Working out and exercising the right way is important for many reasons. Knowing how to do certain exercises and how to position yourself while doing them is crucial to prevent injuries and to stay healthy. A lot of people like to go to the gym and lifting weights and using the machines there makes up the bulk of their physical activity. That is fine and well, and actually good, but not if they lack the knowledge of doing the right thing and why a certain way of exercising is actually the right way. For one, we already mentioned that there can be serious injuries involved when someone is not properly doing something. Another big issue comes in the form of working the wrong muscles in certain exercises, or rather making the wrong parts of the body work during a single exercise. This never gives the right results and a lot of the effort you put in may be futile.
To learn how to do what and why you should pick a certain thing over another, you have to inform yourself on the general premises of going to the gym as well as the culture and tradition of this form of working out. In this article we are going to help you a bit as we bring to attention one of the most important things of hitting the gym, and that is what kind of weights to use. You probably know there are many different weight types available, and you must wonder why. Isn’t a single type enough? Well, no, far from it, and some are actually better than others. As the title of this article states, right here and now we explore the reasons why dumbbells are a better option than both barbells and machines.
1. Range of Motion
Source: unsplash.com
The biggest reason why any sort of free weight is better than both a barbell and a machine is the fact that they offer a free range of motion. This is extremely important for targeting specific muscle groups and it is also great because it does not limit the things you can do with your arms. When using a free weight, you not only have to pick the right weight and do the exercise but also have the correct balance. Machines require no balance while barbells require a much smaller amount. There is simply more activity when you use a dumbbell, of the muscles that you are trying to work out as well as all the joints and stabilizer muscles that are getting activity. If you are looking for variation and exercising of more muscles during a single set of activities, dumbbells are for you.
2. Economy and Versatility
Source: unsplash.com
Working out with dumbbells is unlike anything else in the world of lifting weights and serious workouts because you hardly need anything else in your life. It is possible to perform a complete strength training routine that has been tailored to your physical abilities as well as your expectations with a single dumbbell, or a set of two dumbbells. There are numerous exercises to perform that target the chest area, the arms, and the shoulders. You can do your pecs, biceps, triceps, shoulders, and traps with only the two dumbbells. And the aforementioned range of motion will guarantee that all the supporting muscles, tendons, and joints are getting the workout too. This is not possible with either a single machine nor a barbell. If you prefer working out at home and have a home gym you must have a quality dumbbell set. Make sure you check out smrtft.
3. Faster Muscle Build
According to research as well as the recommendations by some of the most knowledgeable weightlifters and gym goers, dumbbells are the better option if you want to build your muscles faster. Many weightlifting enthusiasts swear by the dumbbells and attribute their success and passion to using them in their everyday workouts. Free weights build muscles faster than machines because they employ and activate many surrounding areas other than the one you are targeting. Muscle groups and fibers workout the best and in the most effective way when more of them work. That is why swimming is so healthy and beneficial, because it requires the entire body. Well, dumbbells are like that in the world of gym workouts. Machines isolate specific muscles, and although they have certain advantages they are not the way if you want speedy results.
4. Safety
Source: unsplash.com
Hitting the gym requires a lot of conscious effort to stay safe and prevent injury. A lot can go wrong in any situation wherever and whenever there are heavy things, pull and push mechanics, and pointy objects. If you care about safety as you work out, dumbbells may be the preferred method for you especially for heavier and more demanding sessions. Squats and bench presses are best done with barbells and they are the go-to option, but the safety is not there and there is a lot of pressure on the remainder of the body to stay in the right position. It is simply more comfortable and safer to use dumbbells whenever you can, even with squats and bench pressing. If they become too hard and heavy to use, you just drop them. You cannot do that with ether machines or barbells.
5. Overcoming Strength Imbalances
Source: unsplash.com
Working with dumbbells implies the use of both arms at the same time, also known as unilaterally. It is natural for one of our sides to be weaker, especially at the beginning of our workout regime. With dumbbells it is possible to overcome and overcompensate this, but only if you keep your form. If you have imbalances in your exercises, they will show immediately both with the machines and the barbells. You will feel and see how you are pulling stronger with one arm and how the bar or whatever else the machine has is not positioned right. This means one side is working harder than the other. With dumbbells this is not the case because you have to move both arms simultaneously, or else you will lose your balance and form. If you feel like one of your sides is much stronger, switch to dumbbells to even things out.
