Weight Training Equipment
A Guide to Weight Training Equipment
best weight training equipment
If you are considering weight training, you may discover that you are overwhelmed by the variety of weight training equipment available.
We will commence with ‘free weight’ equipment. The term ‘free weight’ implies that there are no corresponding pulleys, lines, pins or weights. It is advised that you use both machine as well as free weights in your exercises.
Free Weights
An iron bar ranging from 4 to 7 feet long, the Barbell is employed for primary exercises such as bench press, squats & dead lifts.
EZ Curl bars are shorter than barbells and include hand placement areas. These make it easier to work the muscles at various angles while placing a lesser measure of pressure on your wrists. These are intended to work the bicep and Tricep muscles.
Tricep bars are comparable to EZ Curl bars yet they differ in that they have two parallel hand positions, which may also be employed for use on alternate body parts.
Many fitness centers will have a variety of benches from the unambiguous flat bench through to the Hyper Extension and Preacher benches. Every bench is intended to act on a range of muscle groups.
Dipping Bars are parallel bars intended to exercise the chest muscles, shoulders and triceps.
The Chin-Up bar is straightforward but should not be taken too lightly. Some beginners have frustrated themselves by being unable to lift themselves up as high as they assumed they could.
The second category of weight training gear is dedicated to the lower region of the body.
Weight Machines
Leg Press equipment is commonly set at a 45-degree angle. The leg press allows you to raise heavy weights safely and puts less pressure on your lower back and knees than squats.
Leg Squat machines let you focus on the quadriceps. Start with this apparatus to loosen up your quad muscles before moving on to squats or leg presses.
The leg curl apparatus affords premium hamstring exercises. Your local gym may have a leg curl machine integrated with leg extension built into an individual piece of equipment.
At the gym, you will likely see 2 types of calf machines.
These machines let you execute both the standing and/or seated calf raises. The lower calf muscle is also referred to as the soleus.
If you have trouble executing an entire chin up, you might prefer the Lat Pull-Down machine. This piece of workout equipment will still permit you to work your back muscles, even if you are incapable of lifting your individual bodyweight.
Cable and pulley equipment will admit you to implement movements that do well for all of the muscle areas in your body.
Using The Right Weight Training Equipment
The other key piece of weight training equipment for most users will be the bench. The brands and models of weight benches are bewildering, but the key things you want to look for are adjustablity, the width of the bar supports, the quality of the padding, and the thickness of the supporting bar running beneath the bench itself.
Adjustable benches allow for a different range of exercises and body-types. Be sure the bar supports are at least four feet apart — not only is this more stable, but it will not interfere with the lifter having a proper grip on the bar.
A note on machines: while some machines provide exercises that cannot be done with free weights, the overwhelming majority of machines merely duplicate a free weight exercise. Machines have their uses, but should not be considered a primary form of training as they do not allow for the body’s natural range of motion, and can create strength imbalances. They also will not strengthen a lifter’s joints and connective tissue as free weight training does.
From a basic weight set and bench intermediate users will want to explore other options. Dumbells are valuable training aids, either as an alternative to barbell exercises or as a way of training muscle groups in isolation. Read more
