Cincy Chic - Sensible Fitness: Which Workout Program is Right for You?

Sensible Fitness: Which Workout Program is Right for You?

Written by Doug Gibson, on 21-04-2008 14:43

Sensible Fitness: Which Workout Program is Right for You?
Not sure whether to hit the weight machines or compete with the muscle heads for the free weights? Cincy Chic’s fitness expert has the answer!

Question:

What is better, free weights or machines? Why?
- Natalie

Answer:

For the average person trying to get in shape, it can be overwhelming to walk into a gym and try to make the best choices with strength training equipment. Today, gyms often have multiple lines of weight training machines in addition to free weights. A comparison of the pros and cons can help you make the best choice according to your fitness goals.

Weight Machines

Machines are attractive for many because they are less intimidating and often have instructions for proper use posted on them. Other advantages include:

You are generally supported by adjustable seat and/or backrest
Controlled motion limits improper use
Stopping an exercise at any time is easily done
Often set up in a circuit of stations that targets all of the major muscle groups

While the ease of use makes weight machines appealing, their design does have limitations that can limit your results:

Adjustable seats/backrests don’t always offer a good fit for everyone
Support offered by seats and backrests decreases benefits to core musculature
Only one exercise can usually be performed at each station
They’re expensive. A machine that works a single muscle can easily be over $1,000

Many disadvantages also stem from the controlled motion that machines offer, such as:

Movement does not always mimic true functional human movement
Less stimulating to muscle fibers than with non-controlled movement
Demand on secondary or synergistic muscles is decreased

Free Weights

Free weights tend to be where the hot, sweaty, screaming men tend to hang out in the gym, (sounds good so far, right?) but for that reason and others, many women are intimidated and tend to avoid them. However, when you look at the benefits of free weights, you realize that the muscle-heads have brains to go along with the brawn.

The advantages of free weights include:

Versatility. One set of free weights can be used to train the entire body, often with multiple exercises per muscle group, stimulating maximum results
Inexpensive. An adjustable bench with free weights can be well under $500

While the controlled motion can be a disadvantage with machines, the unrestricted movement of free weights is advantageous in the following ways:

Improved balance and coordination, because you are required to control your own motion
Stimulation to the core muscles for stability, especially if exercising with stability ball or without the support of a bench
Increased stimulation to the muscle fibers of both the prime movers and secondary synergistic muscles
Replication of true functional human movement can often be accomplished

Because weight training is a little monotonous, I like mixing it up. I suggest using both free weights and machines to offer a variety of stimulus for optimal results, with more emphasis on free weights. If machines are the foundation of your workout program, you will get limited results and quickly plateau because only a limited number of muscle fibers are stimulated.

I also strongly recommend getting instruction on the proper execution of free weight exercises. If I visit a gym and observe, most people are performing exercises incorrectly, limiting results and increasing the chance of injury. A visit or two to a qualified trainer will give you many exercises to choose from for each muscle group, knowledge you can keep for life, and a very wise investment.

Whether you choose free weights or machines, the benefits of strength training are extraordinary. Strength training increases your metabolism, which allows for more freedom in your diet. At the same time it gives your muscles firmness and a desirable shape. Strength training is the only true “fountain of youth” by preventing the loss of both muscle mass and bone density, which is a large part of the natural aging process for women.

Doug Gibson
		About the author:
		Doug Gibson is a columnist for Cincy Chic and President of Sensible Fitness Personal Training Center in Blue Ash, Ohio, which specializes in women’s fitness programs. E-mail him at doug@sensiblefitness.com.
	Read More >>