Training also helps control weight gain, and a recent study at Harvard University suggests that it helps combat depression. If you have any physical disabilities or if you've been sedentary, get your physician's recommendations before starting a program. Consider paying for a few sessions with a personal trainer if you've never done resistance training. A certified trainer can help you get the most from your workouts with less chance of injury. Start with very light weights, increasing the weight a little each week.
Free weights require recruitment of more muscles, and also better balance.
They may give you a better workout in the long run, but you need good instruction before you begin. Give your muscles a day to recover between sessions. Alternate training and rest days, or work different muscles on alternating days. Dr. Burns is a graduate of The University of Texas Health Science Center, Southwestern, and completed a fellowship in sports medicine at the Stedman-Hawkins Clinic in Vail, Colorado. He is board certified in orthopedic surgery and has special interest in sports medicine, knee and shoulder reconstruction and joint replacements.