The time old question I undoubtedly get asked again and again is “should I use free weights or machines when I lift? Which is better?” Neither free weights nor machines are good or bad - they are just different. Whether or not you choose a dumbbell chest press over a machine chest press depends entirely on what your goals are and what you are trying to ultimately accomplish. Here are a few general guidelines as to whether machines or free weights are for you.
Weighted Machines Pros and Cons
Weighted machines are meant to isolate and target specific muscles. If your goal is to increase the size of a specific muscle group, such as for a bodybuilding competition, machines can be a useful tool to do so. Single sided machines are particularly useful if you are trying to correct asymmetry in either muscle size or strength.
Machines are a fantastic tool for beginners. They are generally seated and often offer back support, while placing you into a safe and correct form. Using machines can help beginners to learn how it feels to isolate and activate specific muscles, as well as visualize what is actively being put under tension. This is the first step to becoming more intune with your body and how it moves.
Machines are not regarded as functional, as they only elicit the user to move in a single plane of motion. Although a seated row can greatly increase the strength and size of the trapezius, it is unlikely that in everyday life you will be picking anything up in a single plane.
Free Weights Pros and Cons
Free weights provide much more freedom in movement and range of motion. With free weights, you are able to bend and turn as well as push and pull, as opposed to having to choose just one motion. This leads to more functional movement development as it better mimics the way we lift and move in everyday life.
The use of free weights tends to translate better to athletic performance than weighted machines. The combined development of both the major muscle groups as well as the surrounding stabilizing muscles leads to greater increases in power and jump performance because the individual has trained to recruit a greater number of muscle fibers into the movement.
Free weights support core development, as the core must always be activated while performing free weight exercises to provide proper back support throughout the motion.
One con of free weights is that they are more advanced than weighted machines. They require the user to have a basic level of stabilization, balance, and strength to be able to safely perform them in proper form.
The takeaway is that both free weights and weighted machines have their place in every exercise program. The combined use of both can offer a great balance of both strength, isolation, and stabilization that most people are looking for to accomplish overall fitness.