posted Tue, 09/11/2018 - 00:01
4485
Free Weights vs Machines: the Debate
ad
So I came across this article and found it interesting
So I figured I would post it and let you all read too. Let me know y’alls thoughts
Which is better for muscle growth. Free weight or machines. I say why not both. Both have their advantages.
https://www.t-nation.com/training/the-final-word-free-weights-vs-machines
- Bookmark
- 0
- 0
I found a healthy mix of both. For instance, I’ll mix free weights, then resistance training then use machines for a more iso workout.
Example bench, I’ll do normal max out, then 3-4 weeks later do high reps/sets 20,18,15,15,15 then do bench with 1-2 resistance bands on ends, then mix it up with dumbbells. Then mix up the order next time.
Etc...incline bench then mix it up incline at smith Machine. Flys dumbbells then flys with cables.
So my vote would be equally are important over the long run and each bring there own different angle/muscle fiber action. My goal has always been keep my body guessing and slowly increase the weight over months/years
basskiller89I've been on machines for the last 6 months. I've also been lifting a lot less weight and a lot less reps and growing faster. Honestly when I was younger what worked for me was 1 set of pushups until failure every other night. I used to do like 5-10 sets and by the end of the week was too sore to keep doing them. I found that 1 set of pushups till failure every other day and 1 set of body weight squats until failure every other day worked best. I did abs once a week at most taking space in between these workouts and then curled school books lol The college days ..
Free weights forever. I like to give an angle to the movements.
Dave_61I have to agree with most of the guys underneath, that free weights are definitely the best at building strength and slabs of muscle. Especially when your trying to build a really all around full muscle. Which when you're using a machine, your body part is moving in that one position and can't accomplish this, imo.
Although, there are some exercises that I like to use machines for. Those are exercises like the butterfly, reverse flyes for rear delts, some hammer strength machines, and some machines for abs and obliques. I like to add preacher curls into my biceps exercises. I'm also a fan of using cables at the end of my biceps workout to give them a nice burn, cable rear delt flys, and different position cable crossovers for chest.
I believe you need a mix of free weights, machines, and cables to build an all around amazing physique! I also think that you develop a certain kind of physique when you use either only machines or only free weights.
Nothing beats FREE WEIGHtS for size and strength. There are few good excercises on cables and pulldowns that can be added to the routine for fine tuning!
Swings and round about bro! Apart from a pec deck, those things suck.
Free weights will always trump machines.....but they are a handy way to add in low impact volume if your goal is hypertrophy.
You never use cable crossovers. Leg extensions or leg curls? Calf machines?
I didn't say that, what I meant was the amount of muscle built from basic barbell movements is far greater than that of machines. But machines still have their place in any training program for sure.
I prefer free weights. The cable /machines cost too much.
Hahaha Good one..
hahahahahahha
For muscle size and growth - a combination of the two. Big compound movements first then the machines with higher reps and mind muscle connection sets. For muscle strength - Just the barbell and maybe a bit of dumbell work such as presses etc.
I use both. Generally I think free weights are superior but there are exceptions. I prefer doing reverse grip bench on a machine. I think stiff arm push downs with a cable or a Nautilus pullover machine are superior to a dumbell pullover.
I use anything and everything.. free weights machines cables body weight..I feel that you need to mix them all in together to keep you body from adjusting... works well for me
I didn’t read the article
Anyway remember this your free weight barbell it’s your mass and strength
hammer machine and dumbbell it’s your mass and shape
Cable it’s only for shape
I might be wrong it’s my 2 cents not from a article or a book
I have to disagree with you. You can build mass and strenght to the certain degree with the cables if you are using heavy enough weight.
I just use my shakeweight for 10 mins a day and I'm swol bro.
In all seriousness though I use mostly free weights except when I want to focus on certain muscle groups (usually larger muscle groups) I'm a firm believer in using free weights to hit all the surrounding stableizer muscles while focusing on any particular muscle group.
Shakeweight. Shoot. I use the tug toner (no homo)
Yea, I’m using more free weights and then jumping to machines afterwards
I really feel that free weight are bread and butter. The development you get from free weights you can’t get from a machine.
Machines hit a totally different part of the strength curve vs free weights for alot of exercises. Really need both for optimum development.
Here are just a couple of examples of how the different parts of the strength curve are hit with free vs machine.
Flyes: With free weights major emphasis is on the bottom portion of the strength curve and it gets easier at the top. Complete opposite with machine flyes. Easy at stretched (bottom) and harder at top (contracted).
Curls: Major emphasis at bottom with free weight and opposite with cable curl.
Same exercises but maximally stimulating different parts of the strength curve which is a new stimulus for the muscle which translates into growth. You are shortchanging your gains by not maximally stimulating the entire strength curve and you can't do that with just one or the other. You need to hit the muscle from all angles to get it to grow the best so don't dismiss the values of machines/cables.
Agreed
Yes sir
True
hit free weights until muscle failure, then move over to machines.
I agree with that one!
Heres another monkey wrench to throw in this "debate." I watched guys in prison with no weights at all and only training in their cell in solitary confinement, gain muscle. They ripped up like crazy too. There was this short little spanish guy that was eating like a pig all the carbs he could and he actually gained some impressive size doing training without weights, ie pushups, situps, dips, e.t.c. So to use that as another example, you can gain muscle from any compound movement if its your own body weight, dumbbells, or smith machines. I fucked my shoulder up so I can no longer bench flat. I use the smith and to make up for it I use more weight. Its funny to see me bang out 550 pounds on the smith bench 7-8 reps and then struggle my ass off to do 3 330. My shoulder just wont let me do it even wrapped.
Wow 550 Smith and only 330 FW.. how interesting...i use the smith as it is a better balance for me
That’s true. I’ve seen some freakin jacked and ripped people In prison. Yea. I do love the machines when it comes to shoulder injury issues and being able to still lift using those
I feel old because of it but as long as I am maintaining and not losing size I dont give a shit.
Better safe than sorry right!
you got it.