Commonly free weights have been preferred over weight machines because they don't restrict movement. Every muscle is completely engaged when you are lifting and balancing the free weight. Weight machines are known to balance the weights for you, so your muscles don't end up working as hard. Proper form with free weights is essential. Without proper form, you will sustain injury to your body in other places, perhaps your back, legs, or arms.

Both free weights and weight machines can help you reach your goal, whatever it may be. It all comes down to your personal preference. You may find that free weights are better for you to use because they closely simulate real-life lifting situations. This allows you to train your body how to control its balance while lifting. If your job requires manual labor such as lifting, free weights may help make your job easier as you learn to whole-body stabilization.

If you prefer to use weight machines, be sure to use one that can adjust to your entire body. The last thing you need is a restricted range of motion; this will put added pressure on your joints and cause your muscles not to obtain their complete workout.

Here are some common forms of free weights:


• Dumbbells


•  Weightlifting bars


•  Weight plates


•  Weight sets


•  Collars

No matter what type of free weight workout you select, always remember to pace yourself and keep good posture so you don't strain any muscles.

Let's discuss some of the key things you need to know about free weights, starting with how to buy them. When you are buying free weights you need to look at durability, assembly, storage, and maintenance. A common misconception people have about free weights is how to properly store them. While they aren't as large as a treadmill, they do need adequate storage space. Specialized racks are the best way to store your free weights versus leaving them on the floor, as this can cause someone to trip over them and cause a severe injury. If you are planning to use the weights a lot, it is a better investment to spend a little more money on them and make sure you are buying a high quality product. Most free weights are pretty durable and will last you a long time. Along with the durability of free weights comes the assembly. Free weights should be easy to assemble (if this is required) and should be able to adjust according to your strength needs. If you are looking for a dumbbell set, no assembly will be required. Lastly, you need to maintain your free weights. Chrome weights require more maintenance they foam-covered, metal or concrete weights.

Now that you have purchased your first set of free weights, you need to learn how to properly use them. Commonly, they are used with short repetitions, allowing about one to two minutes between each set of exercise. Here is a suggested guide as to how long and how many sets of repetitions you should do with free weights:


• Muscle Power: 3-5 reps, for 1-3 sets.


•  Muscle Strength 5-8 reps, for 1-3 sets.


•  Muscle Endurance 15-20 reps, 1-3 sets.

You must also consider what key muscle groups you want to train. The common areas for free weight muscle training include upper body, torso, and legs. The upper body targets your arms, shoulders, chest and upper back. The torso targets your abdominals, lower back, and your oblique muscles. Your legs target your buttocks, calf's, and the front and back of your thighs.

Always start out with the smallest level of resistance to allow your body time to build up to the harder weights. Here are some recommended exercises to do for first-time free weight users:

•  Upper body workout. Do some bicep curls, triceps extensions, bench press, shoulder press, and bent-over rows. This workout should last about 15-20 minutes, depending upon your fitness level. It is important to remember to breath, if you start to feel like you can't catch your breath, stop and take about 5 deep breaths to get your breathing back on track, then you can safely begin again.


•  Middle body workout - Torso workout. This workout will target the "core" of your body. Abdominal curls, side-plank, and "bird-dog" are the best work-outs. "Bird-Dog" is where you will be on your hands and knees and you will lift the opposite arm and leg toward the ceiling and repeat this depending upon your workout needs.


•  Lower body workout. This is the target area for many women, your buttocks, thighs, and calf's. For this workout you will do squats, lunges, and heel raises. Use a phone book for heel raises and place two 10 pound dumbbells on your shoulders, then do your heal raises.


• Again, you should always consult your physician before you begin an exercise routine. If your physician has cleared you for free weight exercises, feel free to begin. Remember that posture and technique are essential to maintaining a proper free weight workout.

You need to learn the proper technique before starting each workout. Learn where to put your hands on the weight bench if you are doing bent-over rows. Have a straight back with this exercise as it is essential for maintaining the maximum results. Always move in a controlled, stable manner. You should never allow your momentum to move the weights. Your joints should also move in the full range of motion when you are performing each exercise. Never hyper-extend your spine; this can cause severe back pain that may put you in bed for days. Remember to breathe! Just like yoga, breathing is essential to your workout. Breathing calms the nervous system and helps your body achieve the maximum result. Lastly, always pick up weights by using your legs, not your back.

Another thing to remember is the use of a spotter. If you are lifting heavy weights, you should always have a spotter. Far too often people lift more weight than they can handle and they wind up with a severe injury. Spotters can do more than help you avoid a big accident; they can provide you with excellent feedback about your lifting technique so you can improve your workout.

Just remember "train" don't "strain" when you are starting a free weight workout. Several people use lifting belts to support the lower back when they are lifting free weights. Lifting belts are a smart investment because they support your lower back and provide you with added strength when you are lifting. When you are doing weight lifting, be sure the movements are slow and controlled. Improper movement will result in injury. Your last set of free weight lifting will probably be hard and you will feel the temptation to cheat by relaxing your posture. This is why it is so important to keep your form during the entire workout and to use short, repetitive movements. When you cheat, you leave yourself open for injury and the muscle groups you are targeting are not getting a proper workout.

A few final points to remember:
Have enough room to perform your exercises and to properly store your free weights. Consider the size of the handles when purchasing free weights, they should fit securely in your hands and should not slip as you start lifting. Be careful not to buy free weights that are too heavy. Remember, you need to build up to heavier weights, don't just jump into the biggest, heaviest weight in the beginning!

Free weights are great for building your muscle strength and size and improving your overall quality of life. Just be sure to set aside enough time to obtain a proper workout and make it part of your daily regimen.