|
|
|
Concept of 'Agni' in Ayurveda
Being one of the panchamahabhoota, agni (fire) has the characteristic that it cannot exist without a base. In the body it exists in pitta dosha. Agni is responsible for the following functions: Digestion - indigestion (Pakti- Apakti) ...
Getting an exciting life after a break up
Breaking up. The End. The journey is over. You feel rejected. Hopeless. You don’t want to go back in the jungle again. You may even have that dread feeling of failure. Suddenly, all the love songs at the radio seemed to have been written for...
Improve Your Holidays Through Yoga
Even during holidays we are still attacked by outside stressful factors which can ruin a very promising vacation. Holiday stress is a rather antagonistic expression but it is real and it can cause serious upset. There are countless reasons to get...
Stressed Out? It Might Be Your Job
“I’m stressed out.”
If you find yourself thinking--or saying--this to yourself
on a regular basis, you might have a real problem on your
hands. Job and career related stress has been on the rise
in recent years, as occupations become...
Yoga For Back Pain Relief
A good, regular yoga practice will go far in relieving the stress and tension that sometimes cause mild back pain, and in fact, studies have shown that yoga is the number one most effective exercise for relieving back pain. However, not all yoga...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Free Weights vs Machines- The battle!
Copyright 2005 strength-training-woman.com
It seems like everyone has an opinion on this debate. Which is better- free weights or machines? I asked my trainer friends what they thought and it was pretty much split in half. One group loved free weights and the other loved machines.
Those that are just beginning to strength train, those that are rehabilitating a body part, those who want to isolate a particular muscle, and those that want to lift large amounts of weight would be better off selecting a machine. It is safer for your circumstances.
Here's why, free weights require users to have a base of strength, balance and coordination. Machines provide that balance for you. Using a machine the strength trainer can lift a weight in a relatively safe manner. The exercise is guided along a pre-set path that does not allow for unsafe movements. With free weights you are left to your own devices. Your exercise path is whatever feels best for you.
If you are setting up your
own in-home gym, I would go with a set of dumbbells. They are less expensive and take up less space. Less is good. Buying an all-in-one machine may be what interests you more and that's fine. Just be sure that all of the cable lines are of strong and high quality material. Otherwise they will wear out over time.
If you want variety in your exercise program, try free weights. You can virtually do any exercise you want. You can also add in fun side kicks such as a stability ball or balance board. With machines you are limited to the one exercise it was built to perform.
In the end, the decision is yours. I think everyone has their own opinion on which is better because we all have different goals and tastes. Go with what you enjoy and prefer. Just be sure to keep your routine fresh and fun.
Lynn VanDyke is the proud owner of http://www.strength-training-woman.com . She is a certified personal trainer, nutritionist and yoga instructor.
|
|
|
|
|
|
