Are machines or free weights better for weight loss?

Any sort of weight training is good for the body. Muscle not only helps you move better, but it also helps to increase the amount of calories you burn. In order to lose weight you must burn more calories than you consume. The type of weight training you perform can help to maximize calorie burn and get results more quickly. Machine weights are a great way to overload the muscle and provide the stimulus muscles need to be more efficient. However, machines are very stable and provide a guided range of motion which will require only one plane of motion. As mentioned, this can be good for muscles, but it does not require the rest of the body to provide stabilization. Fixed-motion weight machines can reduce the potential number of calories that can be burned during a resistance training session. Free weights and performing exercises in a standing position will help to maximize the amount of calories being burned. This happens because the muscles have to work harder to stabilize the rest of the body. Another important consideration is the speed at which the repetitions are being performed. A repetition is one complete movement of an exercise. The slower the repetition, the longer the muscles will have to work and the more calories which will be burned during the exercise. The last point to consider is the amount of rest taken between exercise sets. If a long rest period is taken, allowing full recuperation, the amount of calories being burned is reduced. In summary, when designing a weight training program for weight loss, it is recommended to perform the exercises in a standing position (if possible) or using free weights, with slow repetitions and minimal rest period.