- With Mayo Clinic physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist
Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
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Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
Dr. Edward Laskowski is certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. He is co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center and a professor at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
He has been on the staff of Mayo Clinic since 1990 and specializes in sports medicine, fitness, strength training and stability training. He works with a multidisciplinary team of physical medicine, rehabilitation and orthopedic specialists, physical therapists and sports psychologists.
Dr. Laskowski is an elite-level skier and approaches sports medicine from the perspective of a physician and an athlete. In addition to skiing, he is an avid hiker, cyclist and climber.
In 2006, President George W. Bush appointed Dr. Laskowski to a two-year term on the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
Dr. Laskowski was a member of the medical staff of the Olympic Polyclinic at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and was involved in medical coverage for the Chicago Marathon. He serves as a consulting physician to the National Hockey League Players' Association and is a featured lecturer at the American College of Sports Medicine's Team Physician Course.
Dr. Laskowski, a Cary, Ill., native, has contributed to Mayo Clinic's CD-ROM on sports, health and fitness, a Web site guide to self-care, and hundreds of Mayo Clinic articles and booklets in print and online. He is a contributing editor to Mayo Clinic's "Fitness for EveryBody" book.
"There are many myths and misconceptions about exercise and fitness in general, and also many traditions that don't stand up to scientific scrutiny," he says. "My goal is to provide the most up-to-date and accurate information on sports medicine and fitness topics in a way that you can practically incorporate into your life."
Fitness basics (4)
- Exercise and illness: Should you exercise when you're sick?
- Heart rate: What's normal?
- Body fat analyzers: How accurate are they?
- see all in Fitness basics
Aerobic exercise (10)
- Weighted hula hoops: Exercise gimmick or good idea?
- Elliptical machines: Better than treadmills?
- Air pollution and exercise: Is outdoor exercise risky?
- see all in Aerobic exercise
Strength training (8)
- Weightlifting belt: Do I need one?
- Sit-ups: Is it OK to stabilize my feet?
- Superslow strength training: Does it work?
- see all in Strength training
Sports nutrition (4)
- Energy drinks: OK for athletes?
- Insulin: Can it boost athletic performance?
- 'Natural' steroids: Are they safe?
- see all in Sports nutrition
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Question
Weight training: Free weights vs. machine weights
For weight training, is it better to use free weights or machine weights?
Answer
from Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
There has long been debate about which weight training method is better: free weights or machine weights. In fact, however, no single piece of weight training equipment is best for everyone. Both free weights and machine weights — as well as other types of resistance — can help you increase your strength. The choice depends on many factors, including personal preference.
Free weights are versatile and inexpensive. They also simulate real-life lifting situations and promote whole-body stabilization. Likewise, machine weights also can be effective weight training tools — as long as you use machines that adjust to your body dimensions and allow full range of motion of your joints.
The bottom line? Choose a weight training system that you enjoy and that fits into your lifestyle. And whatever type of resistance you choose, remember that proper technique is more important than the specific type of equipment.
Next questionFlat stomach: Can wearing a girdle tighten abdominal muscles?
- Sorace P. Free weights and machines. American College of Sports Medicine. http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Search§ion=20052&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentFileID=674. Accessed Nov. 19, 2008.
- Braun LT, et al. Patient information: Exercise. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 19, 2008.
- Langford GA, et al. Specificity of machine, barbell, and water-filled log bench press resistance training on measures of strength. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2007;21:1061.
- Spennewyn KC. Strength outcomes in fixed versus free-form resistance equipment. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2008;22:75.
