Couple of lifting questions...

Captain_Tightpants

Just a couple of things I was wondering about at the gym today...

1) why are free weights generally preferred over machines?
2) why are compound exercises better than single moves?

SteveHunt113

1) why are free weights generally preferred over machines?

Free weights require you use additional muscles to control and stabilize the weights. So you are working more muscles using free weights. Machines guide the motion, and you are not requires to control or stabilize.

2) why are compound exercises better than single moves?

I think the biggest reason compound exercises are considered better is that you can get more of a workout in a shorter period of time. In addition, you will often being doing things that are more realistic to what you may do in daily activity. Last, it give you a chance to work in more than one plane of motion.

I'm sure others will provide additional (or more up to date) information.

JennieAL

Answer to #2 is tied closely to #1... it's the use of all those stabilizer muscles in your core, etc for big compound movements. You are simply using more muscles to do these moves, and they simulate real life movements.

ETA: And because the machines force you to operate in a set path, there's more opportunity for injury because you aren't allowed free range of motion.

Compound exercises = more bang for the buck. And deadlifts are the one move that are the best indicator for overall strength, supposedly.

dbrightwell1270

If you really want a compound exercise with a lot of bang for your buck, try snatches and clean and jerks. Please find someone who knows proper form to work with you though. If you do these wrong you can seriously hurt yourself.

JNick77

Just a couple of things I was wondering about at the gym today...

1) why are free weights generally preferred over machines?
2) why are compound exercises better than single moves?

Good questions.

1) Free weights typically require more supporting muscle groups to help stabilize yourself while you're lifting. For example, a GOOD bench press requires some leg, core, upper back, and trap stabilization whereas a Chest Press pretty much balances the weight for you. Now, this isn't to say that machines are bad and don't have a purpose because the counter to free weights is that when used properly you can really focus in on that muscle group. For example, the Hammer Press Iso-Incline Chest Press is good for this. It's not bad to mix it up a little but not necessary. Try both options, figure out what works best for you and go from there.

2) Compound exercises are better because they involve more muscle groups than just an isolation exercise. Using the Bench Press as an example, it utilizes multiple supporting muscle groups with one of those being the Tricep. The Butterfly just works the pectoral (for the most part). This doesn't mean there's no value in Isolation movements. If you look at your gym time as a money investment, you get more bang for your buck from Compound Movements.

If you wanted to have a lifting session where you just focus on chest, here's a possible workout
- A) Compound (free weights): Bench Press 3 sets of 5 reps
- Compound (on a machine): Hammer Press Incline Bench Press 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps
- C) Isolation (machine): Machine Pec Deck (machine butterflies basically) 3 sets of 12 - 15 reps
- D) Isolation (machine or free weights): Lying Dumbell Tricep Extensions or Rope Tricep Extensions 4 sets of 8 - 10 reps

Jesung

Because free weights and compound exercises build functional strength. When do you ever see someone doing a strict bicep curl in a competitive sport while keeping the rest of their body inert?