Strength training has so many benefits, from giving you the physique you’ve always dreamed of to reducing your risk of many health problems. A lot of people who are serious about weight training will often opt for either free weights or machines, believing that one is better than the other. However, incorporating both into your workout routine offers the most benefits, and that includes the often dreaded cardio machines.
The importance of cardio
A lot of people dread doing cardio, and when strength training can make you feel so good afterward, it’s difficult to want to jump onto the cardio machines. However, cardio is great for burning fat, which means that your muscles can be easily seen and look more defined, as well as benefiting your cardiovascular system. Reading these reviews on HomeFitnessJourney can help you to choose which cardio machines are best suited to you and your fitness goals, such as the elliptical machine, which is great for a whole body workout and can be used for HIIT or low impact workouts when recovering from injury or having a rest day.
Incorporating strength training machines
Using free weights are great for using a full range of motion and doing functional exercises, so you should definitely keep them in your routine. Alternatively, machines allow you to isolate and train specific muscles, which helps you to focus on the weight lifted, as opposed to the movement involved. This can reduce the risk of injury, as well as being an ideal option for people recovering from an injury who want to continue working out. Working on muscles in isolation can give you quicker results, and you may find that you can train muscles that you wouldn’t be able to by using free weights alone.
Best strength training machines
There are some strength training machines that stand out and will complement your free weight exercises. The leg press lets you safely and effectively train your legs and is a great machine to use alongside squats and deadlifts. It keeps your spine stabilized, so you can usually push higher weights, helping you to quickly work towards bigger numbers on the free weights. For the upper body, a pull-up and dip assisting machine is one of the best pieces of equipment.
Many people find they get stuck on how many reps they can do of these exercises, so the machine helps you to keep going and gradually reduce how much it’s assisting you until you can do them unaided. Pushing through and doing more reps gets more blood and oxygen pumping to your muscles, helping to build your strength and burn those calories.
Free weights can remain a dominant part of your workout routine, but introducing strength training machines alongside your current exercises can further improve your muscle size, definition, and strength. Using cardio machines can also help to banish the layer of fat covering your muscles so that they are revealed, while simultaneously improving your overall health.
Tags: cardio, fitness equipment, machines
