subject: Designing A New Workout Routine, Free Weights Or Machines [print this page] To dive straight into the debate, the alleged most effective form of weight training is through the use of free weights. This is mainly down to the fact they permit you to carry out the exercise through several movements and altered techniques. At the same time they incorporate the participation of a second muscle group to accomplish the exercise in comparison to machines; however, it can be disputed that machines allow you to isolate single muscle groups further. Think about a dumbbell standing shoulder press for example. To achieve the exercise in the correct way you would need to hold your core as stable as possible when performing the exercise, thus involving your core and shoulders at the same time, in addition to this the more muscles incorporated the more difficult the exercise which results in more calories burned or more mass gained. Compare this to a seated machine shoulder press where just your shoulders are used to perform the exercise whilst at the same time not having to worry too much about form. This is due to the fact that you are limited to a single up and down range of movement by the apparatus you are using, which is perfect for total isolation of your shoulders.
To help establish which option is best, we will consider the advantages and cons of each method and let you come to your own conclusion.
Advantages of using free weights
Additional muscle groups involved - Exercising with free weight equipment enables you to lift in a natural plane of motion, which means your actual movements are unrestricted and your joints are operating naturally. Just like the movements executed in day to day life and not just at the gym, you do not roll out of bed once awake or walk up and down the stairs like a robot programmed to bend its leg ninety degrees at the knee or turn a specific movement to the side. This is advantageous as it allows you to exercise your body and muscles at different angles all the time whilst incorporating secondary muscle groups indirectly to stabilise the main muscle groups. It is also a more easier on your joints than carrying out an exercise or activity with a single pattern of movement.
Faster gains - Following on from the above point. The more muscle groups involved the faster you will see overall gains, regardless if you end goal is increased mass or power, or fat loss by way of more total calories torched.
Disadvantages of using free weights
Inefficient isolation - If you are not performing efficiently with regards to form, then using free weight equipment can mean you are not isolating your individual muscle as much as you need or your exercise is inefficient at ultilising the muscle it is aimed to be working. If we consider a routine dumbbell bicep curl for example, achieving the move whilst standing up is more effective if your form is good as you are isolating your biceps whilst involving your core to steady your body throughout your lifts. If your technique is inadequate and you find yourself swaying a little (usually a case of the weight being too heavy), then you are cheating by involving your shoulders and momentum to bring to bar up to your chest, thus not completely isolating your biceps. If you were to perform this exercise through the use a bicep curl machine, then it is less challenging to keep your upper torso in a steady position and concentrate on your biceps by themselves to lift the weight. On top of this there is also less chance of injury using machines, which moves us onto our next point.
Danger of Injury - If you accomplish positive failure when using free weights and you are in a situation where it is dangerous to put the weight down (chest press for example), then unless you have a spotter or training partner nearby you could find yourself in some serious difficulty. With machines, unless some silly person puts their fingers under the weight plates, there is a reduced risk of injury as all body parts should be kept out of harm's way. This also makes free weight equipment not a good idea for anyone recovering from injury as the muscle group or surrounding muscle groups and joints might not be stronger enough to deal with the weight and numerous patterns of motion. Machines restrain the requirement for additional muscles to perform and allow you to drop the weight to the stack easily if required.
Advantages of using machines
Suitable for beginners - Using machines is most tempting to the first time trainer. For starters, quite often every machine has its own name (leg press, chest press), which makes it less effort and more appealing to operate that piece of equipment to train the individual muscle.
Simpler to use and less need to concentrate on technique - Just put the pin into your achievable weight, modify the position of the seat if required, sit down and stick to the equipments single pattern of motion. Simple! This also means they are a good choice for supersets if you do not have access to a varied weight range of free weights, as you may have to alter the plates on barbells etc. between exercises. Nevertheless, these days the majority of do have a vast range of different weights.
Less effort to warm up - Not dissimilar to the above, just put the pin in a low weight and knock out a few brief warm up sets.
Ability to reach positive and negative failure - As stated, unless you have a training partner or spotter when using free weight equipment, it can be rather hazardous hitting positive or negative failure. You do not want to be in a position where you are dropping the weight and causing some damage. When using machines, you can drive yourself that little bit further as you know the weight will drop to the stack once you reach fatigue.
Disadvantages of using machines
Inadequate strength gains - Most gym goers find that although they might be allowed to shift heavier weights when using machines, they cannot seem to lift the same amount when attempting the same exercise using free weight equipment. This is down to the fact as already stated by using machines you are only working a singular muscle, whereas using free weight equipment enables the the involvement of secondary muscle groups alongside. Let us consider a chest press for example; the main muscle worked is the chest, secondary perhaps the triceps. Now executing a free weight barbell bench press, the principle muscle worked is the chest, secondary and stabilising muscle groups trained include triceps, shoulders, back and core. Hence, this exercise is certainly more difficult to carry out using a similar weight to the machine chest press.
Lack of size gains - This is also debatable nonetheless the greater you isolate the muscle over training a range of muscle groups in the same exercise then the less quick you will see improvements in overall mass. Take the principle and second muscle groups trained in the above chest press example again and think about which exercise is going to lead to overall faster gains. Therefore, contradicting one of the above use of machine advantages, for this theory machines are ideally left to the more experienced or people who by now have a decent amount of size and would sooner concentrate on individual or lacking muscle groups.
Considering the above, it looks like machines have more positives than free weight equipment. Nevertheless, in our opinion the point that more muscle groups are incorporated once form is spot on using free weight equipment is the best choice, be it dumbbells, barbells, or kettlebells. Of course, the optimum setting would be to use both methods. You will notice gains and achieve your objectives whatever piece of equipment you use as always as long as nutrition, progression and intensity is spot on!
