Machines vs Free Weights

So #3 Fitness tip is trade machine exercises for free weights. I have been reading a lot of articles online about this, and apparently this is the topic of a very large debate in the fitness world. Some people swear by machines and others swear by weights. I have not been able to find anything saying specifically that free weights are better than machines, but others would beg to differ.

The real name of this debate should be controlled movement vs natural movement.

From what I gather, is you should do whatever works best for your body. In my case I think free weights work better for me. I can stay at a machine forever and use it every other day for months and still not see much of a difference, but if I take my dumbbells at home in only a few weeks I see results. Although I am more of cardio person, I make sure to throw in some strength training now and then. I even do a circuit and boot camp class.

But like I said at the end of the day everyone is different and different foods, diets, workout plans, etc will work for everyone in a different way. It's all about trying everything, and seeing what result you get, but in the good fun of research and knowledge I will post more information about machines and free weights why they are both good for you, and why it is okay if you want to just meet in the middle and even do both. In the 20 fitness tips article I read, here is there reasoning as to why free weights may work better for you over machines.

"Machines are built with a specific path the weight has to travel - one that wasn't designed for you. If you're too tall, too short, or your arms or legs aren't the same length, that fixed path won't match your physiology and you'll increase the likelihood of injury and develop weaknesses. 

Trade your machine exercises for dumbbells, barbells and medicine balls to build strength in ways more specific to your body, while also working all the smaller stabilizing muscles that machines miss."

I understand their point, I am short. So I can see how free weights would work better for me because of those reason listed. But lets look at the benefits of both, I found this article and lets face it I am a fan of to the point, easy to read, and understand.

Let’s start with machines. What I like best about machines is that you don’t have to pay so much attention to form, balance and coordination. The machine guides you through the movement, almost like having your own personal trainer. For this reason, machines are perfect for many first-timers, seniors and those recovering from an injury.

One machine that gives you a great workout for strengthening and toning your pectorals or chest muscles is the “pec deck.” One of the reasons why it works so well is that the machine “forces” you to perform the proper movement. And it helps isolate your chest muscles without involving lots of other muscles so you get the most bang for your buck. For men, this machine can help give you nice definition to your chest muscles. For women, this machine does a great job of firming and toning things up. If you try this same movement with free weights or dumbbells, it’s sometimes difficult to get the same controlled movement isolating just your chest, especially for those new to fitness.

Machines are also good if you want to add circuit training to your routine. Circuit training involves going from one machine to the next with little rest in between. You use a doable weight and perform each exercise until your muscles are fatigued and you just can’t do another repetition. The machines allow you to go quickly from one exercise to the next without having to mess around changing plates and adding collars. Circuit training is a terrific way to build muscular endurance and add some variation to your workout routine.


Now on to free weights. You might get intimidated at the gym because many of the big boys are tend to monopolize the free weights. Don’t be intimidated! One of the reasons many athletes like to train with free weights over machines is that they require more balance, coordination and utilization of stabilizer muscles. For example, if you’re doing a standing dumbbell shoulder press, you’re not only working your shoulder muscles but also your abdominals and leg muscles to stabilize your body. Some research shows that you can even burn more calories doing your weight training activities standing rather than sitting.
Free weights are more versatile than machines, allowing more range of motion and variation. And if you want to work out at home or outdoors, nothing beats a good ole set of dumbbells. They are inexpensive and take up very little space.

If you decide to use free weights, you must always be aware of your form. There’s much more room for error as opposed to the controlled movement on a machine. And, in the beginning, use a weight that’s comfortable. If the weight is too heavy, you’re probably going to sacrifice form and that can be a real invitation for injury.

As for me, I like to use a combination of free weights and machines. For the upper body I love to use dumbbells. Particularly, I like to do dumbbell exercises standing when I can (standing shoulder press, standing bicep curl and standing triceps extension are good ones). For my legs, barbell squats and deadlifts are my favorite, but I like to add single-leg extensions and single-leg curl machines. If you have any kind of knee problems, machines are the way to go.

Whether you use machines or free weights, the bottom line is consistency, intensity and variation of your workouts. Don’t be afraid to mix up it up. It’s your body—push it, challenge it and most importantly—enjoy it!