Dumbbells, Plates and Bars
Here at Homefitness.com we recognize the value of home weight training and know that dumbbells, plates and bars can be part of a great workout and a great addition to any home fitness center. Dumbbells, plates and bars take up very little space and store easily, making them ideal candidates for home use. Free weight training includes any type of weight resistance not attached to a weight machine. The three most common basic types of free weights are dumbbells, solid metal handgrip weights, and small weight bars that can be fitted with different weights and lifted with two hands. Working out with free weights at home can yield the same results as would you get using weight machines at the gym, but it might take a little more effort to get a proper workout on your own at home.
Dumbbells are safer than barbell-style weights because you don’t have to worry about being crushed by a loose 200-lb. barbell, but is still best to be supervised when lifting any kind of free weights at home. Heavy weight lifters usually prefer free weights such as fixed dumbbells, spinlock dumbbells and adjustable barbell weights. If building additional muscle mass is your goal, free weights can provide a very good value.
Free weight exercises can be more difficult to perform than exercises using fixed weights on a multi gym machine. Even the lightest free weights like small dumbbells require far more balance and coordination to lift repetitively than machine weights that are held in place for you. Another area of difficulty for free weight lifters can be attempting leg lift workouts without a spotter. Your legs are usually capable of lifting much more weight than is safe or prudent if you are doing it at home alone.
There are two main types of free weights that enjoy widespread use today, standard weights and Olympic weights. Standard free weights all have 1-inch holes to accept a standard 1-inch weightlifting bar. Standard weights can be mounted on long bars, curl bars and short triceps bars using spin locks to secure the weight plates onto the bars. Standard weights are the type most often recommended for beginners since they are less expensive and have lower maximum weight limits in compared to Olympic weights.
Olympic weights have a 2-inch hole in the middle to accept larger and heavier weightlifting bars and are recommended for intermediate to advanced lifters. An Olympic weight lifting bar can weigh about 40 lbs. by itself and will support over 1000 lbs., and that’s just a bit too much to try and lift at home without supervision.
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