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.
Resistance Training: Differences between Strength, Size and Endurance
A common question we get asked is how many reps is best when you’re resistance training. Unfortunately there isn’t a black and white answer. It truly depends on what your training goal is. There are three main goals people have when they resistance train, muscle strength, hypertrophy (muscle size) or muscle endurance. For each of these different goals the amount of exercises, repetitions and weights you should use change.