really stupid question about lifting

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La5Vega5Girl
La5Vega5Girl Posts: 709 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
if i lift 2 dumb-bells, they are each 15 lbs. am i lifting 15 lbs, or 30 lbs?
sometimes i do "machines" and i will do an exercise that shows i am using (example) 40 lbs, but if i go to free weights and grab two 20's, i can't duplicate that exercise. i'm confused by using two separate weights.

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  • reemslaw
    reemslaw Posts: 33 Member
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    30. Exercises are more difficult with free weights due to more stabiliser muscles recruited.
  • La5Vega5Girl
    La5Vega5Girl Posts: 709 Member
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    ok thanks. i'm sorry, i know it sounds dumb, but i just sometimes get in the midst of working-out and feel like i don't know what the heck i'm doing! LOL
  • DjinnMarie
    DjinnMarie Posts: 1,297 Member
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    I can always push more on machines, and when using a single weight in unison. Your dominate side will always pick of the slack on for the other side. For this reason I always prefer free weights and dumbbells.
  • reemslaw
    reemslaw Posts: 33 Member
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    DjinnMarie wrote: »
    I can always push more on machines, and when using a single weight in unison. Your dominate side will always pick of the slack on for the other side. For this reason I always prefer free weights and dumbbells.

    Spot on.
  • GemmaM_x
    GemmaM_x Posts: 324 Member
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    DjinnMarie wrote: »
    Your dominate side will always pick of the slack on for the other side.

    And didn't I notice exactly this when I first picked up free weights.

    Right-side was all, yeah, I got this while the left-side was wobbling all over the place.

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