Bodyweight or machines?

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dustedwithsugar
dustedwithsugar Posts: 179 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello everyone!

I'm a female, 25 years old. I lost 44 pounds so far and I want to lose 13 more. Although my goal weight (115) is pretty low I don't want to look skinny, I want to be fit!

So what routine seems better to you? I have a gym in my building with few cardio and weight machines. No access to free weights, I'm not planning to buy them or join other gym.
Would training on machines be more efficient than bodyweight routine done at home?
Since 2 months I'm following beginner bodyweight routine from nerdfitness.com. At the beginning it was really hard for me, now I increased my push-ups, I do squat with 10 kg kettlebell and add 30 min more of bodyweight training from fitnessblender.com
Perfectly I'd love to do StrongLifts 5x5, but I don't have access to free weights. I've read that instead of applying 5x5 to machines, it's better to find different routine.
So I found routine online (sorry, I can't find link right now so I'll just type it)

Upper body:
Bench press
Seated row
Lat pull down
Bicep curl
Triceps extension
Military press

Lower body:
Inside/outside tight (abduction machine)
Leg extension
Leg curl
Squats with kettlebell

I know upper/lower split is not recommended for newbies, but I like it. By alternating days I'm never too sore for workout.
So which one do you recommend?
Bodyweight routine and videos at home or lifting with machines?

I'd really appreciate any input, thank you very much for reading my post in the first place! :)

Replies

  • dustedwithsugar
    dustedwithsugar Posts: 179 Member
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    Up, up!
    Anyone? ;)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,527 Member
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    You do an exercise plan you like and will follow for the LONG TERM. Exercise isn't for weight loss, it's for fitness and health.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • wellthenwhat
    wellthenwhat Posts: 526 Member
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    I do bodyweight because I don't have to pay for a gym, lol. But figure out what you like and do that. Also, ease into things really gradually so it doesn't seem overwhelming. I tend not to stick with something when it's too hard.
  • dustedwithsugar
    dustedwithsugar Posts: 179 Member
    edited March 2017
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    Thank you for your input! So there is no huge difference between bodyweight and machine routines? I mean in efficiency of preserving muscle ?
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
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    They just work your body a little differently. The main thing is that you keep progressing, more weight or more reps. The split looks fine. Is there a leg press or overhead press? Those seems to be missing.
  • dustedwithsugar
    dustedwithsugar Posts: 179 Member
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    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    They just work your body a little differently. The main thing is that you keep progressing, more weight or more reps. The split looks fine. Is there a leg press or overhead press? Those seems to be missing.
    There is overhead press (military press) in upper body day.
    I don't have machine for leg press unfortunately, I'm doing squats instead of that. Is it ok?
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
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    What you are doing looks good. If you are wanting to look "fit", are you wanting to gain muscle mass. In my experience a couple years back I got skinny (flat) and wanted to look more fit and athletic. I ate more and started lifting and gained muscle, and am happy with the way my muscle looks. I guess it depends on the person's opinion of the word "fit". Good luck
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    My preference is bodyweight, by a mile. BUT There really is not reason you couldn't do a combination of both. Everybody thinks exercise has to be ONE way or ideology.
    The only leg machine I'd bother with is leg press and you said they don't have one. Keep doing your KB squats, I'd add in lunges or split squats to that. Maybe even work towards a single leg squat variation. I'd also suggest KB deadlifts of some sort.
    Upper body I'd keep the rows & lat pull downs, I'd alternate push ups and bench one workout to the next, and alternate the military press and pike presses (if you can do them) just like bench/pushups. And although you don't need any direct bi/tri work, many people like that and it's ok, but I would move them to the very end in sequence.
  • Theo166
    Theo166 Posts: 2,564 Member
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    Not sure what you mean by 'more efficient' both are very convenient for you and progress depends on how you push yourself.

    Nothing wrong with using your building gym machines, they are safe to do solo and will give you variety from bodyweights.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
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    if this is the program you wanna do, here is my input.


    Upper body:
    Bench press - do this
    Seated row - do this
    Lat pull down - do this
    Bicep curl - waste of time
    Triceps extension - do this
    Military press - do this


    Lower body:
    Inside/outside tight (abduction machine) - waste of time
    Leg extension - knee destroying machine avoid this
    Leg curl - do GHR instead, look up ways to do this
    Squats with kettlebell - do this

    add deadlifts and leg press
  • CeeBeeSlim
    CeeBeeSlim Posts: 1,264 Member
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    @SonyaCele - my sports doc who is seeing me for hip impingement told me the same thing about the hip ad/ab duction machines. She literally said "waste of time". It made me laugh. Why are they a waste? And what is GHR? Thanks for your input!
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    CeeBeeSlim wrote: »
    my sports doc who is seeing me for hip impingement told me the same thing about the hip ad/ab duction machines. She literally said "waste of time". It made me laugh. Why are they a waste? And what is GHR? Thanks for your input!

    I workout at home, so no hip machines, but I am doing a hypertrophy booty growth program.. and we do a form of hip abductions (either with cable or band) at least 4x per week.. so it must be doing something!! So I don't think it's a waste of time (for me) :)
  • _Bro
    _Bro Posts: 437 Member
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    If you are just getting started I would lean more to machines or free weights to start off with and mix in some bodyweight routines.

    Don't get me wrong I LOVE bodyweight exercises as the movements are more natural, often puts your "stabilizing" muscles to work in a way that's not done with machines and its functional!

    The major disadvantage with bodyweight exercise,however, is that some movements can seem near impossible when you first try them and you have to be creative and really focus on ways to progress the movement before you can actually "do it".

    As far as videos / home routines I enjoyed P90X and Insanity. I stuck with them for a while as the variation was refreshing...

    Variety is the spice of life and perhaps exercise as well so when you stall out or seem to be hitting a wall with progressing -- try something new!

    Good luck

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