A Couple Questions...

So, a few quick questions for someone who's relatively new to this all...

1) My main question: strength training. I see so many people on here talking about this, but they really only mention the free weights. Does working on machines (IE Leg Press, Lat Pulldown, Hip Adductions/Abductions, etc) count as strength training or do I really need to walk over to the free weights in the very heavily "guy populated" area of the gym? (I don't think I've ever seen a girl over there...ever.) I always figured the machines were the free weights, just set up in ways to optimize what they do for what body part.

2) This may sound really ditzy, but...will doing chest exercises shrink my boobs? It's an idea a friend told me once, and well...I just can't get it out of my head, so I've always avoided any sort of chest workouts. I'm already on the "smaller" side and I don't really want to cause any issues for myself here. Again, I know it sounds dumb, but is it true?

3) If I'm mainly looking to tone up, especially in my abs and glutes areas, and become more flexible, are there any suggestions of what I should be doing? I do a couple machine exercises for this, but my core is so weak, and I'm a total 2-by-4 when it comes to being flexible.

Thanks in advance!

1.) Erase the word tone from your vocabulary. Forever. It does not exist. Your abs and glutes will get tighter through overall fat loss which is acheived through weight training and a clean diet.

2.) You are not gonna get very great results using just the machines. Throw the ad/abduction machines out the window. The lat pulldown, leg sled, leg curl, and leg extensions are the only machine exercises I would keep in the routine. Other than those, you need to toughen up and make your way to the free weights. Why? Because when you use the machines you are only targeting ONE MUSCLE. ONE. On the other hand, when using the free weights you are using multiple muscles -the muscles you target and the muscle the exercise employs to stabalize the body to perform the exercise. Take squats for example. When you think of the muscles you are using when doing a squat you think "hammy, quads, legs etc". But you are also using your abs and back to stabalize your body under the weight of the barbell. Catch my drift?

Your boobs are fine. Go boobs to the wall when you're lifting. Good luck

What she said.

I might add, however, than by losing fat, it is possible your boobs will get smaller. But then again, that just depends on how each individual's body stores fat - nothing to do with chest exercises.

Original Post by mercy_bobcat:

2.) ...The lat pulldown, leg sled, leg curl, and leg extensions are the only machine exercises I would keep in the routine...

The leg sled puts unnecessary pressure on your lower back and the leg curl and extension machines are hell on the knees, and none of them mimic any movement you'd ever do in real life.  I'd scrap all of them and just do squats and deadlifts instead. 

I say - go for the free weights in the guy area! I'm a girl, and I spend more time lifting weights there than I do on the machines. Trust me - they WON'T even notice you're there (they have a reputation for keeping a fixed eye on themselves in the mirror). Besides, you're paying for your gym membership and have just as much right to be there as anybody without feeling uncomfortable.