If you’ve ever joined a chain health club you may notice that are people who are either new to or have been around for a long time and simply don't know what they are doing, how to learn, or where to even start.
It's important to train with a personal trainer to help set you up for success both inside the studio and outside - especially to learn the equipment, and the proper movements and form for each exercise.
Regardless of how many times a week you meet up with your personal trainer, it's helpful to have some basic knowledge.
What Are the Different Types of Weights?
There are three varieties of weights: Free weights, plates, and machines. Free weights include dumbbells, barbells, body-bars, and kettlebells. Plate weights are the weights that stack on machines or on the endings of the barbells. And the weight machines, have a pile of weight plates known as selectors.
Each of these varieties come in a range of weight that are usually labeled but it’s usually safe to assume that the smaller the weight the lighter it will be. With that being said, free weights are a great place to start and get familiar with, and your personal trainer will help guide you.
SRQ Health & Fitness Studio encourages continuing your workout progress even when you're not in the studio. Sometimes a client might meet their personal trainer 2-3 times a week, and that's when continued training [whether that be lifting, walking, or stretching] will be necessary in an effort to reach your goals.
Dumbbells:
You can use dumbbells as a static means to add weight, or you can use them to perform pulling and rowing motions. They are usually in pairs and you can change the intensity or complexity of an exercise by using them to perform alternating exercises, or unilaterally.
A personal trainer can help you narrow down what exercises to perform, correct you on your form, and any modifications that might be necessary.
Kettlebells:
Kettlebells are the one type of weight we would suggest getting a personal trainer's help with. There is a specific technique you should use when swinging and cradling a kettlebell. They are a lively piece of equipment so you may be more vulnerable to injury if you use them incorrectly.
Barbells:
Barbells are a terrific way to add evenly distributed weight. They are used to perform a bench press or static exercises like squats and lunges. One thing about using barbells is the fact that it's often essential to have someone spot you just in case that last bench press is too heavy for you to lift. A spotter that is an expert personal trainer is the best idea.
This is just a basic overview of what types of free weights you will find at most gyms. If weights are not your thing there are tons of body weight exercises you can do instead. This is where a personal trainer can be really helpful. Personal trainers can show you the best exercises to be doing for your body type and what exercise will help you achieve your goals. Not only that, but they can help get you properly acquainted with the most common gym weights that you might use at home.
As your fitness journey continues, a personal trainer can provide more education on a all different types of equipment. But one of he most important things a personal trainer does for you is show you the proper form, and trust us, form is very important when it comes to preventing an injury.
The expert personal trainers at SRQ Health & Fitness Studio are here to help you reach your goals and build a custom workout plan that doesn't just end when you're training in our studio - we encourage our clients to focus on stretching, taking walks outdoors, and even lifting weights at home if those exercises are in line with your fitness plan.