Weight Lifting Equipment
by Robert
Having the right weight lifting equipment is an important part of your home gym or home workouts. Whether you’re just starting a workout routine or you’re a power lifter, the right weight equipment can make all the difference. But as you begin your search it may seem a little overwhelming with all the options out there. It may be difficult to determine exactly what you need or if you are on a budget and buying pieces of weightlifting equipment as you can, you may wonder which ones are higher priority.
Hopefully a brief description of these different pieces of weight lifting equipment along with knowing your goals will prove helpful.
Weight Benches
Weight benches are often the core pieces of weight lifting equipment in a person’s home gym because you can use them for so many different exercises. To make them even more versatile weight benches come in a few different styles. Some prefer to have a couple types in their gym so they can comfortably and effectively preform all the exercise they need to achieve their goals.
Flat weight benches are a good basic bench that allow you to do a variety of exercises without the arms of a weight rack getting in the way. Adjustable weight benches are sometimes called incline benches or decline benches. They allow you to tilt one or both sections of the weight bench to give you more flexibility. If you’re short on space you may want to look at folding weight benches which can easily be moved or stored. If you’re a serious weight lifter who will be lifting large amounts of weight you’ll want to go with an Olympic weight bench, which is sturdier and made specifically for this.
Some people think weight benches are mainly used for bench press, but that’s not the case. Weight benches can be used for various ab workouts including sit ups, shoulder press, leg exercises and for working out with dumbbells.
Weight Sets & Free Weights
Free Weights
Some debate whether free weights or weight machines are better. Many agree a combination of the two may be the best. Free weights help train your secondary muscles, which is important because your secondary muscles help support your main muscle groups. This support helps prevent injury. Free weights also make you work harder so inevitable you’ll gain strength and get in better shape more quickly.
If this is the case you may wonder how weight machines fall into the mix. Weight machines limit your range of motion so you have less chance of injury, but also means you can target muscle groups that are difficult to train using free weights.
Barbells
The barbell is yet another important piece of weightlifting equipment. It is the bar where you slide the weights and securing collars to do bench press, curls or squats. There are different sized and shaped barbells for different exercises. For example there is an EZ Curl bar that is used for bicep curls. It has a zigzag shape with a grip that lets the lifter use a more neutral position with the wrists and forearms. Barbells typically range in size from 4 to 7 feet.
Weight Racks
If you want to keep your workout area organized and neat you’ll want to get a weight rack. It’s exactly as it sounds, a place to store your weights. Weight racks also keep your weights in better condition. Even if you don’t have many weights they come in real handy since they don’t take up much room and they provide a good use of space.
Weight Machine
Weight Machine
Strength training is a vital part of your exercise routine. Aerobic exercise is important, but strength training is equally important. The piece of weight lifting equipment that makes this easiest is the weight machine because of its multifunctional design. They offer a variety of workouts targeting your arms, legs, abs, back, shoulders etc.
As mentioned above a weight machine is beneficial because it can help target muscle groups that can be hard to train with free weights alone. You also have a lower chance of sustaining an injury using weight machines since they limit your range of motion to the specific lift you are doing.
Dumbbell Weights & Rubber Dumbbells
If you’re looking for basic weight lifting equipment to get started but you want something that will be useful through the years dumbbell weights, more commonly called simply dumbbells, fits the bill. Dumbbells are an important tool for weight training or resistance training. They allow you to focus on and target specific muscle groups so you can refine and tone. If you buy a dumbbell set you can start with the lower weights and see the improvement as you work up to the higher ones.
If you don’t like the feel of the metal ones you can buy rubber dumbbells. Many feel the material provides a better grip and because they have a little cushion on the outside they feel a little safer.
As you get into the heavier weights you may want to consider adjustable dumbbells. An adjustable dumbbell allows you to change the weight as you would with a barbell; they come complete with collars and all.
Ankle Weights & Wrist Weights
Using ankle weights and wrist weights is a great way to help tone and increase your cardio workout. You may be surprised by the results you get from something so seemingly simple. Adding these body weights for your walks or when you go jogging can make a real difference. As you work up you can start using heavier weights and enjoy the results. Wrist and ankle weights are a good place to start because they are easy to use, they don’t take up much space and they aren’t very expensive compared to other types of weight lifting equipment.
Body weights are also great for rehabilitation for injuries or after surgery. But talk to your doctor or physical therapist before using them.
Curl Bench
To get the best results with your bicep exercises you should consider getting a curl bench. A curl bench will help isolate that specific muscle group so you can get the results you really want. Curl benches help keep you in a position that will make the bicep workout more effective.
Curl benches are small, easy to store and relatively inexpensive. So if you’re looking for great biceps this is something you should consider.
Squat Rack
Squat Rack
Squat racks allow you to do squats, using free weights and a barbell, safely at home. An adjustable squat rack has vertical posts connected to two adjustable horizontal bars made to catch the weights if they slip or drop. Some squat racks have four vertical bars and looks more like a cage, not surprising they are sometimes called a power cage. These are more versatile for the serious weightlifter.
Because of the safety feature squat racks allow you to get the same intensity of workout you would get at the gym in your own home. These movable bars also allow you to work through difficult parts of the lift safely.
Weigh Lifting Accessories
You may also want to get some weight lifting accessories for increased comfort, safety and performance. Things like weight lifting gloves, weight lifting belts, weight lifting hooks and weight lifting straps can really make a difference in your workout.
- Weight Lifting Gloves – With the heavy weight and range of motion, lifting can cause friction that irritates the hands. Weight lifting gloves help protect your hands and make lifts more comfortable.
- Weight Lifting Belts – A weight lifting belt helps reduce stress on the low back while doing certain lifts.
- Weight Lifting Hooks – Weight lifting hooks are helpful when lifting heavy weight because they can help to distribute the weight from your fingers to your wrists, forearms and arms.
- Weight Lifting Straps – Weight lifting straps help when lifting heavy weight by distributing weight from the fingers and hands to the straps, making the lift more comfortable.
As you can see there is a variety of weight lifting equipment available to help facilitate your workout and to help you reach your goals. Weight training or resistance training is an important part of keeping fit, cardio alone isn’t enough. So set a routine and take advantage of the weightlifting equipment available; the right weight equipment can dramatically improve your workout.