Free Weights

A well-built chest is the perfect building block for a muscularly refined body. While machines can provide an adequate workout for your pectoral muscles, they are often not practical for home or...

Resistance training is a popular form of weight training that uses outside resistance in conjunction with movement to stimulate the muscles of the body, increasing their strength and size while...

Strength exercises add muscle mass, improve coordination and balance and aid flexibility. Many people, though, neglect the muscles of the back. That is a mistake. The back takes a heavy toll each...

With every flip of the TV channel or a magazine page, it seems we are bombarded with some sort of a magic muscle-growing pill or diet. Many of these solutions seem unhealthy, and they often are,...

It is a well-known idea that one should exercise regularly to promote good health. The media have lately been glamorizing exercise for weight loss purposes and more often than not, it neglects to...

The kettlebell press is a great show of strength. While some people can press 100-pound dumbells, those same people can seldom press a 70-pound kettlebell. Building your kettlebell press is easier...

So you want to get in shape? Lifting weights is a great way to stay fit and you don't need a costly gym membership to look good. A weightlifting bench can be as easy as an unfinished wooden bench,...

A person does not need to take supplements to gain strength and muscle. The best method for building muscle and strength is through weightlifting and a high protein diet. Make sure you work every...

The kettlebell is a Russian exercise tool that has become popular worldwide. Resembling a small boat anchor with a handle, the kettlebell is an adaptable tool that can build strength quickly....

Impressive as expensive pieces of exercise equipment may look, dumbbells are often just as effective in building up muscle, because of the additional effort needed to balance the weight throughout...

The pectoral muscles or pecs are the primary muscles that a person needs to exercise to get big chest muscles. The best way to develop big chest muscles is by lifting weights. Chest exercises...

The forearms are made up of flexor and extensor muscles that extend from the elbow to the wrist. Flexors are used for gripping or pulling the hand and fingers toward the body. Extensor extend...

The disc shaped weights used on barbells are commonly referred to as plates. Some plates can become rusted if they are left outdoors or allowed to remain wet for long periods of time because they...

The trapezius or 'traps' is the large muscle that runs from the upper back across the top of the shoulders and below the neck. The trapezius is used when moving the shoulders and it prevents the...

Medicine balls are a fun, easy-to-use addition to your exercise regimen, whether you're at home or the gym. People of all ages use these versatile balls for strengthening muscles and preventing...

Dumb bells come in a variety of different weights, and there are hundreds of exercise methods for these weight-lifting staples. The best routine for you depends on the desired effect, the grand...

The butterfly press is a great exercise for the chest muscles. It works the chest in a different way than a regular bench press does. It is best to do more than one exercise for each muscle group...

An ancient Russian training tool that looks a little like a cannonball with a handle is one of the most popular fitness trends of the past few years. The kettlebell, which can range in weight from...

Having a strong lower back is important to help with the tasks of everyday life from sitting to walking. Dumbbells provide low cost and simple exercises that can be done at home or at the gym to...

Belly fat can be embarrassing, and hard to get rid of, but you don't need expensive gym equipment to strengthen and tone. Dumbbells are inexpensive and easily used, and through compound exercises,...

Gym memberships can be expensive and so is the equipment many use to fill out their home gyms. While there's an inherent safety factor to consider, making your own fitness gear from scratch is an...

Professional bodybuilders use dumbbells and barbells as part of their full-body workout routines. They each offer advantages to individual muscle groups, but dumbbells offer greater range of...

Olympic weightlifting is an extremely demanding sport. One of the great aspects about Olympic lifting is that with a bit of time and patience, almost anyone can learn to perform the target lifts...

Using hand weights is a good way to add weight training to your fitness routine. Hand, or free, weights help build muscle, which burns more calories than fat. You can strengthen your entire body...

Kettlebells are a type of free weight that is known for their ability to improve a person's strength, balance, coordination and speed. They can be bought in different weights, but you should start...

Russian kettlebell exercises cut muscle quickly as the added weight creates resistance and intensity to your workout. The awkward size of the kettebell makes working intrinsic muscles easier than...

Exercises using free weights will offer you the advantage of diverse movements and complete control over your workout. Free weights come in several varieties and should be picked based on user...

Working with dumbbells can add a new challenge to your chest workouts. Using dumbbells activates more muscles to guide the exercises, works your core through stabilization and independently works...

Although some weight machines provide you with the same upper body muscle development as using free weights, free weights give you a better range of motion, therefore providing you with a higher...

The kettlebell is a hand-held weight designed for cardio and strength training simultaneously. Kettlebell exercises rely on a snatch and swing technique to perform many exercises. The one-arm and...

Resistance machines and free weights are both effective for building muscle and increasing strength. However, there are some positives and negatives associated with each approach. Decide whether...

When people think of upper limb strengthening, they often focus on the biceps and triceps, ignoring the other structures associated with the arm. However, the best upper-body routine incorporates...

Strength training is an important part of any exercise regimen and can be done through the use of free weights. This type of exercise can reduce age-related loss of lean body mass, as well as...

So you have a free day on your hands, and being the ambitious sort, you have decided to spend it in the pursuit of exercise. A quality full-day workout can tax the body in new and interesting...

There are some excellent, traditional exercises you can do with free weights to work the chest muscles to increase tone. You can also do chest exercises with free weights to work your stabilizer...

For well-toned abs, try free weights during your ab exercises. Hit your abs from several different angles on the floor and standing up to acquire a six-pack look. Do this dumbbell ab routine five...

A Roman chair can be used to do a number of exercises, but it's important to avoid rocking when using this equipment. Discover the importance of control when using a Roman chair to do dips with...

Rubber tubing can be used for resistance exercises, and their versatility allows an individual to do almost any upper body or lower body exercises. Find out how to shorten the length of tubing to...

Dumbbells can be used to work out the triceps with exercises such as the triceps kickback and overhead triceps extensions. Do a triceps extension from a high plank position with help from a...

Exercise that help to stretch the hip include laying on the back, placing an ankle over the knee, pulling the knee in and pulling in at the shoulders. Discover an exercise for stretching the hip...

In order to reduce back pain, it's important to warm up the back before doing exercises. Discover how strong abdominal strength is a great way to get rid of back pain with help from a personal...

In order to reduce the appearance of cellulite in the thighs, a combination of diet, cardiovascular activities and spa treatments will have to be used. Learn more about spa treatments and Thermage...

Dumbbells can be used to make the chest bigger, and it's important to remember that greater resistance will lead to increased size. Discover how to do chest presses and chest flies to get a bigger...

When doing a full-body dumbbell workout, it's important to use comfortable dumbbells and to start with large muscle groups. Learn about exercises to do with dumbbells, such as squats and triceps...

In order to become a certified personal trainer, a person can get a certification through the Internet, but it's best to get certified from the American Council on Sports Medicine. Discover...

Wearing ankle weights is an excellent way to tone leg muscles during exercise. These weights are sold in size increments from 1 lb. to 20 lbs. The latter weight is for individuals who are already...

Your body should be at its physical peak in your 20s. If you are interested in maintaining a high level of fitness throughout your life, this is where you must strive to set a foundation to carry...

Regular weight training promotes a healthier body by burning fat and increasing muscle density. While fitness centers provide access to numerous weight and cardio machines, crowds during peak...

Lifting free weights is an ideal way to strength train, but if you don't use the proper form, weight, sets and repetitions, you may not see the results you hoped for. Or worse, you may be at risk...

The shoulders are composed of three muscle groups. These are the anterior deltoid, lateral deltoid and posterior deltoid muscles. To develop sculpted shoulders, targeting each of these muscle...