Free weight exercises
This week Longevity Exercise Physiology discuss free weights and exercise in the gym. Our Exercise Physiologists at our Drummoyne, Edgecliff, Marrickville, Bella Vista, Randwick, Pymble, Balmain and Neutral Bay locations use resistance training to help their clients achieve their goals.
Using free weights in the gym can be a daunting experience for the first time, however with some guidance on exercise selection, technique, and purpose of exercises, it is a breeze, and you’ll gain even more benefits from your training. Free weights refer to anything that isn’t fixed to a machine or unit, such as barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, med balls etc.
Benefits
There are a myriad of benefits to using free weights which include:
- Variation in exercise selection
- Increased neural effort used to control the weight
- Greater cross over into athletic performance
- Ability to train through greater ranges of motion
- Ability to target balance, control, and coordination
- Allows you to move the way your body wants to when there are limitations for whatever reason with specific movements which machines may not facilitate.
Exercise Selection
When choosing exercises, the best place to start is looking at our major movements which can be completed with free weights:
- Hip hinge pattern
- Floor to waist lift and squat
- Vertical push
- Horizontal pull and push
Hip Hinge Pattern
Floor to waist
- Kettle bell deadlift
- Good Morning
- Barbell Deadlift
- Romanian deadlift
- Trap bar deadlift
Squat
- Barbell squat (Front, Back)
- Goblet squat
- Weighted sit to stand
Vertical Press
- Barbell Military and push press
- Dumbbell shoulder press (Seated & Standing)
- Landmine press
Horizontal pull
- Dumbbell and Barbell bent over row
- Chest supported dumbbell row
- Single arm Dumbbell row
- Runners’ stance row
Horizontal Press
Dumbbell and barbell chest press
- Also adding an incline to the bench
- Dumbbell and barbell floor press
- Dumbbell chest flies
- Dumbbell Single arm chest press
If you’re looking to begin resistance training or would need some help with your current regime, our Exercise Physiologists are experts in exercise prescription and want to help you!
If you typically stick to machine weights, we want to help you get confident in using all kinds of equipment in the gym!
We are now one quarter into the year, so let’s get cracking on tackling your health and fitness goals. Call Longevity Exercise Physiology Edgecliff, Pymble, Marrickville, Randwick, Drummoyne, Balmain, Bella Vista and Neutral Bay on 1300 964 002 to enquire today.
Written by Guy Beynon