Gym Machines and Gym Equipments
It was a common belief that strength training was supposed to be only for athletes and advanced exercisers. However, with advances physiotherapy and growing popularity of health and fitness, the Gym culture is ever increasing. With the right Gym Machines, Gym Equipment and exercises, resistance exercises and strength training has been shown to change the way your body looks and feels. There are numerous benefits including posture improvement, increased stamina and metabolism, enhanced sport performance and the prevention of injury. Choosing the right Gym Machines and Gym Equipments is the first key to successful strength training learning, the correct form of exercise. Gym Machines and Gym Equipment comes in many forms, from free weights to home multi-gyms. In fact, when it comes to strength training your choice of exercise equipment is endless. But as you probably know not all the gym machines and gym equipments are created equal. If you are a well trained weight lifter then you will know exactly what you are after. But if you are a beginner, you may still be not sure as to what type of gym machines and gym equipments is best for you. Here’s a quick guide…
Gym Machines
Gym Machines or Gym Equipments can be specifically categorized into the following:
- Upper Body Workout
- Lower Body
- Core Workout
- Multiple Muscle Group
- Cardio Workout
- Miscellaneous Equipment
Strength Machines
Gym Machine for resistance or strength machines are much safer than free weights, especially if you don’t have a training partner as you can push yourself to failure on each exercise. Just like machines at the gym, you can significantly increase your lean muscle mass, strength and tone up using multi-station or single-station strength machine. Their biggest advantage though has to be convenience and ease of use – just pull the pin out to change the weight. There’s no lugging of heavy plates on and off barbells in between exercises. And in terms of space requirement, there’s little to separate the two.
The only disadvantage is that you are restricted in your plane of movement. Think about lifting a set of dumbbells – they fit around your physique and movement pattern. A machine moves in a fixed plane (or planes) of movement so you have to fit around it. Secondly, you’re limited to the weight you can lift. If you’ve been weightlifting for several years and have exceptional strength, stick to free weights then you would be very comfortable with the Strength Machines. Gym Machines for strength give the best results for body toning as they work on multiple muscle group. This makes it easier to loose those extra calories or stubborn fat. While overloading a barbell for a squat or bench press could cause serious injury, machines allow a user to lift with maximal loads with a minimal risk of injury from falling weights. Strength machines have the following benefits:
- Controlling mechanical overload and path of motion
- Placing resistance specifically on the contractile element of muscle
- Creating metabolic overload
- Time-efficient solution for circuit training
- Focus on developing definition in specific muscles
- Safety
Free Weights
Most experienced weightlifters prefer free weights such as dumbbells and barbells. If building significant muscle mass is your goal, free weights are the best option. Dumbbells are safer than barbells in that they can push you to failure on most exercises without you having to worry about being crushed by a 250 lb barbell.
A disadvantage of free weights is that certain exercises are hard to perform. There’s nothing you can really do with free weights that mirrors a lat pull down machine for your large back muscles for example.
Working your legs is also tricky. This is because the amount of weight they can handle is usually more than safe to perform with a training partner to spot you. Of course the lack of a spotter is the biggest disadvantage. In terms of price, free weights are cheaper than other types of gym machines and weight lifting equipment. Benefits of Free Weights; There Are No Limits. Free weights are arguably the most versatile workout tool ever. All you need are the weights and a few square feet of empty space, and you can perform hundreds, if not thousands, of exercises to strengthen every muscle in your body. Free Weights have the following benefits:
- Strength and Balance
- Versatility and specific natural movements
- Serious calorie burn
- They fit even in small places, like a closet.
Cardio-Vascular / Cardio Machines
Cardio-Vascular or Cardio Machines, as they are commonly known, are highly advanced mechatronically controlled machines, which allow fast calorie burn. They are designed with mechanisms which allows spot running, climbing, stepping and cycling. Cardio Machines make it possible for the users to exercise at a single spot. Thus high octane cardio is possible in a controlled environment. Great fat loss can be achieved by a regular cardio routine. Whether you are trying to bulk up or cut fat, cardio workouts improve aerobic and muscular endurance, and give you shredded look. Cardio exercises have the following benefits:
1. Weight loss.
2. Stronger heart and lungs.
3. Increased bone density.
4. Reduced stress.
5. Reduced risk of heart disease and some types of cancer.
6. Temporary relief from depression and anxiety.