If you are considering starting a new fitness program, it might be beneficial to be informed about the different options available. Workout facilities generally have either weighted resistance machines or hydraulic resistance machines. When deciding on the right facility for you, consider factors such as your health status, goals and time available.
History
Jack LaLanne can be credited with the invention of some of the first weighted fitness machines around the late 1930s. Hydraulic systems did not appear until the late 1970s and were first designed to benefit injured athletes.
Function of Hydraulic Systems
Hydraulic resistance exercise equipment operates with fluid to create the tension. The amount of tension is controlled by the speed at which the move is performed. If you push or pull slowly, the resistance will be less than if you were to push or pull quickly. However, there is a limit to the amount of resistance that can be generated, and moving too quickly compromises form and safety, as pointed out by the University of Texas Health Science Center. Hydraulic systems also differ from weighted systems because they do not require the exerciser to perform the eccentric phase. The eccentric phase of the lift is the part where you return the weight to the starting position and your muscles must still do work to safely and slowly return the weight. A hydraulic system can be released after the push or pull motion, and it would not snap back in place, but would move slowly on its own.
Function of Weighted Exercise Equipment
Traditional weighted exercise equipment consists of cables and weight loads that can be adjusted. The exerciser selects the weight load and performs both the concentric and eccentric phases of the exercise. If you were to let go after pressing the lever out in a chest press, for example, the lever would snap back at you and the weight would slam down. This cannot occur with the hydraulic system. Additionally, the amount of resistance does not change with speed variations in the lift on the weighted equipment.
Pros and Cons
The hydraulic system can improve strength, to a limit. Because the system has tension limits, you will eventually reach a plateau in strength and muscle growth. Due to the lack of eccentric phase in hydraulic lifting, there is reduced muscle tearing and soreness, a benefit to many people. Weighted systems have a greater ability to improve your strength and muscle size due to progressively loading the equipment. However, soreness is more likely due to performing the eccentric phase, and the ability to work with greater resistance.
Practical Application
There is a place for both hydraulic systems and weighted systems in the fitness industry. Hydraulic systems are beneficial to injured populations, seniors, women and children new to exercise. Many centers that provide hydraulic equipment market themselves to women and set up the machines in a 30-minute circuit fashion, which promotes cardiovascular health, in addition to making it more appealing due to the set time frame. Weighted systems are beneficial to more serious weight lifters, especially if you want to be able to continuously get stronger and build muscles.
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