Free Weight Lifting Vs. Machine Lifting
May 11, 2009
Body builders have debated for years whether free-weight lifting or machine lifting is the better method for building muscle. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Look at the pros and cons outlined here, and decide for yourself.
Lifting free weights has been proven the best method to get muscle and power, especially for professional body builders. Working with free weights requires the use of more muscle fibers than working with machines does.
Trainers also say that free weights are better for strengthening stabilizer muscles, which benefits control. Finally, lifting free weights gives a greater range of motion than working with machines.
One of the best examples of benefits from lifting free weights is the squat. When doing squats on a machine such as a leg press, only the legs are working.
Performing squats with free weights works both the legs and the lower back, because the back is needed to stabilize the weight. Anytime a stabilizer muscle is used it improves base strength at the same time it grows muscles faster overall.
Machines
Lifting with machines can benefit a beginning body builder, someone recovering from an injury, or an older person. Machines use a confined range of motion, working on one specific muscle during each exercise. This helps cut down on weight-lifting injuries.
People recovering from injuries find that machines help isolate the injured muscle, working it to regain flexibility and strength. Beginners also benefit from lifting with machines because they isolate muscles and restrict range of motion. This keeps too-eager beginners from hurting themselves with carelessly used free weights.
It’s that simple. Someone starting out with weight lifting may want to try working with machines at first and then transferring to free weights under the supervision of a trainer.
The same could be true of older people or those recovering from an injury, who need to confine their range of motion until their muscles grow stronger. Beginners, older people and those with injuries also benefit from the way that machines isolate muscles. They become familiar with each muscle as they work it, how it feels and moves. This is essential information for working with free weights.
Professional body builders will continue to work out using free weights, while beginners and those with special conditions will use machine weights. Each method has benefits for those who need them.
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Machines are NOT good for beginners. Yes they may be preferable to those with injuries or the older lifters but not for beginners.
Isolation machines focus on a single muscle and the article is right in saying free weighs train the stabiliser muscles. So a beginner lifts 30kgs using a shoulder press machine, no problem. Go try that with a barbell or dumbells! You will not be able to do it.
Beginners NEED to use free weights. Start using light weights and you train the smaller muscles too as well as the stabalisers. this is very important. Machines have no use for beginners.
You might argue that machines will help train the correct movements. Well you’d be wrong. As the article mentions…there is a reduced range of motion with machines.
Beginners should stick with the free weights using compound lifts. the more muscles you use in a single exercise the better your body is going to repond and adapt.