Montauk Pioneer - October 31, 2008

It's been three weeks since I wrote about my workout sessions and health care program at Gurney's Ship Shape Fitness Center. I have been continuing the various programs, including stretching exercises before and after my sessions, cardio workouts on the treadmill, stationary bike and the circuit training on the weight machines.

This past week Bob, my personal trainer, decided to have me do free weights for the same muscle groups we've been working on the machines just to mix things up a bit and so that we don't get bored. Is there a difference? Absolutely! When you work with the weight machines, your motion is more controlled and you isolate specific muscles. So let's say you are working your biceps, your motions are isolated to that specific muscle group. Working with free weights require you to balance your body and use other muscles along with the muscle you are trying to isolate. Using free weights to work the biceps also require you to use your abs, back, spine and leg muscles for balance and support. You also will notice that you're using your forearms and you do in fact use your triceps as you are lowering the dumbbell because as you extend your elbow to lower the dumbbell, your tricep muscle is controlling the extension of the elbow. Any arm work I did was either with five or seven and a half pound dumbbells. I know that doesn't seem like a lot but when using free weights, you don't have anything controlling the motions except yourself. Throw in gravity and it makes it that much harder. When I do exercises for my lats on the machines, I usually use about 25 pounds and I'm sitting upright. When I used the free weights, I laid down on the bench and used the seven and a half pound dumbbells in each hand. Gravity made it that much harder as I tried to raise them. I definitely felt the difference of using the free weights while I was there and also the next day. If you use free weights, you will get quicker strength gains. I would suggest working with a personal trainer first though because you want to make sure you are doing the exercises the right way and also for the safety factor. The weight machines are safer if you're working out alone and also if you are in some sort of rehabilitation, the weight machines are preferred and then you can work up to the free weights.

Now I'd like to update you on my personal progress since the inception of this program. I have been on this program for five weeks now. To be fair though I must tell you that I started watching my food intake and keeping track of what I was eating about three works before starting the work outs so that you understand the numbers I'm giving you. My total weight loss up to now is 17 pounds. For about two weeks I maintained the same weight and then this past week I finally lost two more pounds. I think during those two weeks what was happening was that I was losing inches but adding some muscle so since muscle weighs more than fat, I therefore maintained the same weight during those two weeks. I have lost an inch on my waist and thighs and an inch and a half in the stomach/hip area. My tummy is flatter and I am standing up taller due to the improvement in my posture. My heart rate while I was exercising would increase to about 125 bpm when I would work the weights. Now it's staying around 107 to 110 bpm. This means that my heart is growing stronger and therefore has to work less than it did before. Making my heart healthier was one of my main goals and apparently it's getting healthier.