Guest blogger Taylor Ryan is a NASM certified personal trainer and the head trainer of the all women’s site: The Art of Weight Lifting. Women’s fitness is her passion! Read more at her blog.
Not all exercise is created equal. We all know that running a mile burns more calories than biking a mile and that dancing burns more calories than gardening, but did you know that when it comes to strength training exercises, the same rule applies?
If you’re spending time at the gym on the weight machines, now is the time to stop. These are isolated exercises geared to work one small muscle in a designated range of motion… basically you burn very little fat and build or tone very little muscle.
Well, hopefully wedding fitness week 1 was a successful week for you. It’s time for a new week and a new you!! Week two is geared toward cables, or “freemotion,” exercises. Week one consisted of machine weights, which are perfect for beginners because the machines control your movement and help you get the most benefits from each repetition. Cables exercises are a little more advanced due to the fact that you control your own movement.
Proper technique is crucial while using cables, so please use the correct weight and pay attention to the correct form from the videos below. Again, I recommend performing two sets of 20 repetitions from the exercises listed below and follow them up with a sweat-filled cardiovascular exercise for 30 to 60 minutes.
What is the difference between free weights and machine weights? They both can increase muscular strength and endurance as well as tone and define. So, which is better? Free weights (dumbbells) are a more advanced way of weight training while machines control your movement and limit your range of motion. The greater and more difficult the range of motion, the more effective the exercise is, due to the fact that your body has to work harder to perform that specific movement. Depending on the goal of the exercise, you can determine whether free weights or machine weights are more beneficial.
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