Is Weight Lifting for You?

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gyms near marion il workout equipmentBodybuilders are not the only ones that should go to the weight room. Everyone can benefit from free weights training. The type of weight you choose depends on your preference, fitness level, as well as your goals. Free weight training has many benefits, but here are the top three.

Balance and strength

Research indicates that free weights provide a high level of body strength and balance if properly used. A study  that was conducted in 2008 showed that people who used free weight exercises had 58% more strength and 196% increase in their balance when compared with those who did not.

Versatility and special natural movements

Free weight exercises are not only effective in increasing muscular balance and strength but they also provide muscle flexibility and enhance specific day-to day body movements. A big advantage of free weight exercises is the ability to do different movements in one exercise instead of only working one muscle in each exercise. Unlike machines where you are fixed on a certain movement and only focuses on one muscle per exercise, free weight allows you to mimic daily movements that occur in different planes of motion.

High energy output

Another benefit of free weight is the increased effort that is involved during the exercise. Free weight exercises causes you to burn more calories as they engage greater amount of muscles mass to maintain stability and balance when performing the exercises. The increase in muscle mass involved during this exercise results to a higher cost of effort to produce free weight based movements.

Both barbells and dumbbells provide great workouts but free weight combined with a rack and a bench gives you a variety of exercises.

4 Weight Lifting Myths Busted!

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DSC_0121This is undoubtedly the era of fitness. Not just because there are gyms on every street corner but also because people are more aware about workouts, diets, supplements, and nutrition. Even in this day of mass awareness, there are still people who are reluctant to try resistance training. Some think weight training is bad for the joints while others stay away from it because they think it reduces flexibility. In reality, however, resistance exercise is one of the most versatile workout styles. Here’s our list of 4 resistance training myths busted once and for all.

Myth 1:Resistance Training Is Not Good For Fat Loss

This is a common belief as most people think resistance training is for gaining muscles while cardiovascular exercises are good for fat loss. Even though a rigorous cardio routine is great for losing fat, people can also achieve similar results in the gym by lifting weights. Just like any other exercise, training with weights expends calories which in turn helps in losing weight. According to studies, rigorous resistance training has the power to elevate the metabolic rate for as long as 38 hours after the workout. Simply put, the body will continue to burn fat long after the workout is complete.

Myth 2:The Gained Muscle Turns Into Fat When Training Is Stopped

Even though it’s believed by a large chunk of the gym-going population, it’s a scientific impossibility. Muscle and fat tissues are structurally and functionally different. Therefore, they can never magically transform themselves into the other.

 

Myth 3: Resistance Training Is Bad For Joints

According to a study featured in the Journal of Rheumatology, resistance training can actually help provide relief to people suffering from knee pain. The logic behind this theory is pretty simple to understand. By strengthening the muscles around the joints, the load on them are automatically reduced.

Myth 4: Training With Weights Slowly Reduces The Body’s Flexibility

This is another common misconception that needs to be debunked. Even though there is some degree of stiffness right after workouts, the overall flexibility of the body depends on the quality of training. When resistance training is coupled with static stretching, it can actually make the body more supple.