Free Weights

Free Weights

Free weights are free because they are not part of a machine, not because they are gratis. Dumbbells, or hand weights, are designed to be held in one hand but usually are used in pairs. The lightest are just one pound each; the heaviest are Superman-size 100-pounders. Barbells are larger. They consist of a five-foot supporting bar with weights on both ends, and they are designed to be used with two hands. You can customize your barbell by adding or removing weights (the same on each side, of course). The weights range from 21/2- to 45-pound plates. Various combinations are affixed to the ends of the bar to achieve the desired weight. If you like the lightness of hand weights but the balance and control of a barbell,consider a weighted exercise bar. These well-balanced bars are about the length of a barbell, are two inches or less in diameter for easy gripping, and weigh between 9 and 36 pounds. These are especially useful for biceps, triceps, deltoid, and pectoral exercises.
Many experts believe that free weights are biomechanically superior to weight machines because they allow the user to mimic natural movements with the addition of weight rather than impose the machine’s alignment. In addition, you get the same workout on both arms because you are lifting the same amount of weight on each side.
If you have a weaker side, it doesn’t get a free ride as it does on a machine. Additionally, if one position doesn’t work for you while you are lifting free weights, a slight adjustment often will make the exercise comfortable. Such freedom of movement and position can ease the stress on your shoulders, wrists, and elbows.
When it comes to use, free weights, particularly dumbbells, offer ease and versatility.You just pick them up and start lifting. You can use the same weights to strengthen different muscles, depending on your arm position and body position. Move the weights to any vacant spot in the gym for a workout. Combine light weights with an aerobics or step class for additional cardio benefits as well as light strength training.
Free weights’ prime disadvantage is their very freedom. Some beginning exercisers also find that free weights require more coordination than weight machines. Without cables and pulleys to keep the weights where you need them, it is easier to do something wrong and perhaps sustain an injury. (After all, you can’t drop a weight machine on your thumb or your toe, but you certainly can do that with free weights.) When people get into lifting heavy weights, stabilization and constant control can be a real problem.