Fundamentals Series : Strength Training Tools

It’s been said that you need the right tools for the job. In the world of strength training the number of tools available are endless and within sub groups, people are willing to die to defend their method of training tools. This isn’t to tell you what training tools are the best for you to use, but rather help you decide when to use each tool you have available to help you achieve your goals. Like everything else in training, there is no one size fits all when choosing what equipment to use. At Showtime, we utilize as many tools as possible to help our clients achieve their goals. If a coach has belief about only using a specific type of equipment, it can be a limiting thought pattern that could also be holding back in other areas. This will be a overview of generally used equipment and how they can be implemented into your routine to help you get your best results. 

Barbells - Barbells in the past were marketed as intimidating to women and reserved for athletes and strength athletes. Luckily this has gone away and more people are realizing the benefits of a barbell. 

Pros - Requires more stabilization than machines and easier to load than resistance bands and other methods. Most gyms have a free weight section making it easily adaptable in your program. 

Cons - The barbell gives and takes. As people age, shoulder and hip restrictions can make barbells more difficult.

Application - For most people, one main barbell exercise each workout seems to be a good spot. You can add a barbell accessory exercise if you feel up to it, but we generally avoid two main barbell lifts in the same session (Squat and Bench Press ex).

Machines - Machines got a bad reputation when Crossfit grew in popularity, but luckily the pendulum has found some balance again. Machines offer great benefits for strength training for rehab, aging populations, or training to a fatigued state safer. 

Pros - Requires less coordination, helps train muscles safely, great for rehab and aging populations. 

Cons - Machines are very expensive, space inefficient, and limit the exercise variety. 

Application - Machines are a great compliment to a training plan helping strike a balance between free weights and body weight movements. Adding one to two exercises each session that are machine based can build up training volume safely. 

Dumbbells - Dumbbells have a been a staple in gyms for over a hundred years right behind the barbell. Different styles are available and the best style is generally dependent on the goals of the training. 

Pros - Dumbbells are more able to move around the body compared to a barbell and also allows for single limb training which can add a lot of value and variety into your training plan. 

Cons - Dumbbells can take up a lot of space and money. Some people will have trouble balancing dumbbells during pressing movements. 

Application - Dumbbell work is great for accessory exercises after your main lift or olympic lift variations at the beginning of a session. Think of dumbbell exercises the support that increases the main lifts. Every 4-8 weeks you can adjust and do dumbbells for a main exercise to provide a different stimulus and also break up the routine. 

Resistance Bands - Resistance bands are one of the best training assets that you can have in your travel bag wherever you go. You can perform a full body workout and are generally only limited by your imagination. 

Pros - Cheap, portable, and can be done anywhere. 

Cons - On some exercises loading can be limited or difficult to progress. People can experience an exercise with too low of resistance and then quickly have too much resistance. 

Application - Bands can be used at any point of the workout with a different emphasis. In the warm up, they can be used for stretching or prehab exercises. During main lifts they can be used on opposing muscle groups from the main lifts like doing Band Pull Aparts between each set of Bench Press. Towards the end of a training session, they can be used for super high reps on an isolation exercise like leg curls or tricep pushdowns. 

Bodyweight - Bodyweight exercises need no gym or equipment and can be done anywhere. Don’t let the simplicity of them make you think it’s not effective. Push ups, pull ups, squats, sit ups, running, and many more can give you a great workout. 

Pros- Can be done anywhere, build a great foundation. Creativity is endless in what you can do. 

Cons- For beginners or people overweight, bodyweight exercises can be more difficult and will need modifications to help them build up to bodyweight exercises. This would be like doing dumbbell bench press before doing push ups. As you advance, a drawback is your main way to make the exercise more difficult is more reps if you can’t load the exercise. 

Kettlebells - Kettlebells gained popularity in the U.S. thanks to Pavel Tsatsouline and his writing. People often associate kettlebells with more functional exercises like kettlebell swings, windmills, one arm presses etc. The handle offers a different feel in movements and some of the RKC standards tests can be very humbling.

Pros - Much easier to use on dynamic movements like swings and snatches, one kettlebell can provide an entire workout.

Cons - To complete a kettlebell set can be pricey and take up space. For most people, they need far less kettlebells than they think. 

Application - Similar to the dumbbell, can be used for more explosive movements at the beginning of a session or for accessory exercises. If you have access to kettlebells, try switching your normal dumbbell exercises for a kettlebell to see the difference. 

Swiss Balls - If you were alive in the early 90s, you remember seeing the video tapes with people doing every exercise on a Swiss ball wearing tights and a head band. They can be used for a variety of exercise and can also be used as a regression tool for exercises like sit ups for people who have a difficult time getting down to the floor. 

Pros - Can increase amount of stabilization required which is great for core and shoulder stability. Lower body movements that are normally easy on the ground become much more challenging because you have to activate more posterior chain muscles to improve stability. Great for regression exercises. 

Cons - Becoming an exercise expert on the Swiss ball won’t make you a champion of anything. Loading exercises on the Swiss ball is minimal. 

Application - Great for accessory exercise variation. Please don’t stand on them while trying to squat a barbell. 

Medicine Balls - Of every tool on this, medicine balls are the most under utilized and under appreciated. A great tool for athletes to develop explosive power and a great tool for aging adults to move their body safely. For adults, this is something that can essentially keep you younger. Plus throwing the ball against the ground or a wall can let out some frustration.

Pros - Great for explosive power and teaching your body to move faster safely. 

Cons - Not every gym has medicine balls or the space to perform throws. 

Application - We like to use them as movement prep for a session, but medicine balls can also be another way to load an exercise or create a new challenge like alternating push ups with your hands on a medicine ball. 

Accommodating Resistance - This is when people use bands or chains on the barbell. This was made famous by Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell. Using accommodating resistance can be one of the biggest game changers of performance when used correctly. Used incorrectly and their impact is minimal. This is often thought of an advanced technique, but we’ve used it with great success with complete beginners as the bands or chains can provide feedback to the person lifting to reinforce tightness during the exercise. 

Pros - Great for speed and strength development. Can also be used for teaching and rehab training. 

Cons - Not everyone knows how to apply them. Most gyms don’t have bands or chains available.

Application - This very much depends on the goals of the person. We use a form of accommodating resistance about every 4-5 training cycles to provide a different training stimulus. Use it as much as needed without creating accommodation or lose base skill set. 

Specialty Bars - Many gyms still don’t have specialty bars, but if you have access they open a new world of training options. 

Safety Squat Bar - If you only squatted with this bar, your shoulders would feel better and you would be stronger. Weight camber is in front of you so it challenges upper back and core more. 

Football Bar - Great for pressing to take pain off the shoulders. 

Cambered Bar - A great lower body training tool for anyone with a shoulder injury. Weight sits lower and will challenge lower back more. 

Buffalo Bar - A small deviation from a straight bar. Bar is slightly longer which allows for wider hand grip squatting. 

Hex Bar - A great training tool for deadlift. Many people find this option easier to keep proper technique. 

Pros - These bars offer a ton of different training options, break up boring training routines, and can help train around injuries. 

Cons - They’re all pretty expensive. Each bar could run $400-$600 a piece. If you’re in a group training center, that means you would need several of each bar and then the storage of each bar. 

Application - Use as needed due to injury or can be waved into normal training routines on a cycle. 

Every tool is as valuable as the knowledge of the person using it. If any of these training tools seem interesting or could provide value to your training, spend a few minutes looking up online how to best fit it in to your routine. Our take is that there is no single best tool to use all the time. There are certain tools that can be better used at certain times. 

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