Weight Lifting Equipment and Why It's Essential

By Jeremy Page

Weight lifting began for me over 14 years ago as a means to gain muscular weight for hockey. Weight lifting requires the use of weight bearing equipment such as barbells and dumbbells (free weights), and machines that use cables and pulleys to help lift the weight. Weight lifting exercises consists of repetitions and sets. Weight lifting should not be confused with "weight training," which is the general lifting that you do at the gym.

Weights

Weight lifting requires the use of weight bearing equipment such as barbells and dumbbells (free weights), and machines that use cables and pulleys to help lift the weight. Free weights and compound movements such as squats, bench press, shoulder press, and bent over barbell rows apply a lot of stress on the supporting muscles. By using free weights and compound movements in your weight lifting routine, you will challenge your body to work harder and therefore make better muscle gains. As your form and style improves, you'll want to move to a lower repetition range using heavier weights. Lifting heavier weights increases the chances of injury. Almost anybody can improve his/her chest by lifting weights with only the smallest bit of know-how. Slowly raise the weights, again making sure not to move the upper arms during the weight lifting exercise. Power lifting (a weight-lifting competition in which participants compete in the squat, dead lift, and bench press), Olympic weight lifting (the type you see on TV where athletes lift the weight overhead), strength training (lifting weights to get stronger), and weight lifting (the sport of lifting heavy weight, typically fewer than six repetitions). Continuing to lift weights after release could lead to use of illegal steroids and association with those who sell them and other illegal drugs.

Gloves

Another important weight lifting technique is wearing gloves or using grips to make sure the weights are secure in your hands. A good pair of weight lifting gloves will protect your hands and keep you comfortable as you workout. You have done your research, you have bought your weight lifting gloves, you've psyched yourself up the whole ride to the gym telling yourself "I can do this. You will also likely to prefer some gloves to both protect your hands and prevent them from slipping.