--- title: The Free Weights Advantage description: The Free Weights Advantage --- ### Get a Demo # Welcome! Choose your tour type: - BY INDUSTRY - BY FEATURE [![OneFitStop](https://try.hapana.com/hubfs/Onefitstop-April2018/Images/ofs-logo-white.png)![OneFitStop](https://try.hapana.com/hubfs/Onefitstop-April2018/Images/ofs-logo-white-1.png)](https://try.hapana.com/) - Tour - [Community](https://try.hapana.com/community) - Get Demo - [LOGIN](https://www.onefitstop.com/login) search - [Community](https://try.hapana.com/community) - [Blog](https://try.hapana.com/community/blog) - - - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/onefitstop) - [Twitter](https://twitter.com/onefitstop) - [Instagram](http://instagram.com/onefitstop) [Previous What is functional training?](https://try.hapana.com/community/what-is-functional-training) [Next Healthy Recipe: Buckwheat Bake](https://try.hapana.com/community/healthy-recipe-buckwheat-bake) [Fitness](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/fitness) # The Free Weights Advantage Jun 12, 2014 4:05:56 AM [Add comment](https://try.hapana.com/community/free-weights-advantage#comments-listing) Facebook Twitter [Email](mailto:?body=https://try.hapana.com/community/free-weights-advantage) Google+ LinkedIN The next time you head for your workout, take a look around the gym floor. Are there people there that look the same as they did a few months ago? What area of the gym do they workout in? What equipment do they use? Now, find the fittest and strongest looking people in the gym. Where are they and what are they training with?   You are likely to find that the people who don't change are probably using a lot of weight stack machines. The people who look fit and strong are most likely to be found training with barbells, dumbbells, medicine balls, [kettlebells](http://www.onefitstop.com.au/index.php?route=product%2Fsearch&filter_name=kettlebells)and weight plates.   Now, I’m not proposing that using machines is bad. They can be great tools for achieving training success. [Machines](http://www.onefitstop.com.au/fitness-equipment/strength-training/healthstream-premium-lat-pulldown) are great for safely isolating muscles, pushing yourself when you are toward the end of your workout, or for advanced training techniques. 
However, I believe that it is preferable to use free weights as the basis of your workouts.   Why?   By standing up, you are using more core muscles to stabilize the weights. This will lead to greater overall strength. When you are stronger, you can more readily build muscle. At the same time, by incorporating more muscle use during your lifts, you are burning more calories. This will help lead to a leaner look as well.   So, you choose, who do you want to be? Do you want to look the same or stronger?   You don’t have to try to grow huge like some of the guys/ladies you see at the gym, but I believe that you can find a happy middle. If you want to look strong, lean and fit, I advise you hit the free weights.     This article was edited from its original. The article was shared with the author's permission. The original article appeared on examiner.com. ### Bill Brannigan [View all posts](https://try.hapana.com/community/author/bill-brannigan) #### You may also like [![5 Reasons Why You Need More Vitamin A in Your Diet (Clone)](https://try.hapana.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Onefitstop-April2018/Images/carrots-article-1160x500.png?width=450&name=carrots-article-1160x500.png)](https://try.hapana.com/community/5-reasons-why-you-need-more-vitamin-a-in-your-diet-0) [Lifestyle](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/lifestyle), [Fitness](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/fitness), [Health](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/health) [5 Reasons Why You Need More Vitamin A in Your Diet (Clone)](https://try.hapana.com/community/5-reasons-why-you-need-more-vitamin-a-in-your-diet-0) [![5 Reasons Why You Need More Vitamin A in Your Diet (Clone) (Clone)](https://try.hapana.com/hs-fs/hubfs/landing-home.jpg?width=450&name=landing-home.jpg)](https://try.hapana.com/community/5-reasons-why-you-need-more-vitamin-a-in-your-diet-0-0) [Lifestyle](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/lifestyle), [Fitness](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/fitness), [Health](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/health) [5 Reasons Why You Need More Vitamin A in Your Diet (Clone) (Clone)](https://try.hapana.com/community/5-reasons-why-you-need-more-vitamin-a-in-your-diet-0-0) [![5 Reasons Why You Need More Vitamin A in Your Diet](https://try.hapana.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Onefitstop-April2018/Images/carrots-article-1160x500.png?width=450&name=carrots-article-1160x500.png)](https://try.hapana.com/community/5-reasons-why-you-need-more-vitamin-a-in-your-diet) [Lifestyle](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/lifestyle), [Fitness](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/fitness), [Health](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/health) [5 Reasons Why You Need More Vitamin A in Your Diet](https://try.hapana.com/community/5-reasons-why-you-need-more-vitamin-a-in-your-diet) [Fitness](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/fitness) [How to motivate yourself and others to exercise](https://try.hapana.com/community/motivate-others-exercise) ### CATEGORIES - [Fitness (70)](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/fitness) - [Blog (56)](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/blog) - [Health (49)](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/health) - [Lifestyle (16)](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/lifestyle) - [fitness studio (5)](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/fitness-studio) ### Popular Articles [Fitness](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/fitness) [Biodynamic Workout: 3 Day Split Program Template](https://try.hapana.com/community/biodynamic-workout-3-day-split-program-template) [yoga studio](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/yoga-studio), [Blog](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/blog), [yoga instructors](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/yoga-instructors) [10 Tips on Hiring the Right Team for your Yoga Studio](https://try.hapana.com/community/10-tips-on-hiring-the-right-team-for-your-yoga-studio) [Fitness](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/fitness) [How to motivate yourself and others to exercise](https://try.hapana.com/community/motivate-others-exercise) [![](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png)](https://try.hapana.com/community/check-5-hip-home-gyms) [Fitness](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/fitness) [Check It Out: 5 Hip Home Gyms](https://try.hapana.com/community/check-5-hip-home-gyms) [Blog](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/blog), [business marketing](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/business-marketing), [fitness studios](https://try.hapana.com/community/tag/fitness-studios) [Business Marketing and Branding Tips for Pilates and Yoga Studios](https://try.hapana.com/community/business-marketing-and-branding-tips-for-pilates-and-yoga-studios) - Products - Tour - Solutions - Community - [Blog](https://try.hapana.com/community/blog) - Company - [Press](https://try.hapana.com/company/press) #### Contact - Support Center - ##### UNITED STATES +1 866-512-5157 ##### AUSTRALIA +61 2 8520 3901 ##### UNITED KINGDOM +44 20 3868 2888 - [ABOUT SSL CERTIFICATES](http://www.symantec.com/ssl-certificates) - [Privacy Policy](https://try.hapana.com/privacypolicy) - [Terms Of Use](https://try.hapana.com/terms-and-conditions) - [Sitemap](https://try.hapana.com/sitemap) - - - - - [OneFitStop](https://try.hapana.com/) 2017