The debate: Free weights versus machines

[elmnick]

I get the impression that in general this website is more in favour of free weights than machines whether to get stronger or just bigger.
If so what are the advantages of using free weights over using a machine, and vice versa?

and can anyone articulate the reasons to make a coherent argument of why free weights are better (if they are)

 

[bigjohnson]

Free weights work. The only machines I use are dips and so on or at the end if I want to work something specific a little extra.

 

[sadburger]

Free weights work stabilizer muscles

Consider doing overhead barbell presses versus doing a shoulder press machine. With the barbell, once you have the bar above your head you are utilizing your abdomen, back arms, shoulders, etc to stabilize the bar and hold it steady above you. With the machine, its a restricted range of motion (it will go up and down or whatever set path the machine allows, but cannot vary from that path) so the stabilizers don't come into play.

 

[Dark Chivalry]

Both have their place in a workout.

 

[speakeasy]

So machines for isolation and free weights for overall workout?

 

[stronglifts]

I get the impression that in general this website is more in favour of free weights than machines whether to get stronger or just bigger.
If so what are the advantages of using free weights over using a machine, and vice versa?

and can anyone articulate the reasons to make a coherent argument of why free weights are better (if they are)

Machines forces you into a certain movement path. In real life, this doesn't exist.

If you want real life strength: you need to emulate the movement.

Shoulder Press Machine < Overhead Press < Log Press < Sandbag Press


Machine: movement is fixed
Barbell: your body decides how the bar moves
Log: weight distribution is different
Sandbag: weight distribution is again different

Another thing: your body works as one piece. There is no "isolation". If you hit a ball playing soccer: more than one muscle is used. You throw a javelin: more than one muscle is used.

You can achieve results using machines, but never the same real life strength or muscle mass from training with barbells.

 

[cuzza]

Shoulder Press Machine > Overhead Press > Log Press > Sandbag Press

Erm, shoulder press is better than an overhead press? Since when?

 

[stronglifts]

Erm, shoulder press is better than an overhead press? Since when?

Typo's, corrected.

 

[cuzza]

Ah sorry lol, I wasn't tryna correct you... didn't even think of a typo, haha.

I'm an advocate of free weights, but I do like to do a little bit of machine work. I find that plate loaded ones especially allow you to overload a muscle in a way that isn't possible with free weights and it's good now and again.

 

[Quagmire911]

Debate?

 

[Bonhomme]

I only like machines for squats (for safety reasons) and exercises you otherwise would not be able to do.

Like sadburger said, stabilizing muscles. A free weight workout is more complete and natural. I'd even go as far as to say dumbells are best, because you work both sides equally.

 

[ValleyDJing]

From what I've been able to tell, people prefer free weights because its the macho thing to say. Yes, free weights force you to utilize your whole body to balance the weights, but if you're working out, you should be focused on improving your whole body anyways, thus using a variety of machines. I use machines mostly because I lift by myself and there are a few excercises that aren't safe to do by yourself. And even if you don't use a spotter, there is never the chance that you'll drop something on yourself.

 

[Slone]

Everyone should use machines, then I'll never have to wait to use the free weights!

Seriously, if you don't want to kill yourself benching with no spotter, try using dumbells instead of a barbell. Or, bench in a power rack with the safety bars set just above chest level. I'd be more scared of getting stuck under a bar using the smith machine than getting stuck using a barbell- at least you could shimmy the barbell down your body or off to the side. If your gym has a power rack with safety bars you have no excuse for not using free weights.

Also, using the smith machine or other fixed motion machines forces the body to adapt to the machine rather than having your body move the weights, and this can create a lot of stress in your body, leading to injuries long term.

Safety issues aside, the bottom line is that the strength you build using machines does not apply as directly to real world movements as the strength built using free weights. Basically read stronglifts' explanation, he summed it all up.

With that being said, machines are nice for a few movements. I use machines for pull throughs and occasionally seated rows and lat pull downs, but that is all- cable movements. I'd also use a reverse hyperextension machine if my gym had one.

 

[stronglifts]

From what I've been able to tell, people prefer free weights because its the macho thing to say. Yes, free weights force you to utilize your whole body to balance the weights, but if you're working out, you should be focused on improving your whole body anyways, thus using a variety of machines.

Problem is machines don't work your whole body. They isolate. Free weights:

• strength transfers to sports / daily activities
• work more muscles in the same time

I use machines mostly because I lift by myself and there are a few excercises that aren't safe to do by yourself. And even if you don't use a spotter, there is never the chance that you'll drop something on yourself.

Machines look safer. Until you realize that your body is being forced into a fixed trajectory. Cfr: knee problems on the smith machines, shoulders problems on the neck press, ...