Machine Workouts Vs. Dumbbell Workouts
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There are plenty of women that are reluctant to quit the gym because they think they need the machines to achieve the body that they want. Is this really the case? That’s why in this episode of Embrace Your Real podcast, I share my insights about dumbbell workouts, its pros and cons, and why it can actually give you better results than any machine.
What I discuss:
Dumbbells allow for greater range of motion than machines do.
Dumbbells require more stabilization than machines.
Dumbbells offer a greater variety of exercises compared to machines.
Dumbbell workouts can better help you build the body you want.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/
If you want more from me, be sure to check out...
Instagram: @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie
Macro Counting Made Simple: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/
Website: www.juliealedbetter.com
Free e-book: www.juliealedbetter.com/free-ebook
Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/influencer-6bda1ca8?ref=cm_sw_em_r_inf_pub_influencer-6bda1ca8_dp_DgsIam9salgfi
Transcript:
Hey there, beautiful human. You're listening to Embrace Your Real with me, Julie Ledbetter. A podcast where I empower you to just be you. With each episode, I issue a dose of real talk and actionable advice for building your confidence, honoring your body, and unconditionally loving your authentic self. Stay tuned if you're ready to embrace your real. Let's get it, let’s go.
Welcome back to another episode on Embrace Your Real podcast. Today, I really wanted to address a hot topic amongst my followers, a specifically on my Facebook page. So I have been really being active on my Facebook page and I love my Facebook community, but there are definitely a lot of people who have come to me, whether it's in, you know, the direct messages or on comments on my reels, and they've said, you know, I want to quit the gym, but I feel like I need to have the machines at the equipment, like all the equipment at the gym in order to get a good workout in. And that was me. Like that was me for years in my fitness journey, I thought that the only way to get a good workout in was to have the leg pressed and the leg extension machine and the lat pulldown machine and the seated backroad machine. Like I thought that I had to have all of these machines in order to build the body that I want. And that couldn't be more than the truth. But it wasn't until I decided to take the leap of faith and really dive into dumbbell workouts all in. I have not walked into a gym since I quit over three and a half years ago, and yet I personally am the strongest I've ever been and I'm also the most consistent I've ever been.
And so I wanted to just kind of address this like machine workouts versus dumbbell workouts. Now, to kind of preface this, I am a huge believer in dumbbell workouts, and so I want to speak to the woman who is in my same shoes that I was in. Like, you think that you have to have these machines in order to get a good workout in. And so in no way, shape or form and I am I bashing gym machines. I think that they can be super beneficial. And I like myself, I for, you know, five or six years in my fitness journey, I was a gym goer and that was all that I did. I never worked out at home. And when I was at the gym I would use some dumbbells, but I would mainly use barbells and gym equipment.
And so I just kind of want to preface that, that I don't think that they're bad in any way, shape or form, but I just kind of want to give you some insight as to why I personally prefer dumbbell workouts, and maybe this will give you some motivation as well to maybe dive into dumbbell workouts, whether that's at the gym. I know some women love to do my dumbbell workouts at the gym because they have childcare. They feel like they need to get out of the house. But then I also want to give women who feel like they have to go to the gym to get a good workout. I want to give you a perspective and maybe help shift your perspective in terms of why dumbbell workouts can be so effective and the fact that you actually can quit the gym and start doing them at home.
But before I do that, I wanted to share this review. It comes from Sara, mom of four from Montana. She gave a five star review and said five stars all day, every day. Not sure if this is a review or if a mother, we all love you. Julie. Just wanted to say your listeners missed you over the break, but so glad that you took some time off recording over the holidays.
So this podcast review looks like it came from December, so that's why she's saying that I haven't taken any time off recently, but thank you for acknowledging that and thank you so much for saying that. She continued by saying, Every podcast brings quality information. I always look forward to each and every new episode. Also, congrats on being just a handful of episodes away from 300 Amazing. Love you girl. Well, thank you so much. We are now past 300. Was it? Which is absolutely crazy, you guys.
I started this podcast in February of 2020 and it was legitimately a month before the entire world shut down. And I wouldn't have imagined that that's where we were. And here we are, you know, over three years later. And I just I can't even believe it. Like, I can't believe, first of all, that that was over three years ago. And second of all, that we are well beyond 300 episodes and going strong on Mondays and Thursdays. So thank you so much for taking time out of your day to send in this review. It really does absolutely mean the world to me.
If you haven't already, scootch over to Apple Podcasts. You can type in Apple Podcasts in any Apple device, it has automatically has an app on your phone for that and then you can type in Embrace Your Real.
First, make sure you subscribe so that you never miss an episode. And then once you're on that page, you can click the Rating and Review section at the bottom. That really just does help us out in terms of knowing how these podcast episodes are helping you, as well as other women who are stumbling upon the podcast. A lot of times they say, you know, I looked at the reviews and it's definitely something that sounds like it's down my alley and that's how they start listening. So it really does help us out. Thank you in advance.
Okay, so let's dive into why dumbbells will provide. Personally, I think it could be even a better workout than machines and why I personally love dumbbell workouts, and so maybe this will give you some perspective.
Number one, dumbbells allow for a greater range of motion rather than machines.
So in my personal experience, I have seen the best results coming from when you're able to ensure that you're moving your muscles through that full range of motion, right? This allows you to really activate the muscle fibers completely so that you're not cutting yourself short with every rep. And this is why I believe that, you know, dumbbells do have a huge advantage over machines in terms of a greater range of motion. I mean, think about it. When you are using machine, you are limited to the predetermined range of motion of that equipment. Right? And if you don't set up that machine correctly, then you can actually cut yourself even shorter on that range of motion.
For example, if you use the like press and you have, you know, the setting of three instead of one, you could be sitting further away. And your starting point isn't going to be kind of with your knees bent at 90 degrees. This means that maybe your knees are only bent at 45 degrees. And so instead of getting that full 90 degree range of motion, you're really only getting 45 degrees.
Whereas with dumbbells, you really have complete control over the movement and can move through a wider range of motion. So you're not limited to the constraints of the machine and you can really move in that range of motion that actually challenges your muscles. And just to kind of reiterate why this is so important, a greater range of motion can actually lead to increased muscle activation.
So simply put, the muscles that you activate are the muscles that you're going to build.
Number two, dumbbells require more stabilization than machines.
Now, why is this important? This essentially means that you have to work harder to maintain proper form and control the weight throughout the exercise when using dumbbells.
So with that being said, stabilization is important because it really does recruit those small stabilization muscles that machines just don't activate. And this is because when you're using a machine, the equipment guides the movement and provides stability, which can actually make the exercise easier.
And this is great for someone who's new or who needs help conducting proper form. However, with dumbbells, you have to stabilize that weight yourself, which can in turn engage more muscles. And when you are engaging more muscles and your body actually recruits and builds more muscle fibers, which equals building more muscle, and that can in turn lead to burning more fat.
Again, I will always, whenever I say burning more fat, that definitely nutrition plays a key role in this. But you're building more muscle. And the more muscle that you have, the more body fat they are going to burn in turn. A great example of this is the dumbbell squat. So with this exercise, you must stabilize the weight throughout the entire movement. Right. So it's up to you and your muscles to stabilize your muscles and keep that proper form. This means that not only are you going to be working your quads, but you're also going to be engaging other muscles needed to maintain that proper form and control the weight.
Whereas in contrast, performing squats with, let's say a Smith machine doesn't really engage all of these smaller muscles, you can really rely on the machine to kind of guide you through the movement with proper form. And this can lead to limiting the engagement of those other muscles.
Yes, you're still working the major muscle groups, but you might not be engaging all of the small muscles. And something that's also kind of important to note that many younger people really don't take seriously now. And now that I'm in my thirties and I say, well, in my thirties and I'm about to be 33 this year, I'm starting to think about these things. Like I'm really starting to think about as I get older. It's important that I honor and nourish myself and do the things that I know in ten, 15 or 20 years I'm going to thank myself for.
One of those things is really starting to stake to take seriously this stabilization and learning and improving your overall balance in coordination.
So as you get older, really focusing on your balance, your coordination and your stabilization, this is going to prevent some serious injuries in the future.
So as you kind of work to stabilize the way you'll be engaging the muscles needed to maintain balance and control. And this can really translate to improved balance coordination. And that will carry into all the other areas of your life as your mom, as your wife, as you're an aunt, as the many various roles that you play.
The human body is necessary to be utilized in so many of the day to day activities. And so I really want you to be thinking about that as we age, we really want to make sure that we're doing all that we can to ensure that we're setting ourselves up for success in the future. And lastly, by engaging kind of more of those muscles, you're actually going to be able to better target the desired muscle group. So you'll increase the intensity by making this exercise more effective, which can lead to better results in the long term in terms of strength and muscle development, as well as just overall fitness and health improvement.
Number three, dumbbells offer a greater right variety of exercises compared to machines.
So with a set of dumbbells, you can perform a wide range of exercises that target different muscle groups, different movement patterns. And again, this can literally just be with one pair and one set of dumbbells, and the variety is important for three reasons. Number one. The variety can help to prevent boredom and plateaus in your workouts. In terms of boredom, when it comes to working like a specific muscle group with machines, you have one, maybe two machines that you can use to target that specific muscle group. But when it comes to dumbbells, there is endless creativity. And let's be real. I personally just find that machine workouts are less interactive than dumbbell workouts where the machine you sit, you lie, you perform the exercise in a stationary position, and kind of the lack of movement and interaction can make the workout feel very repetitive and less stimulating, which can ultimately lead to boredom. And if you're bored, what's going to happen? It's likely going to lead you to inconsistency. Now, the number one thing that I get inside my Movement with Julie app and just people who are doing these workouts, what they say is that they absolutely love that they're never getting bored, like they love that they're getting brand new workouts every single week and they're not doing like the same exact workout over and over and over and over again.
So you never really get to the point where you know what you're going to expect, which helps to keep it fun, exciting and engaging, not really repetitive and boring. Now, in terms of versatility with dumbbells, for one exercise, you really have endless options for variations. So you could do you know, I have all of these in my app. I have so many variations of my app. So let's talk about deadlifts. You have stiff leg deadlifts, you have Romanian deadlifts, you have narrow stance deadlifts, you have B stands deadlifts, you have single leg deadlifts, you have cross-legged deadlifts.
I mean, there are so many different types of deadlifts. You have bench like single leg bench deadlifts, you have sumo deadlifts. I mean, I could go on and on and on, but with machines you really only get 1 to 3 options that you know is performing the deadlift.
In addition to kind of providing more exercise variety. Dumbbells are also a lot more versatile than machines, meaning that you can use dumbbells in a various like various ways, such as holding them in one hand, using two at a time, alternating arms, legs, etc… And this really this versatility allows you to create more challenging workouts and target specific muscle imbalances and weaknesses. With the dumbbells, you don't need a full gym to get a killer workout in.
I talk about this all the time, and I just think that we have been so ingrained as a society to think that we need to have, you know, four walls and a gym with all this gym equipment to get a good workout in. But that's just not the case. And a lot of times people even see that I have like a full rack of dumbbells. Which side note I started in my completely unfinished basement that was filled to the brim with boxes and Christmas trees and wreaths and clothes that I'm not wearing. And it was just a catch all. And it was not really a dedicated space. And I literally started with one, I think it was one 5 lb dumbbell, a set of 10 lb. And I think we had like a 45 lb kettlebell. That's literally what I started with.
And now I think, you know, people see in my videos like, well, oh, you have a full rack of dumbbells. You you absolutely do not need that. I'm just telling you, I would say about 85 to 90% of the women who do my workouts inside the app, they have, you know, two pairs of dumbbells. They have a light pair and then a medium to heavy pair. And that's genuinely all that you need.
It has taken me almost four years to build up to what we have. And so I wanted to point that out because I think oftentimes, you know, people look at, you know, my workout area now and they're like, oh, well, I would you know, I'd kill to have that workout area. And I'm just telling you, first of all, you don't need to have what I have. Like, you definitely don't even need to have peloton's that the the peloton bike, the peloton tread. And you definitely don't even need a full rack of dumbbells. All you genuinely need is two pairs. I always encourage people to start with two pairs, a light pair and a medium to heavy pair and a small space.
Genuinely, that's all you need to get a good workout in. And secondly, you do not need a full hour to get a good workout in. That's why I have the 30 minute variations inside the app, because I specifically program workouts that are ensuring that you're hitting all the desired muscle groups that you need to be hitting on that specific day, i.e. a lower body day or an upper body day or shoulders and glutes day or full body in that 30 minutes so that you can rest assured that you are getting a great balanced workout.
In number four, Dumbbell workouts can better help you build the body that you want.
So I like I said, I started out at the gym, I started out with machines, and I definitely think that machines at a gym can be a great tool. I don't want to discredit them whatsoever. I think that they can really help you figure out the movement. And while you're still learning, it can also help to prevent injury. But kind of like what I talked about, the principle of adaptation a lot it. It really comes into play with the machines as well. So you build more muscle by doing something hard, right? Your body's like, Oh, I don't have all the muscle fibers required to make this easy, so I'm going to recruit more and more muscle fibers to build more muscle to make this easier in the future.
Since machines really allow for minimal creativity, if you know if any at all, and if you have minimal options for machines for each muscle group, your body is quickly going to become accustomed to that movement. So while you might see great results at first with the machines because it was new and your body was, you know, adapting, you need to recruit more muscle fibers over time, your body's going to get used to it and stops recruiting more muscle fibers.
So this is when you really start to see plateaus in your journey. And you might want to consider dumbbells or at least incorporating dumbbells into your workouts depending on what your goals are. So since dumbbells really can offer endless creativity in your workouts, each workout that you do, your body is meaning to recruit more and more muscle fibers in order to keep up with the new demands that you're placing on your body. And they're also very, very convenient. And when they're convenient, you're more likely to follow through and stay consistent. Plus, machine workouts don't really require that much core strength. So you'll notice with dumbbell workouts, no matter what exercise you're doing, it's always key to engage your core.
Engage your core with standing bicep curls, engage your core with bent over rows, engage your core with overhead triceps extension, Engage your core when you are lying on a bench doing chest press, engaging your core when you're doing lying dumbbell pullovers. I mean, really, you are engaging your core in almost every single movement when it comes to dumbbells. So all in all, I personally just speaking from experience, speaking from the convenience, which leads to more consistency, dumbbell workouts are really going to give you the more bang for your buck.
And as we head into kind of the warmer months, the busier months while you're traveling, I know that it can be stressful when you're traveling, trying to figure out like, where's the closest gym? Can I get a workout in? And you know, two things with that. Number one, you definitely don't need to work out when you're on your vacation. I always tell you, you know, there's so many other ways to stay active, to honor your body with movement, to enjoy yourself. But let's be real. It does feel good to get a few workouts in. And I just know personally, just speaking from experience and then also being and doing this alongside of thousands of women inside movement with Julie, I see the convenience.
So whether it is you waking up before your whole house, doing it in your basement or doing it in a spare bedroom, or you doing it on a lunch break, or you doing it right after work, are you doing it after everybody goes to sleep at night or nap time? I mean, so many different times of day. You can do these dumbbell workouts.
And also when you're traveling, if you're at, you know, an Airbnb, if maybe you're driving by car, we just did this. We took a road trip to California. I took two pairs of dumbbells, I took a light pair and a medium to heavy pair. And so at the Airbnb, I was able to crank out the workout outside in front of the pool and it was awesome.
If you're doing that and you're, you know, going by road trip, it's super easy to just get a pair of dumbbells, throw it in the car, or if you don't have room for that resistance bands with handles, there's tons of movements you can do with that. Or if you're staying at a hotel or you're staying in a resort, you know, all hotel gyms have dumbbells. And that's the coolest part about dumbbell workouts is that you're never going to be like, Oh dang, they don't have a Smith machine or Oh dang, they don't have the seated bicep curl machine or oh, dang, they don't have a full cable set for me to do all these things.
If they have a pair or two of dumbbells, you're able to literally not miss a beat in your plan and you're able to get it done.
So all in all, I'm a huge proponent of dumbbell workouts. I scream it from the rooftops every single day.
If you follow me on @movementwithJulie, on Instagram, on TikTok, on Facebook, on Pinterest, I am talking about dumbbell workouts all the time because they will literally change your life. I personally have seen it in my own life and I've also seen it in thousands of other women's lives on a weekly basis inside movement with Julie. And it's just so encouraging and so inspiring.
So let me kind of recap what I shared. Number one, dumbbells allow for a greater range of motion. The machines do. So when you use those muscles in their full range of motion, it leads to greater muscle activation and muscle fiber recruitment, which can lead to greater results that you'll see from your workouts. Number two, dumbbells require more stabilization the machines. And this means that you have to work harder to maintain proper form and control the workouts throughout the exercise when using dumbbells. Plus, you also get to work on your small stabilization muscles that the machines don't activate. Number three dumbbells offer a greater variety of exercises. Compared to machines, you're able to switch things up so you don't get bored and you feel engaged in your workouts. Plus, switching it up means that you're constantly challenging your mind and your muscle in new ways to trigger new muscle growth. And lastly, all in all, dumbbell workouts are so convenient that convenience is unmatched, which can lead to consistency that can better help you build the body that you want.
So if you are not convinced yet, please just head over to movement with Julie. Instagram. I have some review. Highlight bubbles. You can see other women's stories. I don't just want you to take it from me. I want you to hear other women's stories. I mean, there are literally thousands of women on a weekly basis inside the weekly workouts plan in movement with Julie. And they're doing these workouts, they're crushing them. They're moms, they're working professionals, they're in school.
I mean, all different walks of life from age. I think we have, you know, an 18 year old all the way up to a 67 year old that I just talked to recently in my inbox. And she said, I'm so happy that I found your program and I'm feeling stronger than ever. And so I want that for you. I want that for you as we head into the warmer months, I want you to feel empowered and encouraged to get your movement and feel strong doing it. And just just know that the convenience with dumbbell workouts is unmatched.
If you want to learn more about kind of what the weekly workouts entails, you can head over to sale that's S-A-L-E dot movemet with Julie dot com. Essentially I program five brand new workouts for you every single week. I release them on Saturdays at 12 p.m. on Standard Time for the next week. And there's always two options in each workout. So there's a 60 minute variation which will take you anywhere from 45 to 55 minutes to complete on average. And then I give you a 30 minute variation, which typically takes women anywhere from 25 to 32 minutes to complete, depending on how slow or fast you go through these. These workouts are go at your own pace. There's video demonstrations for every single movement. You get to log and track your progress, which is so encouraging.
I talked about this recently on a podcast episode, but seeing these women chase the number of, you know, pounds that they're lifting and feeling empowered from the number being higher is so contradictory to so many things that we chase in our fitness journey, right? Trying to shrink the number on the scale, trying to shrink our pant size, all these things. But this is completely opposite of that. And you're chasing, you know, stronger, more weight pushed. And it's just so empowering and so encouraging.
If you can't do all five workouts, I always say do what you can with what you have and let that be. Enough said. That's three workouts. Great. Do a lower body and upper body and a full body if that's for workouts. Amazing. If it's all five. Proud of you.
Like whatever it is, we're here for you. We're here to support you so you can get instant access and learn more by going to sale. That's S-A-L-E dot movement with Julie dot com. I will link you in the show notes that you can easily go check it out.
That is all that I have for today's episode. I would love to hear your aha moments. I would love to hear kind of what came from this.
Again, I am just very biased with dumbbell workouts because they have personally changed my life and they have changed thousands of women's lives on a weekly basis inside my program. And I just I scream it from the rooftops because if you're struggling with consistency, if you're struggling with feeling bored in your workouts, try this, try it, and it will change your life. I love you so much. I mean it. And I'll talk to you in the next one.
All right, sister. That's all I got for you today. But I have two things that I need you to do. First thing, if you are not already following me on the gram, be sure to do so. Julie A Ledbetter. Yes. It's with an A in the middle for that daily post workout real talk, healthy tips and tricks, and honest accountability to keep your mind and heart in check. The second thing be sure to subscribe to Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. Thank you so much for joining me. It means the absolute world. And I'm going to leave you with one last thought. The most beautiful women that I have met in my life are the ones who are completely confident and secure in being authentically themselves. Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface. So go out there and embrace your real because you're worth it.