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Building muscle mass and improving your health are extremely respectable endeavors. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by using free weights. There is much to be gained by using free weights and following the various programs and routines associated with them. If you're just beginning and don't have much experience working out, then you might consider purchasing a basic free weight set, consisting of just a few dumbbells or finding an inexpensive gym membership online. Then, once you start mastering the fundamentals of using free weights, you can look into purchasing a complete home gym to really work out those muscles.
Before you dive in and start lifting those free weights, it would be best if you decide what type of body you consider is ideal. For example, do you want to build a lot of muscle mass and bulk up, or do you want leaner muscles for great toning? By deciding on your specific body type goal, you will be able to further differentiate the free weight exercises you do for a tailor-made workout program. Remember, every body is different and you'll get the best results when you pay attention to how your body feels, adjusting your workout routine and personalizing it as you go.
Having said that, free weights are surprisingly flexible in what they can help you accomplish, depending on how you use them. For example, if you're looking to gain muscle strength, then you would do 5-8 repetitions (reps) for 1-3 sets (if you did the max then that would total 24). But if you were a runner for example, you would do lighter weights with more reps for muscle endurance; 10-20 reps for 1-3 sets. And if you really wanted to build towards great muscle power, then you would do less reps than you would for muscle strength, but use heavier weights; 3-5 reps for 1-3 sets.
For the best free weight workouts possible, you should hold to the same number of reps and sets for at least a week or two at a time and let your body adjust. Then, as you monitor how your muscles feel, you can adjust that routine, increasing the number of reps and sets. Everything should be gradual. Working harder doesn't necessarily mean working smarter. You could damage your body if you overtrain. As part of that, during your workout, make sure you rest about a minute or two between each set (at least long enough to regain normal breathing), but don't wait too long as lactic acid could build up in your muscles.
