Free Weights vs Machines

Posted by on Mar 11, 2013

You won’t get big and bulky and you won’t turn into a she-hulk. But you will gain confidence, self-esteem and a bangin’ body.

How do I know? Six years ago I was a pudgy stay at home mom. I’d always been active, but for me that really meant running, yoga and the occasional “play with light dumbbells” session at the gym. I could never understand why I didn’t have the lean, athletic, feminine body I yearned for. I spent hours at the gym and I was always consistent.

The answer came to me in the form of iron, and since then, the iron and I have been the best of friends. I have a more desirable physique at 30 than I did at 20, and I feel better about myself in every conceivable way.

While I am blessed to coach and inspire many women around the world who appreciate and engage in regular strength training, I’m not ignorant to the fact there are still a lot myths and misunderstandings surrounding women and heavy weight training. But before I talk about why those ideas are myths rather than truths, let’s talk about the myriad of benefits that lifting weights provides.

Why is it so important to be strong?

Metabolism and muscles: Firstly, and perhaps most cogent, is the effect that lifting weights has on fat loss. The more muscle a woman has, the more calories she will burn at rest. So basically, muscles speed up your metabolism, resulting in more effective fat loss.

Bone health: Many studies have shown that lifting weights regularly can increase bone density. Those of us in our 20s and 30s don’t think about this often, but someday you will. And won’t you be so proud of yourself that you lifted weights and cared for your bone density before you even knew you needed to?

Independence: I always say that strong makes everything easier. You know that furniture you need moved? Well, now you can do it yourself. How about those 15 bags of groceries? One trip from car to home–all you, girl.

(I recommend beginning each training session with dynamic mobility, glute bridges, planks and Turkish get ups)

Day 1

Squats: 6-8 reps

Bent over row: 8-10 reps

Push press: 8-10 reps

Perform these in order, then complete 3-5 rounds.

After that, pick your favorite cardio exercise. Go hard for 30 seconds, then rest (or go easy) for 60 seconds. Repeat this 5-8 times.

Perform these in order, then complete 3-5 rounds.

After that, pick your favorite cardio exercise. Go hard for 30 seconds, then rest (or go easy) for 30 seconds. Repeat this 5-8 times.