Weightlifting Equipment
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009Weightlifting equipment is complex and varied; the machines and the weights are meant to help the athlete train for personal purposes or for competitions. When making purchases for gyms, business owners are interested in the features of the equipment as well as in the quality and the warranty conditions for the purchased items. As for first time users, it often happens that the weightlifting equipment seems a bit intimidating when entering the gym. It is pretty difficult to start using the machines if you know nothing about them, and learning from observation is not always the best idea. Here are some of the items and machines that you should start with.
Normally, there are two main types of weightlifting equipment: free weights and machines. The free weights get their name from their use together with pulleys, pins, weight stacks and cables. Weight plates, barbells and dumbbells are the basic items here. The plates are attached to the barbell and you perform the exercises by lifting with both hands. Small barbell versions are available in many gyms, although the official Olympic size is 7 feet length and 45 pounds weight. The dumbbells are are designed for training with a single hand, and they make the short barbell version.
discount weightlifting equipment
Weight plates are made of iron, but there are gyms that use plastic plates too. These items are an essential part of weightlifting equipment and you can’t call yourself an amateur lifter without them. A next highly important element in the gym is the bench. Designs include flat, inclined and declined benches. The benches without racks are used for practicing with dumbbells while those with racks are necessary for barbells. Besides free weights, machines occupy a special place in any weightlifting equipment category because they are easier to use and commonly popular.
There are advantages and disadvantages to the use of machines. If compared to free weights, this kind of weightlifting equipment is easier and safer to use. Preference goes for multi-functional machines that enable for more complex training, although there are items designed just for the training of specific groups of muscles. Lots of mistakes can be made while performing exercises on machines, and this is their major downside. A correct body inclination and posture are sometimes difficult to achieve, which could create the premises for injuries. For beginners, the workout with machines should have professional assistance.