Freeweights

It's official - free weights are no longer just used by body builders, they are now recognised as an essential part of any good workout programme.

While machines are good to get you started with resistance training, free weights offer a host of benefits that machines just can't match.

• More exercises - Look around most gyms and you will find one, maybe two machines to work each body part. However, if you use dumbbells or barbells, there are literally dozens of possibilities. This is crucial as to get the most from your workouts you need variety - doing the same old exercise in the same way each time, which machines force you to do, will soon halt your progress.
  
  
• Greater range of motion - Machines move in a fixed pattern, which pays little heed to your body's natural movements, or your individual needs. Using dumbbells and barbells allows your body to move more naturally. It also means that you use various peripheral muscles to support your body, increasing the benefits of the workout.
  
  
• Easier to adjust - Machines typically allow you to progress in set increments - 5 or 10 kilos at a time. However, sometimes you need to progress more gradually. Barbells and dumbbells allow you to increase your resistance in whatever increments you need.