https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Wed, 22 Apr 2026 02:19:12 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1772233 Fri, 27 Jan 2017 22:40:53 +0000 Isabel 1772233@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great tip. When. I did the Live Strong program 5 years , this is what the training guy told us.... how true it turned out to be. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1771752 Thu, 26 Jan 2017 00:08:12 +0000 RobinF 1771752@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great article, thank you. I have just recently started with hand weights (last April so I guess not so recently) and it doesn't feel like I am progressing very fast. But at least I am working on it and I can feel that I am getting stronger. I go to a female trainer but it is a small group not just me, but usually all women.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1771246 Tue, 24 Jan 2017 01:25:47 +0000 UmmLila (Lisa) 1771246@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>At the gym I used to go to some of the young men would ask me to spot them and I said, no, I'm sorry but I'm pregnant and I &nbsp;have to be careful. (Admittedly, I was wearing this giant, obscure-everything, Tintin t-shirt.) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1771224 Mon, 23 Jan 2017 23:42:41 +0000 Suz 1771224@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>When I started with weights I couldn't even pick up the bar and they didn't have a lighter version at my gym. But after a month or so of using hand weights I was able to squat with the bar and then gradually begin adding weight. I have not been doing my regular weights workout for a while now and need to get back at it. I still do resistance training but in a class and they don't use all the equipment -- it's more kettle bells and bands and body weight or body weight plus hand weights moves. </p> <p>It <b>is</b> daunting when the men try to tell you what to do, or when they dismiss you or just won't make way for you, but eventually most of the regulars get to know you.&nbsp;</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1770967 Sun, 22 Jan 2017 23:31:32 +0000 Carla 1770967@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Brooklyn, what GF said about the Smith machine. :-(</p> <p>FWIW, I started out with the ladies bar and could barely manage 4 X 6 reps! I worked my way up to 4 X 12, then progressed to the men's bar. I worked very hard on my form. When my form was good, I started loading plates, and went to 5 X 5 strong lifts. I'm still not particularly high (75-85 lbs, counting bar).</p> <p>I usually have tight shoulders (from swimming) so do dislocators in warm-up, and super set with Lat pull downs (machine) to 'puff up' my traps. It makes carrying the bar easier. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1770948 Sun, 22 Jan 2017 22:18:07 +0000 Brooklyn 1770948@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks GF. You have inspired me. I will give the bar a go. Part of the issue is that men hang around the weights and it is a little daunting to walk through the middle of them to claim a piece of equipment when you are not sure what you are doing! I have neck and shoulder issues and have to be super careful not to strain myself. But I don't want to hurt my knees either. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1770848 Sun, 22 Jan 2017 15:09:09 +0000 Joyce B 1770848@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you for sharing the blog. I also prefer working out at home and now I have an even better reason. Outdoor and yard work are also good. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1770807 Sun, 22 Jan 2017 06:05:01 +0000 gradfashionista 1770807@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Be careful with the Smith machine--it's easy to get injured on it because it's a fixed plane, and can put shearing loads on your knees. </p> <p>Some gyms have lighter bars (15kg, as opposed to 20kg) for women. Even though the bar will heavy when you pick it up, it will feel &nbsp;much lighter when you squat it because the weight will be distributed across your torso, and it'll be your legs/glutes doing most of the work, instead of your arms. I would recommend looking at Starting Strength, or reading <a rel="nofollow" href="http://strengtheory.com/how-to-squat/">this</a> long article--it's wordy, but once you do it in real life, it becomes very intuitive. </p> <p>I approach a bar, set my arms about shoulder width (wider if you're bigger, have wider shoulders, or are less mobile), and bend under the bar and pop my head on the other side, so that I'm still holding the bar, but now it's against my by back. I then take a big breath, squeeze my traps/deltoids/shoulder blades back, slide up about an inch until the bar is now on my rear deltoids (middle photo, but the far left is appropriate, too), and then walk the bar out. The bar is stuck in place--it won't slip down, as long as you maintain tension.</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1770784 Sun, 22 Jan 2017 03:15:34 +0000 Brooklyn 1770784@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks GF. I agree. I sometimes use a smith machine for squats because I am a little intimidated about lifting the bar onto my shoulders (and keeping it there) but I am wondering now if I should. I do love the kenesis machine but I think that those exercises would qualify as functional exercises because they involve a lot of movement. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1770605 Sat, 21 Jan 2017 14:06:05 +0000 Anonymous 1770605@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm getting the same message as Kelly. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1770563 Sat, 21 Jan 2017 04:47:12 +0000 kellygirl 1770563@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>"Blocked as suspected bot" is the recurring response whenever I have tried to post. Just tried again. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1770542 Sat, 21 Jan 2017 01:50:54 +0000 gradfashionista 1770542@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hmm, I just tested a comment and it worked. What message are you getting? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1770541 Sat, 21 Jan 2017 01:48:46 +0000 gradfashionista 1770541@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>UmmLila, that happened to me on the machines. I hit my maxes very quickly and then just couldn't progress. Meanwhile, when I tried out a few machines last year, after not going on them for a couple of years, I was able to surpass my old machine maxes without any problem. </p> <p>Ah, this comment glitch is driving me me crazy. Anybody should be able to post--it must be the overactive spambot. To the drawing board... thanks for letting me know! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1770534 Sat, 21 Jan 2017 00:54:57 +0000 UmmLila (Lisa) 1770534@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I used to do weight machines but I found that after a certain point I didn't make much progress. They are so repetitive, and as you say, they don't build functional strength. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1770529 Sat, 21 Jan 2017 00:24:35 +0000 Style Fan 1770529@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I also tried posting on your blog but it didn't work.&nbsp; I use to do free weights.&nbsp; I have never used the machines.&nbsp; Machines mean gym. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1770520 Fri, 20 Jan 2017 23:44:38 +0000 Anonymous 1770520@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I tried posting on your blog but it's not working.<br /> Anyway, thanks for the tip on the micro weights. Those would be very useful to me. I find fly out types of exercises to be very difficult (I must have weak traps or deltoids or something) and even doing the 2.5 weight was very difficult. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1770432 Fri, 20 Jan 2017 17:58:29 +0000 rachylou 1770432@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Nice post! I would think so. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1770419 Fri, 20 Jan 2017 17:34:56 +0000 Anonymous 1770419@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Nice article.&nbsp; I agree with every word.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1770415 Fri, 20 Jan 2017 17:12:46 +0000 cindysmith 1770415@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you for this. I'm wanting to start some weight training so I can get into archery (I could arehcery now if I wanted to use a kid's set) and this is really helpful! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1770414 Fri, 20 Jan 2017 17:06:23 +0000 DonnaF 1770414@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I completely agree about access to fractional weights.&nbsp; I never thought about machines not increasing functionality; I just don't like them because they never fit me. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1770383 Fri, 20 Jan 2017 15:13:33 +0000 texstyle 1770383@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I've always preferred free weights - better for balance (to me at least). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/free-weights-vs-weight-machines#post-1770365 Fri, 20 Jan 2017 14:08:31 +0000 gradfashionista 1770365@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Since there seems to be some interest in weightlifting here, I was inspired to write up a blurb explaining why free weights are preferable to weight machines. I thought it might interest some of you, so I'm sharing it here. Hopefully, you'll find the info to be useful.</p> <p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.dissertante.com/why-free-weights-beat-machines/">http://www.dissertante.com/why.....-machines/</a> </p>