Free Weights or Resistance Bands: Getting the Best Workout for You

Gone are the days where girls stayed away from weights for fear of bulking up. Science has long confirmed what most people know: strength training is essential for good health and maintaining weight loss. Muscle requires more calories to maintain than fat, raising your metabolic requirements. Muscle is also more dense than fat, making a muscular person seem slimmer than a less fit person at the same weight.

If you have decided to try a strength training program at home, consult your physician and then an exercise professional. A single session with a personal trainer will help you avoid injury by showing you how to strength train without injury. Before you go, however, think about how you would like to strength train so the workout can be customized to your preference. Although it is possible to get a complete strength training workout with no equipment, many people choose to buy free weights or resistance bands to help vary their workouts. What will work best for you depends on your lifestyle and the workout you wish to receive.

Free Weights

Free weights are items like dumbbells or barbells. It is possible to get a better workout with free weights than a machine because of the lack of restricted movement. Lack of restricted movement is also what makes you more prone to injury, so be sure to use proper form.

Free weights can be purchased in a variety of weights and forms. You can buy dumbbells, for example, that are at a specific weight, or you can purchase a dumbbell set that allows you to add or subtract weight. In general, dumbbell sets are a better investment. Despite the larger initial cost, the ability to add weight as you become more fit will have you saving money over time. You can also chart your progress by how much weight you add over time.

Before buying free weights consider how you will store them. Depending on the amount of weight you purchase, you may consider buying a rack to hold the weight. When you are beginning, however, storage issues should be minimal. Also consider the durability of your free weights. Different materials and designs will make the quality of each set vary dramatically.

Resistance Bands