Is Weight Lifting for You?

Bodybuilders 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.