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Free Weight Training Exercises

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Weight training has become a popular means of working out. Weight training is recommended for building body mass, losing weight, gaining weight, reversing osteoporosis and strengthening. Free weights are those weights that are not part of a machine, often called dumb bells and barbells. Free weight training exercises have been around a long time as the weights have been cheap to acquire, sometimes home made or replaced by everyday items found in an individuals environment. Free weight training exercises have remained popular as they can be performed virtually anywhere.

Free weight training exercises are highly successful in the above mentioned purposes for one main reason. Muscle cells burn more energy than fat cells. Because of the energy required to build and maintain muscle, the process triggers the body to perform in amazing ways. When free weight training exercises are done regularly, the body will use stored energy (fat) to produce muscle, the body will build bone tissue at a rate that hasn't been seen since the body was a growing baby, muscles tone and contour the body to it's natural perfection, the body returns to it's ideal weight, and the body becomes strong with increased endurance. Tendon and ligament strength and less risk of injury are also acquired benefits to be gained from free weight training exercises.

There are two basic types of free weight training exercises: Isolation and compound exercises. An isolation exercise is one in which one muscle does the movement. Examples of isolation exercises are: Bicep curls, leg extensions, lateral raises and tricep pressdowns. A compound exercise is one in which a group of muscles perform the movement. Examples of compound exercises are: Squats, the bench press, dead lifts, pull ups, dips and rows.

The benefit to free weight training exercises over those on a machine is that free weights by nature, require the same amount of exertion in both directions. The muscles have to work just as hard to set the weight back down as it did to pick the weight up. This makes free weight training exercises the favorite of many weight trainers. Because there is no wasted effort, results can be seen more quickly.

Free weight training exercises can be designed for the individual. Whether trying to build body mass, or just get into better shape exercises can be chosen for individual desired results.