Bowflex for training

[Dogmama]

I think that good old fashioned dumbbells and a weight bench will get you farther, depending on your goals. I generally stay away from machines because they force you to move in a pre-determined plane that is probably not right for your body and over time can lead to tendonitis and other over-use injuries.

Also, I want to do weight training that helps me in real life. Overhead dumbbell presses mimic lifting that big crockpot onto my top shelf. Deadlifts mimic picking up my 70 pound (14 year old) German Shepherd to put her on the grooming table. Squats mimic trying to find that lost shoe under the bed.

Free weights force you to use other smaller muscles that help with balance. Standing overhead dumbbell presses make you tighten your core, whereas seated overhead presses just compress your spine. Lunges holding dumbbells make you use your core, inner & outer thighs and improve your grip strength. Leg press machines do none of these (ok, for purists, maybe a little inner/outer thigh, but nothing compared to free weights.)

Obviously, any resistance training is better than none. But, for me, I want to train muscles in a more natural pattern.