photo credit: whyld

If space is a constraint for you, weight machines may not be suitable for your home. In that case, you should consider getting dumbbells or free weights which offer a number of advantages over weight machines.

Dumbbells typically come in the form of a short bar with a weight on each end. Some are one-piece molded plastic (usuallly neoprene). Others have discs that can be swapped out, added to and so forth. The integrated style have the advantage of being low-cost, very sturdy and relatively safe to use. But you’ll often want several pair of different weights, offsetting the savings. Adjustable free weights allow you to choose how much weight you want to work with, but require a little time and sometimes a tool to make the swap.

Both offer an excellent range of motion that can be approached by very few weight machines. They allow you to move the mass any way you want so you can tailor your workout. It’s difficult to find a machine that will allow you to do curls, wrist work, deltoid development and more. When you can, it requires having more than one station on a weight machine, which increases its cost.

But, dumbbells can be a little riskier to use. While caution is required with weight machines, too, they make it less likely to slip and hit yourself with the weight. A weight machine offers a stack that slides up or down a fixed pole or an in-built resistance mechanism and it’s practically impossible to topple them over.

If you curl a free weight fast and hit yourself in the chest, you won’t be the first one to get a bruise that way. Many a foot has experienced the force of a dropped dumbbell, too. Getting ones made of neoprene helps only slightly. A 20 lbs dropped on your toe will hurt no matter if it is made of metal or not.

Free weights, since they’re quite a bit smaller than even the smallest weight machine, provide the ultimate in space savings. A weight machine will take up about as much space in a room as a treadmill, sometimes more if it has multiple stations. Dumbbells can easily fit under the bed or in the closet.

They’re also very flexible. Many models allow the weights to be attached to a barbell, which increases the value of your investment. Just remove them and slide them onto a bar that may be up to several feet wide and you can have an entirely different kind of workout.

Weight machines offer a different kind of flexibility, though, one that can particularly benefit the novice. With a weight machine it’s very easy to design a workout that is tailored to very specific muscle groups. Free weights make it a little more difficult to control the movement to hone in on just the ones you want.

If you’re on a strict budget, it’s best to start with a small set of dumbbells. Non-interchangeable plastic models sell for only a few dollars, but even a set that can be loaded up to 50 lbs or more can be had for a few hundred. A discount weight machine will start at that price and go up from there.

For the most flexible workout possible, opt for free weights. They provide the greatest possible range of motion for the most varied workouts for the investment you made.

Originally posted 2008-11-15 08:33:01. Republished by Old Post Promoter