Free weights vs machines?

[Deleted]

I wonder what is better? Free weights like dumbells are in fact better in the way that they train multiple muscle groups at the same time right?

But machines just isolate a muscle group and train that.


But doesn't that also make the co-op between your muscles weaker(in everyday activities)when you use machines? o.0

[Deleted]

i always prefer to use free weights. imo they train your muscle groups better than machines. machines are good for targeting specific muscles. but for strength and an all around better workout free weights are the way forward

[Deleted]

Oh then I have been doing something horribly wrong...

I did both, but like 30% free weight and 70% machines..


FUck you machines! > : (

I want as much strenght as possible, muscle mass does not concern me much. Free weights are better for that I suppose.

[Romeo83x]

Training with free weights is better in every way. From the machines, use only the ones where you pull a cable (either from above or below) and stay away from everything else.

Unless you're recovering a specific muscle from a gunshot wound or similar trauma then there's no good reason to go anywhere near most of the machines. Some of them are even downright dangerous (leg press for example, puts extreme strain on your lower spine because of the fixed back position)

[checking facts]

sorry about the slightly off-topic comment, but I swear I read the title as "Free weights vs Masochists".

I need help

[Deleted]

sorry about the slightly off-topic comment, but I swear I read the title as "Free weights vs Masochists".

I need help

Lol what. Maybe you like sore muscles? :P

---------- Post added 2012-06-11 at 04:00 PM ----------

youre wrong in saying that machines isolate individual groups of muscles... and even if that were true, why would you want to? training your body according to how it actually moves is way better - there are no muscle groups that work in isolation. ie, a good bench press should recruit every part of your back, and even your legs

Well a bench press is a free weight.
:P Or at least, I would classify it under one.

[Eviscero]

Train on machines if you want to be good at lifting weight ... on machines.

In all seriousness, machines have their place. For example, if you are old, injured, or scared of lifting weights.

[Deleted]

Train on machines if you want to be good at lifting weight ... on machines.

In all seriousness, machines have their place. For example, if you are old, injured, or scared of lifting weights.

Lol scared? Why is that even a legit reason...maybe scared for injury but....othwise ....

[Deleted]

youre wrong in saying that machines isolate individual groups of muscles... and even if that were true, why would you want to? training your body according to how it actually moves is way better - there are no muscle groups that work in isolation. ie, a good bench press should recruit every part of your back, and even your legs

An isolated exercise is an exercise that involves just one discernible joint movement, so there are lots of exercises that train muscles that way. Also, even though the bench press is a compound, if properly executed it should NOT involve back/leg muscles.

Ontopic; Free weights are better. Most of the time you have a higher ROM and you're using more synergists and segmental stabilizers.

[Deleted]

IMO free weights are overhyped. Yes, there are some advantages to them but not to the degree that some people like to think.

It's like squats, in the eyes of some squats are TEH ÜBER BESTEST THING EVERST!!11onederp and anyone who does leg presses is a sissy girly-man. Of course, in practice they work the same muscle groups, squats are slightly better for balance but OTOH leg presses are a lot less likely to fuck up your back.

Personally I use a combination of free weight, machine and cable exercises. I even do a couple of bodyweight exercises. The trick is to find a balanced mix of exercises that work all muscles.

EDIT:

Training with free weights is better in every way. From the machines, use only the ones where you pull a cable (either from above or below) and stay away from everything else.

Most machines use cables.

Unless you're recovering a specific muscle from a gunshot wound or similar trauma then there's no good reason to go anywhere near most of the machines. Some of them are even downright dangerous (leg press for example, puts extreme strain on your lower spine because of the fixed back position)

Actually, any decent leg press machine with proper ergonomics taken into consideration is likely to be much safer for your back than doing barbell squats. A single squat with bad form is all it takes to fuck your back up.

[Glomp]

Real men use both.

[Zoneseek]

Using free weights is a strength AND balance exercise, using machines generally is not. With that said I personally mix them both, in some cases I find the smoothness and forced lines that come with a machine to be better for the specific exercise.

[Droodid]

Machines serve their purpose...but depending on what your purpose is for them.

I would consider myself a decent lifter going mainly for stength and i barely will touch a machine just because the feel of free weights to me is better, that's not saying their bad, that's just saying i dislike them.

Lifting all comes down to what you're aiming for, the fact that you're even using either one is better off than most people today. But if you're going for stength gains, i recommend using free weights, especially because with machines/cables you're eventually limited on what weight you can do on them, i maxed out quite a few lifts on cables/machines and had to start switching them to free weights, it is very hard making this switch to because you have to relearn the balance and form since you are no longer be guided. IMO i would always go free weights if you can, promote balance, promote better muscle use, and overall promote a better well being to me.

[Inay]

Well you can google the topic and get much information about the pro's and con's of each one. There is still something that should be pointed out.

While free weights wont provide you the support that machines it does however work your stabilizer muscles. The important part is that you shouldnt neglect your stabilizer muscles and thus use free weights.

Now many of those sites say that machines are good for beginners and its slightly true while they have the support and fixed paths so that you wont completely do the moves wrong. Still you should try to learn the form with free weights from the start. It benefits you more on the long run since with free weights you can usually perform the whole range of motion with the muscle and that way stimulate the muscle more. With some machines you cant perform the whole range of motion because the fixed range.

Anyway you can use both in your workouts but I would prefer free weights over machines. I use machines from time to time to increase the variance in the workouts.

[avx81]

I wonder what is better? Free weights like dumbells are in fact better in the way that they train multiple muscle groups at the same time right?

But machines just isolate a muscle group and train that.


But doesn't that also make the co-op between your muscles weaker(in everyday activities)when you use machines? o.0

Use free weights for most of your workout. The only time I use a machine really is to do cable rows. That's about it.
Focus on form. Go all the way down on squats. Don't be a girl and use the smith machine to do squats or go 2 inches down like most retards.. nothing pisses me off more than seeing some douche-bag load up 4 plates on each side then going down 2 inches. Your knees will be fine.

Don't worry about doing stupid shit that you see other people doing. Squat, deadlift, bench, barbell curls, weighted pullups, close grip bench, shoulder press to name a few all still work. The stuff I see some people doing blows my mind. To be honest other guys I hang out with at the gym we all make fun of the idiots who go down 2 inches on squats or bench, doing stupid shit, or having to lift the weight for them if we are spotting them.

Try to avoid using a spot all the time. I'm tired of spotting kids that think they can shoulder press 100lb dumbbells and I have to lift the weight for them. Last time I had to spot some kid I was easily taking half the weight off him. Couldn't get 1 rep on his own the weight was ready to fall and it was an injury waiting to happen. He could not budge the weight PERIOD. He had the balls to ask me after how much I had to help him on the last rep. I had to do almost all his reps for him.

[Masark]

Most machines use cables.

I presume they mean machines where you're using the cable directly on a grip, rather than attached to a fixed hinge.

Your knees will be fine.

More specifically, don't do anything stupid with your foot positioning like having them pointed far out or in. That will screw up your knees, but with feet in a normal position, you're not going to have a problem.

[chemicader]

I use mainly free weights, combined with peck n decker (not sure if its the correct word for it, its the chest muscle machine where you pull your hands from the sides to in front of you). And this is because my hands cant cope with the weights I am capable of using with chest muscle training. That is the only pro I can find for machines - if the rest of the muscle group is not as strong as a certain muscle it results only in injury and therefore I like to use a machine for it. But that might be kinda like an extreme case.

[Deleted]

I use mainly free weights, combined with peck n decker (not sure if its the correct word for it, its the chest muscle machine where you pull your hands from the sides to in front of you). And this is because my hands cant cope with the weights I am capable of using with chest muscle training. That is the only pro I can find for machines - if the rest of the muscle group is not as strong as a certain muscle it results only in injury and therefore I like to use a machine for it. But that might be kinda like an extreme case.

The Pec Deck machines are generally bad news for your shoulders. I have hypermobility in my shoulder joints (among other places) and I can barely use the Pec deck machines at all because they're set up perfectly for me to pull my shoulders out (and that ladies and gentlemen, is really painful). But even if you don't have joint hypermobility it's not a very safe machine.

Dumbbell flyes are much better. I recommend using a good grip trainer (like Captains of Crush) to improve your grip. Just do sets and reps like you would with any other muscle groups.

[Deleted]

Machines one should use: Smith, leg press, calf machine, seated row, cable crossover and maybe lat pulldown.

[Romeo83x]

Machines one should use: Smith, leg press, calf machine, seated row, cable crossover and maybe lat pulldown.

Smith machine is bad news. Moving the bar up in a straight line is an unnatural movement and causes extreme strain on your joints in certain stages of the exercise.