Weight Machine vs. Barbells and Lifting

yocherries

So I've been reading up on the importance of strength training, not just constant cardio, when it comes to achieving a weight loss and a fit body. My question is...are barbell exercises like dead lifts, squats, and bench presses more effective or better than doing weight machines like leg presses, hip abductions, lateral pulldowns, bicep curls, and abdominal machines (can't think of the name haha)
I do most of the weight machines in the gym, but never do any barbell lifting (mainly because in my college gym, theres only a couple areas to do it and about 20 guys trying to do it). Should i be changing my workout regime to get better results?

XjuliaXannX

you should combine cardiovascular activity with weight training

Lissakaye81

I am with ya. It can be intimidating, I have seen tons of pics and heard of all the benefits of heavy barbell lifting. I am waiting till I have enought o hire a trainer to learn correct forms cause you can really hurt yourself if not done correctly. I have been lifting at home with dumbbell and light weights just to ease my connective tissues into it, and engage all the little stabilizers cause I have not been active in 3 years. I also have a home cable weighted machine I use which I like cause i can circuit train and I like to mix stuff up. But search for heavy weight pics, the girls with banging bodies lofty heavy!

yocherries

Oh, i guess i should mention, I do cardio. 45 mins on the elliptical everyday or I do my C25K. I'm just wondering about what I should do in addition.

AntWrig

So I've been reading up on the importance of strength training, not just constant cardio, when it comes to achieving a weight loss and a fit body. My question is...are barbell exercises like dead lifts, squats, and bench presses more effective or better than doing weight machines like leg presses, hip abductions, lateral pulldowns, bicep curls, and abdominal machines (can't think of the name haha)
I do most of the weight machines in the gym, but never do any barbell lifting (mainly because in my college gym, theres only a couple areas to do it and about 20 guys trying to do it). Should i be changing my workout regime to get better results?

Compound movements will always be better.

For example the deadlift, you're working almost every muscle group.

However machines do have their place.

AntWrig

Oh, i guess i should mention, I do cardio. 45 mins on the elliptical everyday or I do my C25K. I'm just wondering about what I should do in addition.

If you're trying to build a shapely body, drop the traditional cardio. Say no to the elliptical and start adding some anaerobic running. Basically HIIT.

Elizabeth_C34

Compound lifts are awesome. That being said, there are a few machines I prefer, namely the adductor/abductor machines, ab machines, and lat pull machines.

What's great about compound lifts is that they work multiple muscle groups all together including the stabilizing muscles in your abs, back, and other areas. It's great stuff.

prettygirlhoward

bump

chevy88grl

Oh, i guess i should mention, I do cardio. 45 mins on the elliptical everyday or I do my C25K. I'm just wondering about what I should do in addition.

If you're trying to build a shapely body, drop the traditional cardio. Say no to the elliptical and start adding some anaerobic running. Basically HIIT.

There are more benefits to cardio than just losing weight - namely heart health. That being said, I lost ALL my weight doing cardio and I love my shape. I truly wish people would STOP telling people that they shouldn't do cardio. Even if you don't want to lose weight, do it for the other health benefits. Cardio is not the root of all evil, people. I understand the importance of weights, but remember that cardio is important too.

To the OP: There's nothing wrong with using the machines. Nothing at all. If you prefer them, keep using them. There's nothing that says you HAVE to use the dumb bells.

ronnio_ron

i agree, although i do some amount of weight training as well

Jacwhite22

Oh, i guess i should mention, I do cardio. 45 mins on the elliptical everyday or I do my C25K. I'm just wondering about what I should do in addition.

If you're trying to build a shapely body, drop the traditional cardio. Say no to the elliptical and start adding some anaerobic running. Basically HIIT.

There are more benefits to cardio than just losing weight - namely heart health. That being said, I lost ALL my weight doing cardio and I love my shape. I truly wish people would STOP telling people that they shouldn't do cardio. Even if you don't want to lose weight, do it for the other health benefits. Cardio is not the root of all evil, people. I understand the importance of weights, but remember that cardio is important too.

This is a fair point.......but you can get a cardio workout from lifting......If you are doing full body compound lifts and keeping rest periods short you will definitely get a cardio workout. I do a small amount of cardio after I lift....I think cardio definitely has its place but doing solely cardio will not give you the same results as adding resistance training as well.

chevy88grl

Oh, i guess i should mention, I do cardio. 45 mins on the elliptical everyday or I do my C25K. I'm just wondering about what I should do in addition.

If you're trying to build a shapely body, drop the traditional cardio. Say no to the elliptical and start adding some anaerobic running. Basically HIIT.

There are more benefits to cardio than just losing weight - namely heart health. That being said, I lost ALL my weight doing cardio and I love my shape. I truly wish people would STOP telling people that they shouldn't do cardio. Even if you don't want to lose weight, do it for the other health benefits. Cardio is not the root of all evil, people. I understand the importance of weights, but remember that cardio is important too.

This is a fair point.......but you can get a cardio workout from lifting......If you are doing full body compound lifts and keeping rest periods short you will definitely get a cardio workout. I do a small amount of cardio after I lift....I think cardio definitely has its place but doing solely cardio will not give you the same results as adding resistance training as well.

Straight from a cardiologists mouth after my EKG results came back textbook perfect:

"What kind of cardio do you do?"

"I run on the treadmill"

"Keep running. Your results are a direct indication of someone who does cardio often enough".


For me, it isn't just about how my body looks or what the scale says. It is about my health - I don't want to repeat my family history of heart disease, strokes, heart attacks and bypass surgeries all before I'm 40.

Due to injuries, I can not do any kind of weight training except with the machines. No dead lifts. No squats. No bench press. Nothing or risk surgery again. I will use the machines to build muscle and try to regain some of what I lost with the injuries.

But, I will NOT give up cardio. And I just wish people would STOP discounting the importance of it and the other benefits it offers.

marya211

I do kickboxing which contains some circuit training and it's amazing. I have never been so exhausted but felt so good at the time time. I get bored doing traditional cardio and I like that every day is different. I think changing things up is important so your body doesn't get used to what you are doing and you hit a plateau.

stubbysticks

It's true that there's nothing wrong with using the machines, but for many exercises the free weights will give you a better workout. For example, the chest press machine will work your chest muscles, but barbell bench presses will work the same muscles plus a bunch of stabilizer muscles.

On the flipside, machines can be safer, especially if you've progressed to really high weight, because you don't need a spotter. And at higher weights, sometimes it's more trouble than it's worth to load up the bar, & it can take so much effort to get into position to even begin that it saps some of the strength you need to do effective sets - barbell tricep curls/French curls come to mind there.

I think it's more important that you strength train, period. The cardio is good, keep that, & make sure you've got 2-3 days of lifting. if you're comfortable using the machines to strength train, then stick with it. I used strictly machines for the first 5 months after I started strength training & at that point felt confident enough to branch out into free weights.

Depending on how long you've been doing your current routine, you may be due for a change anyway. My trainer recommends switching things up every 12 weeks, so I'll follow a particular routine for about that long, take a full week off from lifting (but typically still do some cardio) then start fresh with a new program. Make sure whatever routine you follow hits all your major muscle groups, & compound exercises are a good way to do it. If you need help picking exercises to do, I really like www.exrx.net as a reference, namely the Exercise & Muscle Directory. It's organized by muscle group then by equipment, so you can find an exercise to strengthen the area you want using the equipment you have available.

You're doing great!

ninerbuff

Both have their places. I will usually have people who are pure beginners start with machines for safety reasons. Just watching some people grab a dumbell or barbell off a rack makes me cringe because they lift it off wrong! Once they get some basic strength they can be transitioned to correct lifting of freeweights.
I prefer my clients to learn free weights the majority of the the time. The few issues I see with machines is fixed planes, fitting issues and reliance on them. If you rely on a particular machine for an exercise and it needs maintenance or repair and you have no knowledge of how to do the free weight version of it, you're probably SOL.
So I kinda refer to free weights as the manual way to drive and machines as the automatic.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

AntWrig

Oh, i guess i should mention, I do cardio. 45 mins on the elliptical everyday or I do my C25K. I'm just wondering about what I should do in addition.

If you're trying to build a shapely body, drop the traditional cardio. Say no to the elliptical and start adding some anaerobic running. Basically HIIT.

There are more benefits to cardio than just losing weight - namely heart health. That being said, I lost ALL my weight doing cardio and I love my shape. I truly wish people would STOP telling people that they shouldn't do cardio. Even if you don't want to lose weight, do it for the other health benefits. Cardio is not the root of all evil, people. I understand the importance of weights, but remember that cardio is important too.

To the OP: There's nothing wrong with using the machines. Nothing at all. If you prefer them, keep using them. There's nothing that says you HAVE to use the dumb bells.

You get all heart health benefits from HIIT and weight training.

99% of the people on the elliptical are not doing it for heart health.

Trying squatting 315 for 17 reps. Tell me if your heart isn't being worked and improved.

downsizinghoss

These are multiple ways to skin the same cat.

Get your heart rate up and keep it up. Whatever works.

Push stuff that is heavier than the last stuff you pushed.

Push stuff in different ways on different days.

Push yourself no matter what you choose to do.

Dustinryan24

compound movements. just remember to work multiple muscles at once (like squats).. those are your best workouts.. but nothing wrong with using a machine. good job

ninerbuff

You get all heart health benefits from HIIT and weight training.

99% of the people on the elliptical are not doing it for heart health.

Trying squatting 315 for 17 reps. Tell me if your heart isn't being worked and improved.

Even just try doing 25 reps with 135lbs like us weak individuals. Guaranteed heart pump.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

thefuzz1290

You get all heart health benefits from HIIT and weight training.

99% of the people on the elliptical are not doing it for heart health.

Trying squatting 315 for 17 reps. Tell me if your heart isn't being worked and improved.

Even just try doing 25 reps with 135lbs like us weak individuals. Guaranteed heart pump.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Ditto...I can barely catch my breath after a heavy Deadlift or Squat set. Cardio is important, but latest research is showing its not as important as once though.

chevy88grl

Oh, i guess i should mention, I do cardio. 45 mins on the elliptical everyday or I do my C25K. I'm just wondering about what I should do in addition.

If you're trying to build a shapely body, drop the traditional cardio. Say no to the elliptical and start adding some anaerobic running. Basically HIIT.

There are more benefits to cardio than just losing weight - namely heart health. That being said, I lost ALL my weight doing cardio and I love my shape. I truly wish people would STOP telling people that they shouldn't do cardio. Even if you don't want to lose weight, do it for the other health benefits. Cardio is not the root of all evil, people. I understand the importance of weights, but remember that cardio is important too.

To the OP: There's nothing wrong with using the machines. Nothing at all. If you prefer them, keep using them. There's nothing that says you HAVE to use the dumb bells.

You get all heart health benefits from HIIT and weight training.

99% of the people on the elliptical are not doing it for heart health.

Trying squatting 315 for 17 reps. Tell me if your heart isn't being worked and improved.

I can not do squats, deadlifts, bench press, etc. I don't care how good YOU think it is for me, I'm not going to risk surgery to do it. I'll run on the treadmill for my cardio, thanks.

JaneP2011

I do most of the weight machines in the gym, but never do any barbell lifting (mainly because in my college gym, theres only a couple areas to do it and about 20 guys trying to do it).

Same for me - you can never get near the free weights area in my gym due to groups of guys training together and shouting encouragement at each other. Good for them, I say. But it's very intimidating for women to go into that part of the gym - a few of us have tried but the guys just ask you how long you're going to use a bench for and then stand and glare at you until you've gone! So us gals are all stuck at the other end of the hall with the weight machines and the elliptical trainers! If I could afford it I'd hire a personal trainer to work with me but I just don't have that kind of money.

BradNC

Everyone has their own opinion, I guess. Compound lifts have been mentioned (and I agree) - because it teaches balance and works similar muscle groups together. To the injury posting in regards to cardio - just like anything else (riding a bike?), if you do it wrong, you're going to get hurt. The challege is being comfortable and confident while you're doing it. Free weights (bell or bar) tends to intimidate people. If you don't feel comfortable (or don't understand the lifts well enough), then there isn't anything wrong with the machines. I think it was one of Schuler's rules of "Just do something" - and while he's largely against machines because of the forced isolation of muscles and sometimes questionable movement paths, even he agrees you're doing something (and hopefully something you enjoy).

Personally, I was uncomfortable in my local gym's freeweight section for a number of reasons (people literally throwing weights around without proper spotters, questionable equipment states, people doing curls in the power rack, etc) - and I opted for buying some free-weights at home, which also cut out my having an excuse for going to the gym

Good luck!

heavensshadow

I'm a big fan of circuit training with free weights. I like weight machines well enough, but I really feel like I've pushed my body more, even with just dumbbells, and ESPECIALLY when I circuit train. There is definitely a burn when you do a couple sets of one move and immediately move on to another, and you get your heart pumping too, so there is cardio there as well.
That said, I also do interval traning on the treadmill.... running, running hills, walking, walking hills, fast, faster....you get the idea.

edit: I forgot to mention that I really enjoy kickboxing classes too, because you get all the benefits of cardio while you work most if not all your muscle groups, if your instructor is good.

kdiamond

I do all of the above.

To the OP, obviously if you physically can't do weight training, you shouldn't. I think you took the general comment too personally.

I do agree that for transforming the body, a good combination is important. I lost all of my baby weight down to 103 pounds doing only cardio and a good diet, but I look a hundred times better now that I do weight training with weights & machines, and HIIT as my cardio instead of traditional cardio (which bored my socks off anyhow). My body just looks shaplier and tighter. So I am certainly a proponent for lifting weights...there are just so many benefits.

Compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, and lunges are the best for women!