What are Different Types of Weight Lifting Equipment?
There are many different types of weight lifting equipment. Weights, weights and weight machines are standard in most gyms and can be purchased for home use. Lifting straps or clothes with weights provide a more specialized form of weight training that can meet the needs of weight lifters, young or old. The variety of exercises provided by the weight lifting equipment makes them an essential part of any exercise routine.

The bar is a main piece of weight lifting equipment for the home or gym. Since some weights can hold up to 1,000 pounds (about 450 kg) of weight plates, the bar is a tool for both Olympic weightlifters and those just beginning to use weightlifting. The bar rises when the user is lying on his back, which is known as a bench press or when standing. Of all the weight lifting equipment, the bar is the most potentially dangerous. Many gyms require the presence of an observer when the user performs a bench press.

Dumbbells, a short handle that admits two identical weights, come in three types. The first ones are dumbbells of fixed weight. Constructed of cast iron or plastic filled with concrete, they are not adjustable. The second type, adjustable weights, has interchangeable plates so that the user can add or subtract weight. Finally, dumbbells with selector allow the user to add or subtract weight without having to remove the plates manually.

While weights and dumbbells focus exclusively on the strength of the upper body, weight lifting machines give the user the opportunity to improve almost all muscle groups. Most weight lifting machines include a stack of weights that the user adjusts by moving a pin at the selected weight. A pulley system connects the weights to the place where the user exerts the force. Most gyms offer a variety of weight lifting machines that users use during a single workout.

Lifting straps, used with both weights and dumbbells, give the user the advantage of distributing more weight on the wrists and lessening the importance of grip strength. Weighted clothing, such as lifting straps, is a type of weight lifting equipment best suited for those who have just begun weightlifting exercises. They are small sacks full of metal or sand that the user ties to their wrists or ankles. They are usually worn under clothing, gradually increasing muscle strength as the user goes through their daily routine. Low-impact exercise makes weight-bearing clothing an option for older people who work to maintain muscle mass.