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, kettlebellsand weight plates.

Now, I’m not proposing that using machines is bad. They can be great tools for achieving training success. Machines 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.