Training with free weights, either at home or in a health club is the single best way to change your body.
It makes the question, "Of all the home exercise equipment on the market, which one is the best?” the easiest to answer.
I almost have to smile as I answer because I know they'll be surprised. And I know they aren't going to like it.
Especially when I tell them, it's even better for women!
As far as being cost effective with the highest benefit-to-investment ratio, free weights and dumbells are the unchallenged winners. It is by far the best method of training for any sport, health or fitness goal.
The easiest thing in the world is to recommend something that's truly beneficial. Free weights fill the bill as the undisputed leader in training methodology.
Anyone interested in maximum benefits and a pain free lifestyle ought to be investing in a set of free weights.
Check this out for your best free weight set up and shopping list for home fitness.
You see, machines are flawed because they stabilize your body for you. While that may seem like a benefit, I assure you it's not.
Understand that everything the machine does for you is work your body doesn't have to do. So right off the bat you're not burning as many calories.
On top of that, all the muscles that your body uses to stabilize itself in different positions are now being taken out of the loop. Free weights, by their nature make it very difficult to leave muscles out of the loop.
For example, many people suffer from low back pain. So they go to the doctor or chiropractor, they're either given a prescription or an adjustment (or both in some cases) and are told to avoid bending over or squatting (nothing against doctors and chiropractors, in fact I train a few).
Which sounds like it makes sense, unless you really understand how your body works. (I'm not saying these professionals don't understand this, in their defense they are forced to practice very defensive medicine)
So our friend with the low back pain starts adjusting his movements to accommodate his pain. If he works out on his home gym equipment, he adjusts that too.
Now instead of doing squats (which he probably didn't do in the first place, or he wouldn't have the back problems) he'll do more machines that isolate his legs. Requiring less effort from his body as a whole.
Days turn into weeks and weeks to months. By now our friends back pain has no doubt gotten worse, and since he's done everything he was told to do, he wants some kind of an explanation. "It must be that weight training." He's told by... pick your expert.
In reality the guy probably strained a low back muscle picking something up wrong. You see, muscles get strained easy if they are not
challenged.
They become weak. So they get injured, and we favor the area even more. Giving all the supporting muscles in the area a chance to become weak as well. More muscle weakness, more pain.
Eventually it becomes something many people tell themselves they just have to live with.
"Just part of getting old." Or "Yeah, my dad had the same thing at this age." Don't buy into it! It's completely within your power to change it.
Your choices of exercise equipment have a profound impact on how your body will develop.
The only solution is to strengthen those weakened areas of your body. Start to use them the way you use them in your day to day life. Free weights allow you to do that.
How do you walk down the street? Do you use one muscle at a time, or do you use all your muscle at once? Now imagine walking on ice.
The point is machines can't do what free weights, dumbells and the Total Gym do for you.
Machines isolate your muscle groups. In real life, your muscles are never isolated. Let me say that again for those of you in Rio Linda...
A little talk radio humor there. (Ahem!) Let's move on.
Now, on to what will build the most quality body, and the most exciting topic you'll read about all year,
WEIGHT TRAINING!
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