Photo Credit: TheKillerBiscuit on Flickr.com
A common question for many exercisers when they hit the gym is whether to use machines or free weights. The answer is not as simple as the question because they both offer pros and cons. What is best for you depends on your level of experience, fitness level, and what you’re looking to get from the workout.
Machine Pros
- Faster Workouts: The ability to change weights with the move of a pin allows for quick workouts.
- Fewer injuries: Machines work off of a guided motion, so you are less likely to get injured due to inexperience. This is great for the less experienced exerciser, because they may not be familiar with the proper range of motion.
- Great for rehab: Machines allow you to safely isolate a muscle without risk of over exerting sore or injured areas.
Machine Cons
- Pattern overload: While machines do lower the risk of injuries due to poor form, they can cause problems because you are required to use the same repetitive movement.
- False sense of strength: Strength on machines doesn’t always translate to everyday life. Machines require you to isolate muscles which does not equate to functional strength.
- Fixed motion: This aspect which makes machines safer can also cause injuries. The fixed motion of machines doesn’t account for differences in people’s movement pattern; this may cause you to lift in a way that is unnatural.
Free Weight Pros
- Uses more stabilizer muscles: Unlike machines, free weighs are not on a guided motion. You are required to not only life the weight, but also stabilize it. The result of this is greater muscle and strength gains.
- More functional: Free weights more closely mimic the strength required to lift objects in your everyday life.
- Improves balance: Free weights require you to use more stabilizer muscles which will greatly improve your balance.
Free Weight Cons
- Higher risk of injury: Free weights have no guided motion, so it’s very easy to use improper form which greatly increases your risk of injury.
- Slower workouts: Having to change weight often can slow your workout down, especially if you are in a gym with limited equipment and you have to wait.
Though both styles have their benefits, your best results will come from using free weights. If you’re not sure where to start, try a session with a personal trainer who can teach you how to properly use the equipment. Remember no one starts out as an expert, so don’t be afraid to ask for help!
