Are freeweights the best way to build upper body strength?
Captain, me database can't take no more!
Direct all new weightlifting/nutrition/exercise discussion here, pls. The old thread's being retired.
Dolemite, the Bad-Ass King of all Pimps and Hustlers
Gymkata: I mean look at da lil playah woblin his way into our hearts in the sig awwwwwww
Are freeweights the best way to build upper body strength?
Damnit I wish I had noticed there was a part deux before I posted this in the other one.
I started this past Wednesday. I did shoulders, back and biceps. And then this morning (Saturday morning) I did lunges and squats, triceps and some stomach crunches and sit-ups. I cut down my run to 15 minutes and do it at the end of each workout.
The day following the workout and the day after I can tell my muscles have been worked out. They're slightly loose and fatigued but not burning too much. I do stretches for about 10 minutes before I work out. So the workout is about 50 minutes to an hour and ten minutes total. Today I went to a Toronto FC game (soccer) and the stairs were giving me a headache after the squatting and lunges. Not so much that I couldn't do it or anything crazy but I felt every step.
Originally Posted by rezo
Yes. There is difference between gaining bulk and just getting in better shape. To gain bulk you lift heavier weights and implement a more "power lifting" regimen. To just "get in better shape" you can just lift lighter weights with more reps to work on muscle memory and stamina.
"To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often." -- Winston Churchill
If you're just wanting to get in better shape, machines are fine. Generally speaking, they can even be better for the casual workout guy (less stress on your muscles, almost no chance of injury if you do the machine right).
If you're wanting to get stronger for any practical reason (sports, work, defending your lady's honor), go with the free weights.
2009 TNL Fantasy Football Champion
Hub's right- free weights are better for strength/size than machines.
As for machines vs/ free weights for the average joe just trying to get in shape, I'd still say free weights, or at least a healthy mix of the two. Machines lock you into a singular, strict range of motion and only build strength along that specific plane of movement. That can lead to muscle inbalances and possible injuries. Some machine work is fine, but mix in some free weight stuff as well.
There's almost no chance of hurting yourself with free weights either, as long as you're using correct form and warming up properly. But it's a lot easer to fuck up using a dumbbell or barbell than a machine.
Last edited by Dolemite; 04 Jun 2007 at 10:40 AM.
Dolemite, the Bad-Ass King of all Pimps and Hustlers
Gymkata: I mean look at da lil playah woblin his way into our hearts in the sig awwwwwww
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