Yet another principle is the distinction between various methods of exercising.

Exercises can be divided up into 4 categories:

1) Dumbbells and barbells

2) Fitness machines

3) Cables

4) Body weight.

You will understand that for the proper development of your body it is necessary that all of the above methods of exercising be included in your training. They each have their own specific strong and weak points.

legs, one leg calf raises

By putting together a balanced combination of dumbbell/barbell exercises with exercises using fitness machines, cables and/or body weight exercises it is possible to compensate for the disadvantages and enforce the advantages.

Dumbbells and barbells.

Dumbbells and barbells are often referred to as 'free weights'. Dumbbell/barbell exercises are particularly suitable for the development of muscle co-ordination and muscle balance. They provide a unique freedom of movement while performing exercises.




Because the weights are kept in balance during the movement the so-called stabilizer muscles are stimulated. These muscles stabilize the body while doing basic exercises such as bench pressing and squatting. These muscles are usually smaller and mostly outwardly not visible. However, stabilizer muscles to a large extent determine your body's strength and symmetry.

legs, seated calf raises

In many respects dumbbells are superior to barbells.

Dumbbells force parts of your body to work independently of each other causing each individual muscle to experience approximately the same weight. With barbells, however, the stronger muscles of a muscle-group often carry the greater part of the weight, allowing the other - weaker muscles - to work less hard. Over a longer period of time this may result in disproportional muscle development within muscle-groups.

It is important to combine barbell exercises with dumbbell exercises.

Machines

In many modern fitness centers all kinds of fitness machines can be found, each one training a specific muscle or muscle-group. Machines ensure that a specific movement is carried out along a pre-determined curve. This reduces the risk of performing it incorrectly. In this way you can concentrate on the weight instead of on the way the exercise is performed. In theory this will make you grow stronger whilst increasing the number of ways in which the body may be developed.

legs, standing calf raises

In practice, however, it has been proven that fitness machines do not adapt themselves to divergent body types. Another disadvantage is that many stabilizer muscles are not stimulated by such fixed exercises.

Fitness machines should therefore only be used to supplement your training, but not as the basis of a balanced body training program.

Cables.

Cable exercises combine some of the advantages of free weights with those of fitness machines. Cable exercises ensure that the muscles involved are evenly tensed during the entire movement. This in contrast to free weight exercises and exercises using fitness machines, during the performance of which the muscle tension varies.

Because of this unique way of stimulation cable exercises also deserve a place in your training program. However, here too it is important to emphasize that the selected exercises should only be used to supplement your total body training program.

back, one arm dumbbell rows

Bodyweight.

Exercises which only make use of your own body weight are excellent for use outside of the gym. Many men and women who train at home do these exercises. They are easy to perform and can be done almost anywhere if you have no access to a gym. A lot of these exercises train your muscles as effectively or even better than many exercises using weights.

A barbell or dumbbell exercise to train your biceps may serve as a good example. If you pull yourself up on a bar using only your biceps, you will notice that this is much heavier than the barbell or dumbbell exercise. Body weight exercises therefore are an excellent way to supplement your training.

By combining these divergent methods of exercising you will have a complete arsenal of exercises and variations at your disposal. Be receptive to variation and diversity!

Variation and diversity will ensure continuous development of your body and will prevent boredom.

Author: Tobias van der Avort

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