Quote:
Originally Posted by brvsfan99
Machines are good to start on expecially if you haven't really lifted before. They assure that your form is correct !
|
I just want to correct the record on this.
One of the things that people don't like about weight machines is that they DO NOT help you develop good form. They work whatever muscle in isolation and without it being important that your form is correct. Think, for example, of the shoulder press machine. You plonk down and push the handles along the track of the machine. You are not engaging your core (as you would do if you were doing a free weight dumbbell press) and your muscles aren't having to work to make sure the weights go up relatively smoothly--they follow the machine track.
It is MUCH better to start with body weight exercises like squats and lunges, and dumbbell exercises like presses and rows.
Read around this sub-forum--there is lots of information and lots of resources that will help you figure out what you could be doing. Machines aren't a great choice.
ETA: You should definitely care about your lower body as well as your core and upper body. All the big, powerhouse muscles are in your lower body--those are the ones that will burn crazy calories, as well as making you strong and awesome. DO NOT neglect your lower body.