How Does Working Out With Free Weights Allow for More Flexibility in Exercises?

Freedom of Motion

One major thing that free weights have to offer is an increased range of motion over using a machine in a seated position. You'll notice it when doing a dumbbell chest press, for example. When working the chest from an upright seated position on a machine, the range of motion is limited to the extension of the handles. There is also a lot of work being done for you. If a dumbbell chest press is performed while lying on a Swiss ball, then the arms have more room to go through a full range of motion. As an added benefit, there is also a good amount of ab and leg recruitment to hold the body in proper alignment. An example can be seen at the web link below.

Join the Circuit

When using free weights, it is easy to navigate from one exercise to another. This also can be done by going from one muscle group to another. A good example of this would be doing an overhead triceps extension, then going right into a biceps curl.

A circuit workout can be done by going from one muscle group to another with little or no rest until all the major muscle groups have been worked. Then the circuit can be repeated several times. This is called vertical loading.

Out of the Box

As long as the exercises are being performed with good form, the possibilities are endless. All it takes is a little creativity. Exercises that are called compound and complex fall into this category. The main characteristic of a compound complex exercise is that there is more than one joint involved and there is more than one muscle group being worked. Unlike machines, the body is not locked into one position from a lying down or seated position. A good example of a compound complex exercise would be a walking lunge with biceps curl.

Harmony in Synergy

Working out with free weights also recruits more muscle fibers. This is where stabilizer and synergist muscles are called into action to help support the focus muscle which is called the primary mover. This is the muscle that is doing most of the work. An example of this would be a one arm dumbbell row. The primary mover would be the lats found at the side of the back, the stabilizers would be the abs, and the synergists would be the deltoids and biceps. The delts are the muscles that surround the shoulder. There is a link at the bottom that shows hoe one is performed.

Resources

• Dbell chest press on ball.
• One armed bumbell row.