Free-motion workout

These exercises leave you free to feel good

By Elaine Paoloni | amNewYork Features Editor

December 13, 2006

Many of us are used to working out with weight machines where you lift a bar with your legs or pull one with your arms while lifting a stack of weights attached by a pulley system. But there's another option available at most gyms, and its benefits can be great.

"Free-motion machines offer a selectorized weight stack with the ability to do exercises with a full range of motion," says Damon Roxas, regional director of personal training at Crunch Fitness.

The machines look like a stripped down version of traditional weight machines, eliminating any constraints and exposing moveable bands with handles.

According to Roxas, the benefits of doing free-motion exercises are many, but two of the biggest are:

1. Your body must use its stabilizer muscles during the exercise; with a regular machine, movements are isolated to the body part being used.

2. Because there is no seat, you need to contract your core muscles for balance, which engages more of your body than if you were seated in a chair on a regular machine.

Free-motion machines can be used for strength, conditioning, toning and injury rehab: Increase the weight and do fewer reps for strength training; lower the weight and increase reps for toning. But each person should select the weight that is right for his or her level. A trainer can help you select the proper load.

Here are four free-motion exercises Roxas suggests trying:

1. Bicep curl with shoulder press

This move works your biceps and shoulders.

Adjust the machine's vertical arm set to 12 and horizontal arm set to 2. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold the cables with your arms at your side. Curl your arms up, turn your palms out, then extend your arms over your head. Lower your arms to a bent-arm position, then turn your palms up at waist height, and press your arms completely down to your sides. Do three sets of 10 reps.

2. Squat

This move works your quads and glutes.

Adjust the machine's vertical arm set to 12 and horizontal arm set to 2. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold the handles of the cables, bending your arms at a 45-degree angle. Squat down so that your thighs are parallel to the ground (keep your knees behind your toes). Using your glutes, drive through your heels to raise back up into starting position. Do three sets of 10 reps.

3. Low row

This move works your lower trap muscles and lats to improve posture.

Adjust the machine's vertical arm set to 12 and horizontal arm set to 2. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart in a high squat -- your body should be bent at a 45-degree angle and your arms should be extended in front of you. Hold the handles of the cables, and pull your arms back, squeezing your shoulder blades together and keeping your shoulders relaxed. Extend your arms back into starting position. Do three sets of 10 reps.

4. Single reverse triceps extension

This move works your triceps.

Adjust the machine's vertical arm set to 5 and horizontal arm set to 2. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Rest one arm behind your back (this helps maintain correct posture). With the other hand, hold the handle of the cable in a reverse grip (your palms should be facing up) with your arm bent at the elbow. Extend your arm straight down, keeping your body still except for the lower arm. Return to starting position. Do three sets of 10 reps.