Weights - What is the difference?

the reason alot of ppl will call the machines the devil is they work a specific muscle or muscle grouping in a set plain that can be contrary to what that sets movement actually is also machines alot of times wont work the stabilizer muscles giving you essentially non functional strength that being said there is some use for machines particularly for ppl recuperating from an injury etc your best bet is to buy a book on beginner weight lifting involving free weights and talk to a personal trainer at your gym for help

You are a woman so building muscle will be harder for you. You don't have the testosterone levels of a man so you won't bulk up.

You will see best results if you work out EVERY SINGLE MUSCLE instead of just a select few.

You don't become HUGE fat overnight and you don't become a HUGE body builder over night. There are plenty of women here who have been lifting for over a year and they are just barely seeing the results they want.

So go lift some weights!

You are a woman so building muscle will be harder for you. You don't have the testosterone levels of a man so you won't bulk up.

You will see best results if you work out EVERY SINGLE MUSCLE instead of just a select few.

You don't become HUGE fat overnight and you don't become a HUGE body builder over night. There are plenty of women here who have been lifting for over a year and they are just barely seeing the results they want.

So go lift some weights!

So a couple more questions .. Are free weights or machines better? Which is better [more weight less reps] OR [more reps less weight]?

Machines are fine for a beginner, but everyone should move past them in their first 6 - 12 weeks.

As far a reps, it depends on goals. A strength athlete might only do 1 - 5 reps, a body builder might do 10 - 15. The general rule is if you can do the exercise for 12 or more reps with ease you need more weight.

With weight lifting form is EVERYTHING, find yourself a coach or a trainer who can help you, or submit your videos and have people critique your form.

Honestly, this is a HUGE subject. You might want to check out New Rules of Lifting for Women(book), Starting Strength(book), and Stronglifts 5x5. Those are some of the more popular lifting programs.

yup

I'm hooked on New Rules of Lifting for Women, and there's a group here devoted to it too. The basic principle there is lifting free weights, heavy, with low reps (never more than 15 per set).

The idea behind using the free weights instead of machines is that it's more natural movement, and utilizes not just the large muscles, but the tiny "stabilizer" muscles that support them too, so that you're less likely to be injured, and more likely to build balance as you build strength.

Yes, for reasons already pointed out, Machines are something you should probably avoid.

http://www.liamrosen.com/fitness.html

That site offers some reasons as to why, as well as some good general nutrition/fitness advice.

The basic reason machines aren't so good is because when your body is performing an actual motion - say - lifting a heavy box off of a table and moving it somewhere else - it involves a LOT of different muscles, not just one or two. Machines tend to only work one or two, and they restrict motion in a way that's not the way your body actually moves. Look up google video for "smith machine squat" vs "barbell squat". The Smith machine ensures the bar moves straight up and down. But watching someone doing a barbell squat with no outside support will reveal that the bar moves in sort of an arc.

You will develop much better habits and form by just going ahead and starting out with free weights. There are tons of good beginner guides to be had, including New Rules of Lifting for Women as already mentioned. Until you are no longer a beginner and have VERY specific goals for shaping and developing specific things, the basic lifts, and heavy lifts at that - will get you the fastest results.

Don't worry about bulking up. As a female that will be nearly impossible for you unless you are eating a ridiculous amount of calories, and using supplements. Do a google search for "crossfit women". They routinely deadlift/squat hundreds of pounds and as you can see - they are anything but bulky.

Good luck!

To produce long lean feminine muscles the rule is less weight more reps. I do 3 sets of 20 reps. You should feel it towards the end, but you shouldn't be struggling to finish! I do an entire set, and if i don't feel anything I will more up a weight for the next set. Let your body tell you what to do. I watch others at the gym to see what exercises to try! Or ask a woman that has a body type that is similar to the one you desire. People aren't at the gym to judge you, so you should be comfortable approaching someone! They would probably take it as a compliment:)

Sorry, but this is outdated information, or simply misinformation.

Women and men can lift pretty much exactly the same. There's no such thing as "lean feminine muscles." Bulking up for women is downright difficult to accomplish. You can lift very heavy and lower rep sets and still not gain size. You will see much better and quicker results if you lift heavy, period.

Edit: reading on this topic:

http://www.stumptuous.com/strength-without-size-how-to-get-stronger-without-getting-bulky

Free weights are faster, meaning you will tone up faster and your workouts can be shorter than if you used machines. Set up a time to work with a personal trainer to get some basic free weight instruction. Your trainer can set you up with a plan and help you do your exercises with proper form.

Don't worry about bulking up, it won't happen unless you are using illegal substances. You will get strong and lean, though.

You are a woman so building muscle will be harder for you. You don't have the testosterone levels of a man so you won't bulk up.

You will see best results if you work out EVERY SINGLE MUSCLE instead of just a select few.

You don't become HUGE fat overnight and you don't become a HUGE body builder over night. There are plenty of women here who have been lifting for over a year and they are just barely seeing the results they want.

So go lift some weights!

So a couple more questions .. Are free weights or machines better? Which is better [more weight less reps] OR [more reps less weight]?

Machines are fine for a beginner, but everyone should move past them in their first 6 - 12 weeks.

As far a reps, it depends on goals. A strength athlete might only do 1 - 5 reps, a body builder might do 10 - 15. The general rule is if you can do the exercise for 12 or more reps with ease you need more weight.

With weight lifting form is EVERYTHING, find yourself a coach or a trainer who can help you, or submit your videos and have people critique your form.

Okay - I'm starting to realize this is something that I probably shouldn't be trying to wing it on my own. I'll get a trainer and make sure that I'm doing the right things for the results that I'm wanting. Thanks again for your input

I just bought New Rules of Lifting for Women...it's great. But I had already started doing SrongLifts 5x5. which is 3 excercise 5 sets 5 reps...each week you will increase weight. As a women i think it's virtually impossible to BULK up unless we start taking testosterone...which the ones you see bulk up take.

See if there might be a friend or colleague to help you with form for the first couple of months...

PS. smith machines are just the worst...stay away from them if possible