Weight Lifting Equipment Reviewed and Rated
Weight lifting equipment comes in many forms... from dumbbells to home gyms. In fact when it comes to strength training your choice of exercise equipment is endless. But as you probably know not all weight lifting equipment is created equal...
The list of articles below review different types of weight training equipment and accessories -- their pros and cons. If you're a seasoned weight lifter then you'll know exactly what you're after. You can use the reviews at the bottom of this page to help you find what are considered to be the best, or lowest priced brands in their field... be it for barbells, dumbbells, weight benches or home gyms.
If you're relatively new to strength training you may still be unsure as to what type of weight lifting equipment is best for you. Here's a quick guide...
Free Weights
Most experienced weightlifters favor free weights such as dumbbells and barbells. If building significant muscle mass is your goal then free weights are the best option. Dumbbells are safer than barbells in that you can push yourself to failure on most exercises without having to worry about being crushed by a 250lb barbell.
A disadvantage of free weights is that certain exercises are hard to perform. There's nothing really you can do with free weights that mirrors a lat pull down machine for your large back muscles. Working your legs is also tricky because the amount of weight they can handle is usually more than is safe to perform with a training partner to spot you. Of course the lack of a spotter (not required with a home gym) is the biggest disadvantage.
In terms of price free weights are cheaper than other types of weight lifting equipment such as home gyms. Having said that, once you've bought enough weight to overload your largest muscle groups and added the cost of a weight lifting bench there might not be much difference.
Home gyms
Just as you can significantly increase your lean muscle mass, strength and tone with machines at the gym, you can with a multi-station home gym. Starting with the disadvantages... you are restricted in your plane of movement. If you think about a lifting a set of dumbbells, they fit round your physique and movement pattern. A machine moves in a fixed plane(s) of movement so you have to fit around it. Secondly you're limited to the weight you can lift. If you've been weightlifting for several years and have exceptional strength stick to free weights.
Advantages? Home gyms are much safer than free weights, especially if you don't have a training partner. You can also push yourself to failure on each exercise. Most home gyms have a lat pull down and attachments to work your legs. Their biggest advantage though has to be convenience and ease of use. Just pull the pin out to change the weight. No lugging heavy plates on and off barbells in between exercises. In terms of space requirement there's little to separate the two.
Had to include this one! As a rule of thumb if it needs an infomercial and a celebrity endorsement it ain’t weight lifting equipment. There are some exceptions for people who want to increase their strength and tone without huge gains in muscle mass, but they are few and far between. Stick to free weights, a good quality home gym (reviewed below) or a gym membership. That's what the super fit models who demonstrate those gimmicks do!
With those thoughts in mind here are s few articles to look at some weight lifting equipment in detail...
Weight Lifting Equipment Reviews
Home gyms reviewed
Smith machines reviewed
Dumbbells reviewed
Adjustable Dumbbells Reviewed
Barbells reviewed
Weight benches reviewed
Haulin Hooks
Weight lifting gloves reviewed
Weight lifting belts reviewed
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