost of the weight machines
themselves can be quite expensive if you are considering purchasing them for
home use. Cable machines, such as
BowFlex, can retail starting at around $800.
Free weights are also plentifully available at any gym, but like with
machines, you must pay the membership fee.
If you are new to free weights, it is best to hire a personal trainer
who can show you proper form with a variety of techniques. Personal trainers can charge an average of
$50 an hour. But free weights are the
best for home gyms because they don’t take up the space that a range of machine
weights will and for the price of about eight hours with trainer, you can
acquire a variety of dumbbells, medicine balls, and a weight bench with a bar
and disks.
With two kinds of weights systems to utilize,
machine weights and free weights, it is easy to incorporate strength training
into your routine. The fitness value of
the two systems is significant, though they do differ in their expertise
required, effectiveness, and cost. While
machine weights are excellent for beginners, free weights may require some
experience before they can be safely used.
Machines can isolate certain muscles while free weights strengthen the
whole body and the cost seems to be about the same for either. You don’t need
to be as extreme as Arnold Schwarzenegger to be a weight lifter. Just two or three days a week of strength
training, in addition to aerobics and eating well can significantly increase or
maintain your health for the rest of your life.
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