machines / free weights

[Oxy_man]

What do people prefer working out with machines or with free weights? The gym I'm with is full of machines, with a small area of dumbells... Its the only gym I can go to as I don't drive and other gyms are far.. What are peoples views on this ? Are machines any good for building good shape and muscle mass ?

[Times Roman]

for bench, curls, flys, reverse curls, one arm rows, military press, standing tricep curls, deltoid dumbell raises, and shoulder shrugs I prefer to use free weights (sorry, can't do deads or squats).

everything else i prefer to use a machine

[Oxy_man]

Exactly I can't do dead lifts or squats, I guess useing dumbells and machines are better than nothing tho

[stpete]

Machines are fine. I prefer to mix it up between the two, though. Make the best of what you have and use it for all it's worth.

[Oxy_man]

I guess so stpete, smash it on both machines and dumbells itis

[Times Roman]

Machines have certain advantages that free weights sometimes don't offer. for example, the calf exercises are easier on the machine and just as efffective, maybe more so. Additionally, leg extensions and leg curls are much more efffective on machines, imho, than with free weights. I prefer a seated row on the machine as opposed to a one arm row with a dumbell, although i do both. and since i can't do squats or deads, i dont' know of any other real way to exercise the glutes/quads than a leg press machine or a leg extension machine.

so stpete is right. you do the best you can with what you got.

[ac guy]

I mix it up as well. Just depends on what I'm doing.

[Mr.Louaghos]

Depends on what I am doing. Compound lifts I use free weights, isolation I go towards machines.

[Simon1972]

i have a routine i follow religiously- but i use a variety of machines, freeweight excercises and variations for each body part.
I chop and change depending if the machine or freeweight is available.

it was more about convenience at first- but this has (purely by accident) given me great gains as the muscle never gets hit the same way twice in a row week after week.

basically im changing my routine every week- and my muscles never adapt.

[Roqua]

I personally like free weights way more its rare that ill use a machine.

[Turkish Juicer]

I use both, so do pros.

[auswest]

i use them both as much as each other. But my gym is a dedicated bodybuilding gym and there machines are quality machines that really hit the muscle you are working very well. where as i have found with the cheaper stuff i would stear clear of them in the past, because they just never felt right.

[scorpion62]

My gym has both and I mix it up between them

[FreeDOOM]

I perfer to use free weights for most lifts and if I have to use a machine I try to pick ones which you can load plates on verses the weight stacks. Obviously if its all you got to work with then it is what you make of it I see no reason you cant make progress.

[nikepump8844]

imho free weights are often better than machines because they require the efforts of smaller auxiliary "stabilization" muscles. I try to use free weights whenever I can, but I will often mix in a machine for each muscle group. What is most important is that you are severely challenging your muscles and switching things up regularly

[Turkish Juicer]

imho free weights are often better than machines because they require the efforts of smaller auxiliary "stabilization" muscles.

This is also exactly why machines offer better isolation of the muscle since smaller auxiliary "stabilization" muscles are out of the picture.

It is a double-edge sword, which is why both should be used.

[kronik420]

IMO using your own body weight for most exercises is far more beneficial than machines or free weights, eg: pull ups, chin ups, dips, push ups,sit ups, leg raises, etc.. + you don't really need a gym for those kind of exercises... i do a combination of machine, free weights, and body weight exercises, and well it seems to be working quite well for me..

[Turkish Juicer]

On Hammer Strength Machines you can train one and a half times harder

Strength athletes can use heavier weights if they train on machines than if they train using free weights. Researchers at Western Kentucky University discovered that strength athletes shifted almost one and a half times as much weight when they did chest presses on Hammer Strength machines than when they used a bar for bench presses.

Training with machines is easier than training with free weights. The machine determines how you execute the movement and does the balancing for you. That’s why a chest press is easier on any machine than doing a bench press with free weights. Your muscles use less energy keeping the bar in balance, so you're automatically
stronger if you train on a machine. Whether that also means that you build up more muscle mass on a machine is another story.

Hammer Strength machines were developed by Gary Jones, the son of HIT man Arthur Jones, who died in 2007. Because scientists didn’t know exactly how much stronger you are if you train on Hammer Strength machines, researchers got 31 students with an average of 4 years’ experience of training to do bench presses, curls and shoulder presses with weights and on the strength machines. This resulted in the table below.



HSCP = hammer strength chest press; HSSP = hammer strength shoulder press; HSBC = hammer strength bicep curl; FWBP = free weight bench press; FWOP = free weight overhead press; FWPC = free weight preacher curl.

So on the Hammer Strength chest press machine your maximum is 46 percent higher than if you use a bar for bench presses. For the shoulder press and the biceps curl your top weight with Hammer Strength equipment is 56 and 30 percent higher, respectively.

The researchers then ran their data through statistics programmes, and ended up with the results below.



"The regression equations from the past studies and from this study will increase the safety of the lifter when switching exercises modalities and increase the accuracy of predicting a 1RM", the researchers write.

Source: J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Nov; 24(11): 2984-8.

ergo-log

[Chenz]

I've always been told they are both needed and good for there own things. I mix it up with my routines definitely!

[crazy_rocks]

certain machines restrict you in a false range of motion such as the chest one where you put the plates and and push out. i came down with costochondritis, inflammation of cartilage on left side of my chest and a little swollen. been doing bench, flies, and dumbbell presses for years and never had this problem until i jumped on this machine. will never do it again.

as far as pulling machines for back. they feel great.

[G Lock]

Well some people use machines if they get injured, machines allow you to have proper form but in sacrifice you really arn't using all your stabilization.
I mean some machines you might bench 290 on then when you actually go back to benching you might find out that you really can only bench 280.
Machine advantage = proper form, less prone to injury
Dumbbells/barbells = more stabilisation, and IMO better gains as long as you use proper form and use a weight thats right for you

[crazy_rocks]

theres this one leg press machine i had used while in the army in korea. its the one where your on the ground and press up. there are others like it but this one was so unique because it didnt follow a straight artificial line because you dont while squating either. most amazing feeling in the world to use this thing. one could easily do set upon set like its a drug. to bad i didnt take note of who the maker was. they knew what they were doing. other sled like leg presses suck.

it was at camp casey in the gym next to the dfac kinda near the big px not the one gym near the batting cage. if your there go use it. hopefully its still there sitting in the smaller weight room.

[MajorPectorial]

I mix between machine n free. Just because as you say. They work u different ways. ;-)

[HeadAndArm]

Exactly I can't do dead lifts or squats, I guess useing dumbells and machines are better than nothing tho

Dumbbell squats and dumbbell dead lifts are awesome exercises

[cb714]

I use machines off cycle for maintenance. On cycle I use free weights because I can go much heavier and I get better results.

Also, with free weights you must balance the weight which also works out additional smaller muscles... with machines it does all the balancing for you and all you are focused on is pushing/pulling. Definitely less of a chance of injury with machines.

[dwatts1984]

What do people prefer working out with machines or with free weights? The gym I'm with is full of machines, with a small area of dumbells... Its the only gym I can go to as I don't drive and other gyms are far.. What are peoples views on this ? Are machines any good for building good shape and muscle mass ?

I tend to use both (as it seems most people do)
I tend to go heavier with free weights. Also I think they allow a deeper or longer range of motion...
Machines help me to maintain muscle and dont kill my joints, so I basically use machines for maintenance and joint health.

I guess it depends on your goals, experience, and creativity. Im sure you can achieve any of your goals if you push hard enough, regardless of equipment.