Gym Free Weight Exercises

Free weights are any weighted item that is not joined to, or restricted by, anything else. In the gym, examples of free weights are dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells. Using free weights has both advantages and disadvantages compared with restricted strength training apparatus (such as the Smith machine), and the American Council on Exercise recommends that only more experienced exercisers use them. Free weights can offer versatility and activate core muscles as well as the targeted muscle groups.

  1. Barbell Exercises

    • Barbells date back to the mid-19th century. They can be used to train the core muscle groups of the body, although due to their size it can be difficult to concentrate on more specific muscles separately. An example of a barbell exercise is the bench press, in which the exerciser lies flat on a bench and holds the barbell over his chest, then slowly straightens his arms to raise the bar and bends them to bring it back down again. This targets the arms and chest. Squats, deadlifts and good mornings are also common barbell exercises.

    Dumbbell Exercises

    • Dumbbells can originally be linked back to the ancient Greeks, who used an early form of them during jumping exercises. Today, dumbbells are among the most popular free weights for exercising due to their portability and simplicity. A wide variety of muscles can be targeted using dumbbells, and it is possible to focus on specific muscles much more easily than with a barbell. A popular dumbbell exercise is the bicep curl, which targets the upper arm. This involves grasping a dumbbell in one hand, palm up, and holding it by your side, then bending your elbow and lifting the weight up to your shoulder, and lowering it back down again. Most dumbbell exercises target the upper body primarily because they are hand-held. Other examples of dumbbell exercises include the dumbbell fly, lateral raise and tricep kickback.

    Kettlebell Exercises

    • Kettlebells originated in Russia in the 18th century and are now popular pieces of strength training equipment in gyms around the world. Due to its uneven weight distribution, the kettlebell is generally used as a dynamic exercise tool that targets many core muscles at once. An example of a popular dynamic kettlebell exercise is the kettlebell swing, where the exerciser stands in a squat position holding the kettlebell in one hand between her legs and as far behind her as possible, then swings the kettlebell forward and up to chest level while standing at the same time. This exercise requires strength and power in the back, stomach, arms and legs. Other examples of kettlebell exercises include kettlebell cleans, rows and windmills.

    Medicine Ball Exercises

    • Medicine balls were used as military rehabilitation aids more than 3,000 years ago and are still used for this purpose today. Many exercisers have also come to recognize the benefits of using medicine balls during their gym routines because they can be used to develop plyometric, or power, strength in most of the core muscle groups simultaneously. An example of a medicine ball exercise is the figure of eight, where the medicine ball is held in both hands in front of the right shoulder, then brought across the body to the left hip, up and round to the left shoulder, then across to the right hip before returning to the right shoulder to complete a figure of eight. This exercise targets the core muscles in the back, stomach, shoulders and arms. Other kettlebell exercises include chops, slams and reverse crunches.