They’re many health benefits for including strength training in your regular workout routine at home, at the gym (in the future) or in your online workout class.
Why is strength training important:
Improves sport performance
Improves the way your body moves with daily activities
Helps to fight fat
Improves bone density
Helps control your blood sugar
Improves balance
Improves your day to day functional strength
Prevents injury
Machines vs. Free Weights
Machines are designed to keep your body in proper form to work the muscles indicated by the specific machine you are on.
Pictures are attached to the machine you are on, to promote proper set up and educate you on which muscle or muscle groups you are working.
A challenge with machines is that the machine you are on may be working one muscle group effectively, while stressing another part of your body. For example, the seated leg press machine is effective in strengthening your leg muscles, but creates excessive stress/pressure on your lumbar discs making you more prone to a disc herniation.
Your PT can guide you on which machines are safe
Free Weights vs. Machines
Free weights strengthen the targeted muscle group you want to focus on while also recruiting your postural muscles and stabilizing muscles. For example, a bicep curl with a free weight in standing will target your biceps, but will also turn on your shoulder, neck, back & leg muscles.
Free weights strengthen your muscles in more functional patterns of day to day activities
Free weights challenge your balance
Daily activities at work, home and play all require your stabilizing muscles to work
Free weights allow you to be more creative with your exercise routine to mimic your personal goals
Physical Therapy in the outpatient orthopedic setting is focused on restoring normal function at home, work & play.
We prefer to use free weights, kettlebells, resistance bands, TRX & medicine balls during your rehabilitation program to help retrain your muscles to work properly with your normal activities.
We focus on educating you on proper form with your strengthening exercises to prevent injury and maximize your performance.