Making the switch from weight machines to free weights is not as simple as walking across the fitness center and changing equipment. Depending on what type of machines you've been using, you might be changing the type of resistance you use, the amount of core stability you'll experience and even the exercises you'll need to do to work the same muscles.
Types of Resistance
Weight machines use cables, pulleys, weight stacks and other devices to create constant or variable resistance. With constant-resistance machines, you experience a uniform weight or resistance during your movement. Variable-resistance machines create more resistance as you pull the cables or push the bars. Free weights offer only constant resistance, according to the FAQs website, with the most effort required at the beginning of the lift. Write a list of the exercises you've been doing on resistance machines and note which ones you did using variable resistance so you can determine what the effect will be doing those same exercises with constant resistance.
Types of Muscle Contractions
Shortening a muscle, as when lifting up during a biceps curl, creates a concentric muscle contraction. Lengthening a muscle, such as lowering during a curl, creates an eccentric contraction. Holding a weight steady creates an isometric contraction. Eccentric contractions provide the most effective contraction for hypertrophy, followed by isometric contractions, then concentric contractions, fitness author and radio host Dr. Gabe Mirkin writes on his website. When you switch from machine weights to free weights, experiment with your contractions to make sure you don't let gravity drop the weight --- use muscle effort both to bring the weight down and to lift it up.
Analyze Your Exercises
You may not be able to perform all of the exercises you did on a weight machine when you switch to free weights, the University of Illinois' McKinley Health Center cautions. For example, if you did sitting leg presses, hamstring curls from the plank position or kneeling lat pulls, you might not be able to do all of those with dumbbells, kettlebells and barbells.
Create Alternative Exercises
If you would like to continue to work specific muscles, but no longer can do certain exercises with the free weights you have, learn which free-weight exercises you can do to work those muscles. For example, if you can't do leg presses with your free weights, add squats, lunges and deadlifts to your workouts.
Injury Prevention
Free weights are less stable than weight machines and a lack of balance can not only result in your dropping a weight, but wrenching your back or straining a muscle, the McKinley Health Center warns. Because of this instability, you will use your core muscles more to help stabilize your body. Before you begin performing free-weight exercises, experiment with very light weights as you learn and practice the correct technique for each exercise.
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