Bar Bell or Free Weights ?

[Gyggles1]

First of all Thank you so much for all the info in my other post.
Now if I get any more of her toning tapes, I see alot of her tapes use barbells , can you use free weights ? OR is a barbell necessary ? And where do you get that stuff ? And how heavy, the bar has to weigh something ? How dumb huh ?

Boy oh boy, my DH is going to bust when he see's me adding yet more equipment to my room, LOL! I know he really doesn't care as long as I am using it.
Thanks again,
Laura or should I say Me again.

Laura =)
251.5/135.2/141

 

[Aquajock]

My suggestion is: both. They each work better than the other for specific protocols.

For the barbell, my recommendation is the Troy Lite system, which you can find via a link here on the Cathe forums, also on the Fitness First website (www.fitness1st.com); it has a nice, short 5-lb bar that can accommodate up to 80 lbs of rubberized weight plates. Also consider getting a neck pad; I like mine, although it isn't necessary and is a comfort measure more than anything else.

For dumbbells, any decent sporting goods / athletic shop should have a lot of variety. My suggestion is metal hex dumbbells; the grip is easier (IMHO) on the hands. With dumbbells, be prepared to be buying more and heavier as time goes on and you strengthen up. The starting weightloads are really personal to each buyer; you may want to get a strength evaluation before you actually buy your first sets.

A-Jock

 

[Aquajock]

And by the way - a barbell IS a free weight. Any weight that is not secured to a fixed object via a cable or other attachment is a free weight.

A-J

 

[kathryn]

I can't think of any exercise that you couldn't substitute dumbbells for. In fact, I prefer to use dumbbells for many exercises, as they keep your strong side from taking over for your (lazy!) weaker side.

Bars vary in weight. The Troy light bar (which Cathe uses in some videos) weighs 5#, while most other bars weigh 10# (and some longer bars weight 12#). When Cathe tells you what weight she's using (which should only be a guide, not an indication of what weight would work best for you), she's including the weight of the bar (that's standard on most weight workouts). The Troy set (which is GREAT!) is available through www.fitness1st.com

FYI: both barbells and dumbbells are 'freeweights," as opposed to machine weights.

 

[Gyggles1]

Thank you, I will go check out that site too. And boy what an idiot on the free weights & barbell, oops! LOL!

Laura =)
251.5/135.2/141

 

[kathryn]

>Thank you, I will go check out that site too. And boy what
>an idiot on the free weights & barbell, oops! LOL!
>
>Laura =)
>251.5/135.2/141

Hey, we all learned it sometime!

Looks like Ajock and I posted at around the same time.

 

[hippahips]

Hi Laura, I'd say both. I used to work out using only dumbbells before I discovered Cathe. It took me a while to get used to a barbell, but after a few weeks of using a barbell I noticed more -- and faster -- strength gains. With my wrists being in a fixed position when using a barbell, the exercises hit places in my body that were not stimulated when I was using dumbbells. I'm not a fitness expert, so someone else can probably explain the reason for this. I just thought that if Cathe got that kind of body using dumbbells and a barbell, then it would be a good idea for me to do the same.

Pinky

 

[LAEnggren]

That is exactly what i would say too Pinky Everthing Cathe has is a must and I too think the barbell hits muscles different but I think it helps to have both as they feel different with dumbells it is true the strong side cannot help the weak

 

[BodyKat]

i just wanted to say that i LOVE my Troy Lite system. i have an olympic weight set (the bar itself is 7 feet long and 46 lbs) and i just could not see myself lugging that thing into my living room - nor could i do most of the exercises.

so i used dumbbells for cathe's workouts. then a friend (hi pupswife) ordered her Troy Lite and recommended it. i'm so glad i ordered it. it's lightweight, i LOVE the rubberized plates (no clanging), the clips make it fast and easy to switch plates (although i'll never be as fast as cathe). i'm about to order more plates so i can go heavier.

like was mentioned here, your muscles are hit differently when using dumbbells and when using a barbell. i would start by following cathe exactly, but when you feel you need to switch things up (you need that muscle confusion) switch to dumbbells (or vice versa).