Friday, May 15, 2009

BFL Day 5

I had a discussion the other day with a friend about machines vs free weights. He's into lifting iron and thinks that machines are useless. In fact, he comes pretty darn close to calling me a wuss for using weight machines at the gym.

He makes a few good points. There is the fact that machines provide stability and balance, thus making it unnecessary for your own muscles to grow and adapt for that purpose. But...that's kind of what I need right now. I need the frame around me to force proper form because I don't think that I can handle much free weight without dropping it or ripping out a tendon.

Maybe I am a wuss. I gaze toward the back of the gym at all the free weights and think "maybe next week I'll try some stuff over there".

Maybe I'll wait until there are other people in the gym.

Just in case.

2 comments:

Boyd said...

Dude,
Don't worry about being a wuss. If it's a 5 lb dumbbell then its 5lbs. Tony Horton says this on P90X. He want's to see quality not quantity. Hell there are exercises I still use 10lbs dumbbell on. Take your time, use lighter weights. Infact, you can do more reps which will help you burn more fat :)

Jay said...

I'm finally starting to not care what other people may think of me at the gym....as if they ever really did in the first place.