A constant resistance exercise is a movement in which the load or force remains unchanged throughout. One way to ensure that your resistance exercise is constant---that the force you work against does not vary---is to structure a workout with equipment. Free weights, weight machines and exercise bands all provide constant resistance. Each has its advantages and drawbacks so select the ones that will best help you to achieve your fitness goals.
Free Weights
Free weights, like dumbbells and barbells, require little more than a bench for a thorough workout. They give a full range of motion and will work several muscle groups at once. Free weights can also be used for sport-specific muscle training and are demanding. They are tougher to use and generally require more strength than machine-assisted weights. Using them safely means knowing correct form because there is no machine guidance. And it's important to have a spotter for exercises in which you lift heavier weights. Although free weights can be customized for individual workouts, each dumbbell, barbell or disk represents a a fixed amount of weight to work against.
Weight Machines
Resistance machines, like a leg press, a rowing machine or a Pilates Reformer, will give a guided workout that isolates specific muscle groups. In general, you need a gym membership for access to a range of machines for a total fitness workout, limiting the times when you can use the equipment. But the machines, which feature adjustable stacks of weights controlled by gears, pulleys, cables or springs, are a safe way to learn a weight routine using proper form. They are also recommended for rehabilitation from injuries, when a very targeted, constant motion and level of resistance is prescribed for physical therapy. A fitness coach or physical trainer can demonstrate the proper way to use the machines and recommend a workout program to achieve specific goals. In a Pilates studio, an instructor may work more intensively with a client to ensure correct form on a range of machines and movements.
Resistance Bands
Exercise bands or resistance bands come in varying sizes and degrees of stiffness or pull. But the bands provide even resistance throughout an exercise as long as they are engaged. Their advantage over other constant resistance equipment is that they are extremely portable. Travel versions slip into luggage or a desk drawer for resistance training on the road or at work. Bands that attach to adjustable weight equipment are used at home or in the gym. The bands can isolate a muscle for a more intense workout, like a hamstring curl that uses a cuff and resistance band on one leg. The hamstring exercise can be performed while holding onto a support and flexing the leg. Standing unsupported while flexing against the band increases the degree of difficulty for greater strength and balance. It is important to concentrate on exact repetition of each movement in order to benefit from a constant level of resistance.
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