Exercise equipment is of innumerable types. If you’re are hitting the gym or trying to furnish a home gym, you may be confused by the variety of choices.
Here are the main types of exercise equipment: Two main types of exercise equipment are free weights and machines.
Free Weights:
They do not have any attached cables, weight stacks or pulleys. They are mainly dumbbells, bar bells as well as weight plates.
- Bar bells: It is a long bar of iron which is from 4 feet to 7 feet long upon which are placed weight plates. Bar bell exercises are conducted by holding the bar bell with both hands. Olympic barbells are 7 feet long and weigh over 45 lb. Standard bar bells are 5 to 6 feet long and one inch thick which are perfect for home gyms.
- Dumb bell: It is a barbell that is short, often 10 to 15 inches in length. Exercises are conducted holding a dumbbell in both hands. There are adjustable dumbbells ideal for home gyms.
- Weight plates: They vary from 2.5 lbs – 100 lbs. Usually in metal, there are also weight plates made of plastic.
- EZ curl bar: Designed to work on the biceps and triceps.
- Benches: Most common in gyms and of three types: flat, incline or decline. They are used for bar bell and dumb bell exercises.
- Hyper extension benches: For lower back, gluten and hamstring muscles.
- Arm blaster: It is a 2 feet long, curved, flat metal bar that is 6 inch wide and helps to work the biceps of the body.
- Abdominal bench: It is a bench good for abdominal exercises.
- Dipping bars: It is parallel bars set, which works triceps, shoulders and chest.
- Chin up bars: It is an iron bar bolted to a wall or exercise equipment.
- Racks: These are used to store weight plates, dumb bells and bar bells. These are of types like power rack, squat rack and smith machine.
Machines:
They are used to perform different types of exercises. A few work on parts of the body , and others on the whole body. They are:
- Leg press machine: It is the best leg exercise machine. Most are set at an angle of 45 degrees. It puts less pressure on knees and lower back than squats also.
- Hack squat machine: This is good for developing the thighs outer sweep.
- Leg extension machines: It is ideal for targeting quadriceps muscles.
- Leg curl machine: It is the best for ham string exercise.
- Calf machine: It is of two types- standing calf position and sitting calf raise.
- Leg abduction/ adduction machine: It works on adduction (inner thighs) and abduction (outer thighs).
- Lat pull down machine: Causes a movement like chin-up.
- Pec deck machine: It is a machine ideal for targeting pectoral (chest)muscles.
- Cables and pulleys: weight stack is linked to long cables.
Accessories:
- Gloves for weight lifting
- Wraps
- Weight lifting belt
- Wrist straps
- Head harness
These are some of the exercise equipment, which can be useful for you to get fit. Nowadays you can order exercise products online. You can shop for equipment for your home gym from the comfort of your home.
