Free weight exercise alternatives to popular exercise machines (part 1): leg press

The leg press is the most popular leg machine in the gym, hands down. You might see a few different variations but all leg press machines essentially work the same muscle groups - quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves. I can appreciate that the leg press has its place in some circumstances but it's impossible to deny the overall better strength and fitness value of free weight leg exercises such as the squat. Free weight leg exercises provide a wider range of fitness benefits and serve a far greater functional application. In the first part of this series we will take a look at the leg press machine and what it is not able to offer you, introduce the dumbbell squat and barbell squat and explain why these free weight exercises are much better options.

Body weight training: benefits, basic techniques & workouts

You can train the whole body and achieve great fitness benefits without using any equipment. All you need is your own body weight, correct technique and a workout program. Well, you have your body weight with you everywhere you go, now let me introduce you to 5 basic body weight exercise techniques and 5 body weight workout programs. Don't be fooled - these workouts may only use your body weight for resistance but they are guaranteed to be a challenge and achieve results!

Overcoming your fear of exercise (part 2): injury

If you haven't exercised for a long time or you have suffered an exercise related injury in the past, the fear of injury may be deterring you from starting an exercise program. This fear is arguably the most legitimate fear of exercise: there is a known increased risk of injury occurring during exercise and in most cases those new to exercise or those who have suffered an injury in the past are at the greatest risk. The fear of injury occurring during exercise is one that I can relate very well to. Following a knee injury occurring during a sporting competition that required a reconstruction, I was very hesitant to return to my normal exercise routine. Even following a complete (and as successful as possible) rehabilitation I found it very difficult to approach exercise the same way I did pre-injury. It took me far longer to recover mentally then physically and the ever present risk of re-injury continues to concern me during some exercise movements. Despite this risk, I came to the realisation that it's more dangerous long term for me not to exercise; let me explain why.

Overcoming your fear of exercise (part 1): sweating & smelling

There are lot of reasons why people don't exercise. Often it is easy to blame laziness or lack of time, however, for a lot of people it is more complicated than this. Exercise can be scary- for a variety of different reasons. I found it difficult to understand how something I enjoyed so much could  be so scary to someone else but over the last 8 years working as a personal trainer I have learnt a lot about the fear of exercise and how it prevents people from enjoying the benefits of being fit and healthy. Being afraid of exercise is often difficult to admit and other more common excuses are used to explain away the lack of exercise and hide the real reason: unfortunately this makes it very difficult to help someone work through their exercise concerns. I would like to address 5 of the most common fears of exercising starting with the fear of sweating and smelling.

David's 5 favourites: exercises

I enjoy most exercises and happily include a wide variety of movements in my training program. It's very difficult for me to pick only 5 out of so many exercises that I enjoy so much however the exercises I have listed below occupy a consistent spot in my training program all year round and I never become bored of training sessions that include them.  Just like everyone, I'm guilty of training my favourite movements more often then those I don't enjoy. This is fairly normal for almost every one's training so it's particularly important that we develop a list of favourite movements that develop a wide variety of functional fitness benefits. These 5 certainly do!

Skipping: benefits, basic techniques & workouts

Skipping is one of the best pound for pound cardiovascular training options but unfortunately it is often overlooked. It is well suited for warm ups, cool downs and intervals between weight training exercises. Some of you reading this may not have skipped since school (or ever) and jumping may feel foreign initially. Like all exercise techniques it will take time and practice to develop proper form but it's well worth persevering with for the following reasons:

David's 5 favourites: training equipment

I am often asked by clients and other personal trainers what equipment I use for my own individual training. They are surprised to learn that I have not used a 'gym resistance machine' as part of my set training program for years and that most of my training is performed using a very basic range of equipment. With a different exercise machine arriving in your typical commercial gym each month claiming to be better than the one before it, it is often difficult to work out what the best way to train is and what equipment you should be using. It is important that everyone realises that you do not need the latest ab machine to get great fitness results. In fact, the most basic movements that allow the body to move freely with full range are the best for promoting flexibility, functional strength, muscle recruitment, stability and greater energy expenditure.

Metabolism - is it under your control?

When I meet with a new client for the first time to discuss their weight loss goal and our strategy to achieve it the word 'metabolism' is often mentioned. A 'slow metabolism' is blamed in a lot of cases for previous failed weight loss attempts and slow weight loss results. Metabolism in this context is referring to basal metabolic rate (BMR) or its close relative resting metabolic rate (RMR) which is the rate that energy is 'burnt' by the body at rest. Greater the BMR, the more energy is burnt by the body in a resting state, lower the BMR, the less energy is burnt by the body in a resting state. By increasing BMR, the amount of energy being burnt continually across the day is increased. Since weight loss requires a greater energy 'out' than 'in', BMR is of particular significance for all weight loss programs.

Getting back to what works - free weights

If you look around at the 'fitness centres' that saturate the fitness market you will realise that they are the same in almost every way possible. You can bet on the machine weight area being more then twice the size of the free weight area or there being no free weight training area at all. You can count on the reception desk being occupied by someone who knows nothing about free weight training and you can also count on this same person being responsible for selling you a fitness service that they know nothing about. Lastly you can expect to see more people either standing around looking at themselves or sitting on a weights machine then performing a functional free weight exercise.