Bodyweight Vs. Free Weights

Good muscular fitness is essential to health. Young people often increase muscular strength to improve sport performance or to look good at the beach. Middle-aged and older adults may want to improve muscular strength to boost metabolism, retain bone density and make activities of daily living easier. You can do strength training using your own body weight or use free weights such as barbells and dumbbells--or do both--according to your personal preference and fitness goals.

Advantages of Body Weight

Body weight training is easy and convenient because it requires no equipment. Body weight exercises can add great variety to a workout program and can be performed anytime, anywhere, including when you are traveling. When done from a standing position, body weight exercises challenge all the muscles of the body. Individuals interested in sculpting lean muscle without adding bulk find body weight exercise ideal.

Advantages of Free Weights

With free weights, exercisers can move through a full range of motion and challenge muscles at varied angles. Users can choose from many weights, and weighted plates and barbells make lifting heavier weights easier. Free weights offer variety for all fitness levels, and heavier free weights are good for increasing muscle size. When used from a standing position, free weights challenge the muscles of the core and burn more calories than the same exercise from a seated position.

Disadvantages of Body Weight

In body weight exercises, the weight is always the same. Lifting the same weight over a period of time is not as beneficial as performing progressive lifts using free weights or machines. In addition, some people are unable to lift their own body weight. For example, women may be unable to perform modified push-ups unless they have first built upper body strength using machines and free weights.

Disadvantages of Free Weights

When lifting heavy free weights, a spotter is needed for safety reasons. The bench press, for example, requires a spotter to prevent the lifter from getting trapped under the bar, which can be dangerous. Use of proper lifting technique is also necessary for avoidance of injury. People using free weights need strength and control of stabilizing muscles to prevent damage to muscles, tendons and joints.

Examples of Body Weight Exercises

To do a squat, stand with your feet hip width-apart and the toes pointed forward. Inhale and lower yourself by bending your knees until your legs are parallel with the ground, exhale and return to starting position. Squats strengthen the muscles at the front of the thigh, as well as the glutes.
To do a push-up, support yourself facedown, with your arms extended, your hands shoulder-width apart and your feet together or shoulder-width apart. Inhale and lower your body by bending your elbows. Bring your rib cage close to the ground but not touching it, exhale and straighten the elbows to return to starting position. Push-ups develop the muscles of the chest and triceps while challenging the abdominal muscles.

Examples of Free Weight Exercises

In a hammer curl, you stand with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other. Exhale and raise your forearms by bending your elbows and bringing the weight up toward the shoulder. Inhale and lower the weights back to your sides. This exercise is great for developing the biceps muscle.
To do a stiff-legged deadlift, stand with your feet hip distance apart and a barbell on the ground in front of you. Inhale and bend forward from the hips, keeping your back and legs as straight as possible. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip while keeping your arms relaxed. Exhale and stand up straight by rotating the hips forward, keeping your abdominal muscles contracted. Inhale and lower the weight back toward the floor. This exercise works the muscles of the lower back, hamstrings and glutes.