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Free Weights Vs Machines

Author: Daniel Evans
Date Posted: January 16, 2009

There are endless amounts of people who assume themselves to be serious within their "sport" yet they opt for the most ineffective method of training.

The use of machines, whether be a multigym at home or a specific machine in the gym has no use above that of a free weight counterpart unless the trainee is using the equipment to train whilst injured or they are training to fix a weakness which prevents them from handling free weight or bodyweight.

The use of a fixed plane machines eliminates the need of stabilizer muscles, places load upon the joints and programs incorrect movement patterns. The limbs using to push or pull are not given the freedom to articulate naturally, overall muscle tissue utilisation is hindered as is the reflective hormonal response.

A novice trainee who is aiming for overall muscular growth will always benefit from using free weights. They will benefit even more if they are used correctly.

Using Free Weights Correctly

It doesn't make sense for someone to claim that they are using free weights confident that they are handling all weight themselves whilst they unload a light bar from a rack.

Using free weights in training is more than loading up a free bar on a rack, performing the movement then re-racking it.

If a bar is light enough to be lifted from the floor then it should be lifted from the floor.

Why would you want to press something overhead that you can't lift from the ground? The answer is; you can and you should. Everyone should posses the ability to use their posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes and lower back) to move a poundage from the floor slowly via a deadlift or explosively via a clean.

To put this into a tidy example; in the case of an overhead press the bar is loaded on the floor, cleaned, pressed overhead then lowered to floor.

Jugling Plates

Training shouldn't be about laziness. This is a given. We visit the gym to do one thing - move weight, yet it is suprising to see how many people are unwilling to put in the effort to prepare the bar. Some people will even go as far as avoiding a movement unless the previous person has left a convenient loaded bar in the rack - at waist height no less.

What needs to be realized is that training isn't just about moving weight from an elevated position from a rack. The loading of the bar isn't a burden. The loading of the bar is part of training - as is lifting the bar into position.

A plate lifted from the floor is deadlifted working the posterior chain. The pinch required to hold the plate is a grip dependant execution where fingers and forearms are worked. The entire experience of the gym is a workout.

Once the trainee comes to this realization they can begin to play with this principle making fun of what was previously seen as a tiresome chore.

If you load 10kg plates, squat down and pinch it with a single hand. Swing it to load it onto the bar with one hand to work the grip, wrist and forearms. When you miss try again.

When you adjust the catcher pin of the power rack, do it one handed and lever the pin with the wrist working it onto the rack holes to stress the wrists. Make a game of it. Try to do it on one fluid motion. Try to beat your previous weeks attempt.

Ask yourself why you should take interest in these insignificant practices. Ask yourself why you should squat down to lift that plate or bar from the floor then consider this:

Lifting a bar into position from the floor 5 times twice per week gives a grand total of 520 deadlifts per year.

The very same factor is applicable to handling plates to prepare the bar and every other movement carried out to prepare equipment.

The cumulation is huge.

Training isn't dictated to us to the last letter. It's up to the individual to style their training to their own requirements - to keep stimulus constant and functional. Laziness breeds laziness. Until people break out of the conventional rut and spark a light of creativity with unorthodox practices of their own all chores will remain chores.

Go juggle some plates!

About The Author

http://www.cagedanimal.net - Daniel Evans "animal".

Article Source: JKD Street Combat - online collection of Exercise articles.

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