Elite Physique The New Science of Building a Better Body

Muscle Rules
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softball game in your summer league. In any case, make a point to spend at least
a few minutes performing each category of exercise, and avoid accumulating any
fatigue. Now that we’ve covered the key components of a dynamic warm-up,
let’s move on and discuss ways to structure your workouts.
Training Equipment and Workout Structure
Everyone benefits from training efficiently, from a guy who might have only 30
minutes of available workout time to an athlete who needs to devote many hours
throughout the week to practicing his sport. Therefore, it is often wise to choose
exercises and workouts that stimulate the largest number of muscles with the
fewest exercises possible. In this section we cover those options.
Free Weights Versus Machines
If you walk into any major gym you’ll likely see a combination of free weights and
exercise machines. Generally speaking, resistance that’s free of any restrictions
is recommended for two reasons. First, an unrestricted load allows the joints to
move freely, reducing stress to those vulnerable tissues. Second, a dumbbell or
kettlebell requires greater muscle activation since it requires control in all three
movement planes. Indeed, it takes more skill to perform a barbell squat than a
squat on a Smith machine, which fixes the barbell in one plane. Movement in life
and sport requires stability and coordination in all three planes, which is why
many coaches favor free weights over machines. Because free weights require
greater activation of stabilizer muscles, such as the rotator cuff when pressing
a dumbbell overhead, they theoretically have a better transfer to life and sport.
Here are some of the most popular forms of external loading that allow unrestricted
joint motion:
• Dumbbell
• Kettlebell
• Barbell
• Cable or band
• Sled
• Medicine ball
• Sandbag
• Weighted vest
• Large tire
In some cases, however, a body weight load is sufficient to provide resistance.
This is especially true for exercises such as the pull-up, dip, handstand push-up,
and one-leg squat. With a little ingenuity, virtually any movement or muscle
group can be strengthened using nothing but body weight for resistance. And
using gymnastics rings is another way to make any upper body exercise more
challenging. For example, performing a push-up from rings requires more muscle
and neural activation than performing it with your hands on the ground. One
caveat here: Avoid making an exercise so unstable that your training load must
be drastically reduced, thus limiting your strength gains.
Exercise machines can be useful to an athlete or the general population, and
many companies these days are building versions that are much more jointfriendly
than in decades past. Just keep in mind the goal of the exercise is to determine
if a machine or free weight is a better option. When training efficiency is the
goal, a free weight is often the better choice since it stimulates more motor units.