How to Train With Free Weights

Training with free weights builds muscle and speeds up your metabolism.

Free-weight exercises are an excellent way to stay fit because they burn calories and encourage muscle growth. The training itself isn't what builds muscle. Rather, the training breaks your muscle fibers down, and your body builds them back up stronger. Your body needs to divert more energy toward building your muscles, so free-weight training speeds up your metabolism. Free-weight training is more difficult to learn than machines are, but it is also more beneficial as it requires you to set the range of motion yourself, which improves your balance and functional strength.

Instructions

1. Use a barbell for compound lifts when you start free-weight training. There are plenty of fine-tuned isolation exercises that only work one muscle at a time, but you don't need to focus on these as a beginner.

2. Lie face-up on a bench, and perform a bench press by bringing a barbell down to your nipples, then pushing it back up. Keep your elbows from splaying out and your shoulder blades together. Arch your lower back, and have your feet firmly planted on the ground.

3. Perform an overhead press by standing with a barbell at your collarbone, with your hands shoulder width apart. Push it straight up over your head, moving your chin up as the barbell passes your head to keep the movement vertical.

4. Do deadlifts by standing in front of a barbell on the ground with your arms shoulder width apart. Push your butt backward, and bend your knees until your shoulders are level with the bar. Grab it, and pull with your legs until you are standing with the bar at your waist. Keep your back and arms straight when performing this lift.

5. Row the barbell by standing in front of a bar and squatting, but not as far as you would for a deadlift. Your back should be pointing straight forward and parallel with the ground (or close to it). Grab the bar with your hands shoulder width apart, and bring it up to your chest, pulling your shoulder blades together as you do so.

6. Squat by putting a bar across your back and squatting down, keeping the movement in your hips. To do this properly, squat as if sitting in a chair, and keep your knees from going in front of your toes. Keep your back straight and your feet flat on the floor, and push upward once your thighs are parallel with the ground.

7. Squat every other day, then bench press and barbell row on the first day of the week after your squats. On the second workout (third day of the week) after another day of squats, overhead press and deadlift.

8. Perform five sets of five repetitions for all these exercises, except the deadlift, which only needs one set. Start all of the exercises with just the bar, and once your form is perfect, add five pounds. If your form stays perfect, continue adding weight as you get stronger.

References

• Stronglifts: Stronglifts 5x5