Exercise is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle that is beneficial to both your body and mind, and exercise equipment can modify, enhance or challenge your workout. Using different types of equipment can keep your body from adapting to a specific exercise and help stave off boredom as well. To avoid exercise injuries, be sure your feel comfortable using the equipment before you begin exercising.
Exercise Machines
Exercise machines are effective exercise equipment because they are appropriate for all fitness levels. Machines are easy to use and usually come with detailed exercise instructions that point out the muscles being targeted as well. Another advantage of machines is that they control your range of motion and guide your movement. This not only allows you to learn the proper form and technique of the exercise, but it helps reduce your risk of injury.
Free Weights
Free weights allow you to work in multiple planes of movement and give you a greater range of motion. For this reason, the American Council on Exercise explains that free-weight exercises tend to more closely match the movement patterns for specific sports. A greater range of motion also allows you to perform a larger variety of exercises. For example, free weights give you the freedom to perform a bicep curl with your palms facing outward or turned in toward you body.
However, because free weights do give you a greater range on motion, it is especially important to learn the correct exercise technique to maximize your effort and avoid injury.
Exercise Balls
Exercise balls, including stability balls and medicine balls, are both effective and versatile and can both modify and challenge your workout. They are affordable and easy to store, making them a beneficial addition to your at-home workout.
Exercise balls are traditionally and particularly effective for improving your core, posture and balance, and they can be used for other strength training exercises as well. For example, replace a weight bench with a stability ball to perform a chest press, which will activate muscles in your core and legs, in addition to improving your balance. MayoClinic.com recommends for most exercises choosing a stability ball that allows your knees to be at a right angle when you sit on the ball with your feet on the floor.
Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are an effective alternative to weight machines or free-weights and are portable, allowing you to strength train almost anywhere. The versatility of them allows you to target each major muscle group, and they are beneficial for both beginning exercisers and trained individuals seeking to change-up or enhance their workout routines. To maximize your efforts and results, choose a resistance band strong enough to make your last one or two repetitions difficult yet doable.
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