By Alyssa Ages
When I first entered the weight room at my neighborhood gym over ten years back, I felt paralyzed by fear at the entrance. The array of seemingly complex machines — alongside individuals who clearly knew their way around — was instantly daunting.
After gathering the courage to request a tour from one of the trainers on-site, I discovered that most weight rooms are divided into two primary areas: free weights (such as dumbbells, kettlebells, and barbells) and machines. You can create a comprehensive routine with either section alone or by integrating both.
Engaging in just one strength training session weekly can positively affect your well-being. “Overall, the greatest gain arises from transitioning from inactivity to activity,” remarked Lauren Colenso-Semple, a muscle physiologist. Strength training is known to lessen the risk of overall mortality, alleviate symptoms of depression, and reduce fall risks, among additional benefits.
Utilizing both machines and free weights can also facilitate everyday activities by enhancing your joint flexibility and movement range. “Becoming stronger and more muscular increases your functionality,” Colenso-Semple stated.
Weight machines
Weight machines offer an excellent entry point into strength training since they are generally safer and simpler to master than free weights, according to Kelvin Gary, a personal trainer and gym owner in New York City. Moreover, several recent studies indicate that machines are equally effective as free weights for increasing muscle mass and strength.
Weight machines are typically categorized into two types. Fixed-path machines, like the leg press, guide your body through a specific motion and often target a single muscle group. Cable machines utilize a pulley system, allowing you to exercise at various angles to engage multiple muscle groups. Some fixed-path machines have a stack of weights that you can adjust by inserting a pin, while others come with bars for attaching standard barbell plates.
Both types of machines are engineered to ensure that if you cannot complete the movement, the weight will not fall on you.
Mastering proper form and establishing a foundational strength on machines can ease your transition to free weights, which are more difficult as they necessitate enhanced stability and control, explained Sarah Ann Kelly, a trainer from Grand Rapids, Michigan.
How to begin
Most fixed-path machines will feature an illustrated guide for adjusting them to fit your body. Additionally, certain gyms arrange machines in a numbered circuit designed for a well-balanced full-body workout.
Cable machines (like the seated row and lat pull-down) are less frequently marked with instructions, due to each machine’s capability to facilitate multiple exercises. Kelly recommended seeking guidance from a professional: most gyms provide a complimentary training session with membership, and a trainer can instruct you on which machines to utilize and how to operate them. It may be tempting to replicate the exercises performed by more seasoned gym-goers, but your objectives are likely distinct from theirs, Kelly noted.
As you grow more at ease with the machines, think about increasing the number of repetitions or augmenting the weight to enhance muscle mass and strength. You can also elevate the challenge of these movements by slowing down your pace or decreasing rest periods between sets. Machines facilitate progression by permitting you to add more weight without compromising your form, Colenso-Semple remarked.
Free weights
Any apparatus where the weight is not affixed to a structure or anchor is classified as a free weight. This category encompasses dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, and weight plates. Dumbbells and kettlebells are usually situated on a rack near a row of fixed or adjustable benches.
Free weights afford you a broader range of motion compared to weight machines. They engage multiple joints and work several muscle groups with a single lift, according to Colenso-Semple. “You achieve more benefit from these exercises,” she added.
How to begin
Kettlebells and dumbbells serve as a suitable starting point since you can initially use very light weights and gradually increase. (In contrast, a barbell typically weighs either 35 or 45 pounds before adding plates.) You can execute numerous movements with a kettlebell or dumbbell that are similar to those performed with a barbell.
Maintaining proper form during movements is crucial to prevent injury, especially as you increase the weight. A trainer can give you immediate feedback on your form, but you can also enlist a friend for support. If you’re exercising solo, capture video of your lifts using your phone and review them between sets.
“Strength training revolves around understanding how your body moves,” stated Jessica Lacoursiere, a personal trainer from Edmonton, Alberta. “You should be aware of your lifting posture.”
If you wish to transition to barbells, many experts recommend working alongside a trainer due to the potential risks associated with the weight, difficulty, and complexity.
How to design your workout
To create a comprehensive workout that engages the majority of your key muscle groups, select exercises based on movements that aid in your daily activities. Incorporate push and pull motions for your upper body; hip hinge, squat, and lunge movements for your lower body; and a core-challenging movement, as noted by Colenso-Semple.
Begin with the lightest weight and gradually increase until you reach a weight that feels manageable but still challenging for eight repetitions, or what Gary describes as a level 7 out of 10 in perceived difficulty.
