by Steve Smithion

Created on: August 14, 2008   Last Updated: August 22, 2008

Free weights are a great way to exercise and build muscle. Unlike many weights machines such as multi gyms, free weights train your muscle groups to work as one instead of focussing on one particular muscle or area - this can be more effective in gaining strength and overall fitness. With so much weight-training equipment available to us it's hard to decide what's going to be beneficial to your workout. Well fret no more; just read on and you'll know your barbells from your bench press and you'll soon find a weight set that's just right for you!

Dumbbells are certainly the place to start - you look in any gym and you'll find a set. Why? Well it's because they are easy to use and support a thorough workout. They can be used to exercise any muscle in the body making them vital to a free weights exercise program. Other hand weights such as kettle or medicine balls work similarly well. I suggest buying a good quality set of dumbbells or hand weights in a range of weights along with some weight training material guiding you on how to get the most out of using the equipment you've bought.

Another piece of equipment I find useful to an exercise program are ankle weights. I think ankle weights are really underrated as, as long as they are used correctly, they can tone and strengthen the legs and abdominals efficiently. You can pick up ankle weights off the internet for next to nothing so they're a great addition to your arsenal.

If you're looking to strengthen predominantly your arms and upper body, then there isn't much that works better than a barbell bench press. Although costly, a barbell bench press is an extremely effective piece of weight-training equipment. If you don't want to spend all that money then you can purchase just a barbell and some weights varying in mass, in order to train the upper body. The barbell has an advantage in certain situations over barbells and hand weights, as the weight is distributed more evenly over the body resulting in a more effective workout.

Remember if you want the fastest solution to get healthier, fitter and stronger, free weights are a vital component to your workout in the home gym. With internet prices being so low at the moment it's also a great time to purchase all your equipment and being working towards a better, more confident you. Good luck!

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