Workout Tip 9: The right way to build up your workout

In our Workout Schedule you will mostly find exercises with 'free' weights: halters and dumbells. Lost of beginners will feel the urge to start with the machine fitness devices. The benefit of these exercises is that the movement is locked and guided. For beginners this can be a huge help. 

It also has some downsides. Since the movement is guided so much, you don't need to keep balance so your muscle are doing less work. While training with free weights, the opposite is true. Because you have to keep your balance all the time, muscles all over your body are active. 
If, for example, you're doing pretty high weights on a leg press, it doesn't neccesarily mean you can also do those weights in a squat. Simply because keeping balance is an important part of your exercise. Most people tend to inmediatly try the same weights and end up with (light) injuries. 

If you start with the free weights you also start training the muscles used for balance. Yes, the exercise is more difficult to practice, but it will pay out in the long run. 

For this reason we'll always advice to start your training with free weights and maybe later get if off with some cable or machine exercises to push out your last strenght.