| You can increase your strength in many ways. | | | | including free weights. Because free weights are |
| There are, for example, tools like tubing, swiss | | | | naturally free from structure, they require a lot |
| balls, body weight, and free weights that all work | | | | more stability and attention to form precision. |
| perfectly well in building muscle strength and | | | | When using free weights, you must maintain |
| endurance. For the sake of simplicity, however, I | | | | proper body alignment and control of movement |
| am going to stick with free weights since they | | | | or else you risk throwing the rest of your body |
| are probably the most familiar to the vast | | | | off and, in the worst case, injuring your back or |
| majority of you. | | | | some other body part. The key with free |
| Free Weights | | | | weights, therefore, is to memorize proper form |
| Free weights refer to weights that are | | | | and to start light. Although this does not ensure |
| unattached or free from a machine. The most | | | | an injury-free routine, it does substantially reduce |
| common form of free weights includes dumbbells | | | | your risk of getting hurt. |
| and barbells. Dumbbells differ from barbells in that | | | | Another advantage to using free weights is that |
| they are separate entities, so that each limb is | | | | you can use them in the comfort of your own |
| challenged individually. Barbells, on the other hand, | | | | home, or anything else, for that matter. |
| are operated using two hands so that more than | | | | Equipment is relatively inexpensive as well as easy |
| one limb is being used simultaneously. The | | | | to adjust, and it can be easily transported if |
| advantage of using dumbbells over a barbell is | | | | necessary. All you really need is a set of ankle |
| that you are better able to determine strength | | | | weights and several sets of dumbbells to design a |
| discrepancies from one limb to the next. The | | | | complete weight program. If you can, buy |
| weaker side cannot freeload with the stronger | | | | 10-pound ankle weights that have adjustable one |
| side and, instead, has to fend for itself. | | | | or two-pound weights attached to them so that |
| When you use a barbell, it is not unusual for the | | | | you can add and remove resistance as needed. |
| stronger side to overcompensate for its weaker | | | | The same goes for the dumbbells. Try to buy |
| counterpart, which inevitably encourages the | | | | ones that can be adjusted. |
| discrepancy rather than rectifying it. The | | | | Many sports stores sell adjustable hand weights, |
| advantage to using barbells over dumbbells, | | | | which come with a set of plates that can be |
| however, is that you can lift more weight with | | | | added and removed with just the twist of a knob. |
| each repetition. The strength of two limbs rather | | | | If adjustable weights don't sound appealing to you, |
| than one is greater so it is easier to push the | | | | you can buy weights that are covered in vinyl or |
| limits of your strength a little more by using a | | | | chrome and come in pairs ranging in weight from |
| barbell. The best solution is to alternate between | | | | two to 100 pounds. These are usually a little more |
| barbells and dumbbells so that you can catch your | | | | expensive since you have to buy them |
| weaker spots while pushing your strength to | | | | separately, but they work just as well as any |
| greater capacities. | | | | other to build your muscles. |
| Everything has its advantages and disadvantages, | | | | |