Fitness, as we all know it today, Can be a relatively modern invention. This is something that started in the 70s with jogging. But physical exercise obviously goes back much further than that, to a time where people wouldn’t have thought of it as working out, but rather a way of life. Centuries and millennia ago, they did not have all the machines and weights and gyms that we have today, and yet they were in better shape than we are. To understand why this is, how we got to our modern fitness cultue, and what we have lost along the way, it’s helpful to take a look at the history of exercise.
Equipment
There are basically two types of equipment that you will find in the gym - free weights and machines.
Dumbbells
Hex Style Dumbbells
A dumbbell is a short barbell, usually 10 - 15 inches long. Dumbbell exercises are performed with a dumbbell in each hand. Most gyms have a dumbbell rack that has an assortment of fixed weight dumbbells. They usually have dumbbells from 5 lbs. - 100+ lbs. in increments of 5 lbs. (i.e. 5 lb. dumbbells, 10 lb. dumbbells, 15 lb. dumbbells, etc...).
Dumbbells
Hex Style Dumbbells
| Pro Style Dumbbells |
A dumbbell is a short barbell, usually 10 - 15 inches long. Dumbbell exercises are performed with a dumbbell in each hand. Most gyms have a dumbbell rack that has an assortment of fixed weight dumbbells. They usually have dumbbells from 5 lbs. - 100+ lbs. in increments of 5 lbs. (i.e. 5 lb. dumbbells, 10 lb. dumbbells, 15 lb. dumbbells, etc...).
Benches
Flat Bench
The most common piece of equipment in any gym is the bench. There are three types of benches - flat, incline, and decline. Some benches are adjustable (i.e. they can be adjusted to either flat, incline, or decline). Some benches have racks on one end for holding a barbell, while other benches do not have any racks. The benches that do not have any racks are generally used for dumbbell exercises.
Abdominal Bench
Abdominal Bench
This is basically just a decline bench that is used for doing abdominal exercises. It has rollers that you hook your feet into so you do not slide off the bench.
Chin Up Bar
Chin Up / Dipping Bars
The chin up bar is a iron bar that it either bolted to the wall or part of a exercise machine (i.e. the power rack, universal multi-station, etc.). Chin ups are great for working the back, biceps, and forearms.
Stability Ball (Swiss Ball)
Stability Ball (Swiss Ball)
Any exercise that you would normally do on a bench can be done on the stability ball. You can do exercises like bench press, dumbbell flyes, shoulder press, lateral raises, pullovers, crunches, reverse crunches, etc... This is an excellent piece of equipment. The ball can move and roll so it increases your balance and strengthens the small stabilizer muscles.
The Barbel
The barbell is a long iron bar that is between 4 and 7 feet long on which weight plates and placed. Barbell exercises are performed by holding the barbell with both hands.
At the top of the list are Olympic barbells. They are 7 feet long and weigh 45 lbs. These are heavy-duty bars that can handle huge weight loads of over 800 lbs. Some Olympic bars can handle weight loads of over 1000 lbs. Because they are so big they are used mostly for heavy basic exercises such as bench press, squats, and dead lifts.
There are smaller versions of barbell that are between 4-6 feet long. These bars are generally used for smaller exercises such as barbell curls, shoulder presses, bent rows.
Flat Bench
The most common piece of equipment in any gym is the bench. There are three types of benches - flat, incline, and decline. Some benches are adjustable (i.e. they can be adjusted to either flat, incline, or decline). Some benches have racks on one end for holding a barbell, while other benches do not have any racks. The benches that do not have any racks are generally used for dumbbell exercises.
Abdominal Bench
Abdominal Bench
This is basically just a decline bench that is used for doing abdominal exercises. It has rollers that you hook your feet into so you do not slide off the bench.
Chin Up Bar
Chin Up / Dipping Bars
The chin up bar is a iron bar that it either bolted to the wall or part of a exercise machine (i.e. the power rack, universal multi-station, etc.). Chin ups are great for working the back, biceps, and forearms.
Stability Ball (Swiss Ball)
Stability Ball (Swiss Ball)
Any exercise that you would normally do on a bench can be done on the stability ball. You can do exercises like bench press, dumbbell flyes, shoulder press, lateral raises, pullovers, crunches, reverse crunches, etc... This is an excellent piece of equipment. The ball can move and roll so it increases your balance and strengthens the small stabilizer muscles.
The Barbel
The barbell is a long iron bar that is between 4 and 7 feet long on which weight plates and placed. Barbell exercises are performed by holding the barbell with both hands.
At the top of the list are Olympic barbells. They are 7 feet long and weigh 45 lbs. These are heavy-duty bars that can handle huge weight loads of over 800 lbs. Some Olympic bars can handle weight loads of over 1000 lbs. Because they are so big they are used mostly for heavy basic exercises such as bench press, squats, and dead lifts.
There are smaller versions of barbell that are between 4-6 feet long. These bars are generally used for smaller exercises such as barbell curls, shoulder presses, bent rows.
Comments
Post a Comment