Contents
Weight Training Fundamentals
Types of Weights
How to Make a Weight Training Plan
Weight Training: Form and Safety
Weight Training Exercises
Leg and Butt Exercises
Back Exercises
Chest Exercises
Shoulder Exercises
Arm Exercises
Core Exercises
|
 |
 |
 |
|
Types of Weights
You can do strength training exercises on either free weights or weight machines.
Free Weights
Free weights aren’t attached to any other device. They can be used in conjunction with weight racks and benches, which help you get into the proper start position for different exercises. There are two basic kinds of free weights: dumbbells and barbells.
-
Dumbbells: Short metal bars, usually about
10–15 inches (25–40 cm) long, with weights on each end. Dumbbells are designed to be held in just one hand and lifted by one arm.
-
Fixed-weight dumbbells have permanent weights attached to them.
-
Adjustable dumbbells are short bars that enable you to attach plates of varying weight.
-
Fixed-weight dumbbells have permanent weights attached to them.
-
Barbells: Similar to dumbbells but
larger—usually around 7 feet (2.1 m) long. Most barbells are adjustable weight, though some can be fixed weight. The metal bar in barbells can be straight or formed into an EZ-curl bar, which contains angled handholds to guide your form when doing certain exercises.
Advantages of Free Weights
Free weights have a few advantages over weight machines:
- Versatility: You can use simple free weights to do hundreds of different exercises.
- Total body workouts: Since free weights force you to maintain good form, they work not only the major muscle groups you’re targeting but also the smaller (but equally important) muscles that help provide balance and coordination in your movements.
- Cost and convenience: Free weights cost much less than machines and take up far less space. If you’re looking to set up a home gym, a set of free weights, a yoga mat, and an adjustable incline bench will get you a long way for little money.
Weight Machines
Weight machines are weight training apparatuses designed to guide your form through an exercise. Some machines are multi-use and can be adjusted to help you perform several different exercises, while others are designed for specific exercises that target only one part of your body.
Advantages of Weight Machines
Machines have two major advantages over free weights:
- Safety: Since machines guide your form through each exercise, you’re less likely to injure yourself by doing an exercise incorrectly. The first time you’re using a particular machine, be sure to read the posted instructions or ask a gym employee for help to make sure you are using the machine correctly.
- Isolation: Machines help you target specific muscles, which can be useful if you need focus on one area.
| Acknowledgments & Disclaimer |
