Why are free weights better than machines?

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Mustang_Susie
Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I want to hear what people think and why.
Thanks :smile:

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  • wolfpack77
    wolfpack77 Posts: 655
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    Free weights recruit more muscle fibers than machines because you must stabilize the weight. This also causes increased stimulation of the central nervous system which is necessary for building strength and balance.
  • quirkyone1
    quirkyone1 Posts: 78
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    Several reasons
    - free weight force you to use other muscles to stabilize the weight. For example, squats become a full body exercise because you need to hold a strong core, push up with your hamstrings, glutes, and quads, and keep your upper back tight.
    - machines can compromise your range of motion forcing you to move the weight in a way that is not right for your body.
  • ScottishMrs
    ScottishMrs Posts: 254 Member
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    Free weights recruit more muscle fibers than machines because you must stabilize the weight. This also causes increased stimulation of the central nervous system which is necessary for building strength and balance.

    ^^^This.

    You have to physically hold the weights in position yourself which engages more muscles and therefore gives you more of a workout and better balance which is really great when you're losing a lot and your centre of gravity is changing. Plus I just get more of a rush with the free weights than machines. Oh, and I like how you can add fractionals when you're struggling to move up rather than being limited to the increments on the machines.
  • bill323
    bill323 Posts: 100
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    I prefer cable movements for shoulder. I only use BB for military/shoulder press. I do front and side raises on the cable machine and do rope pulls for rear delts. I feel like I get more control, a better negative and no joint pain. I free weight most every other body part though.
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
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    Progressive bodyweight exercises also recruit more muscle fibers than machines because you have to stabilize your own bodyweight; also increasing stimulation of the central nervous system which promotes strength already present in teh muscle without increasing muscle mass initially and improving your ability to move and control your own body.

    I'm not saying bodyweight is better than weights - just wishing to put another option out there for you to consider.

    Reference manuals:
    - You Are Your Own Gym
    - Convict Conditioning
  • Morninglory81
    Morninglory81 Posts: 1,190 Member
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    Progressive bodyweight exercises also recruit more muscle fibers than machines because you have to stabilize your own bodyweight; also increasing stimulation of the central nervous system which promotes strength already present in teh muscle without increasing muscle mass initially and improving your ability to move and control your own body.

    I'm not saying bodyweight is better than weights - just wishing to put another option out there for you to consider.

    Reference manuals:
    - You Are Your Own Gym
    - Convict Conditioning

    Just started you are your own gym and it hurts so good! I never knew I could feel this way without additional weights.
  • bdoug1234
    bdoug1234 Posts: 28
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    In general free weights require more co-ordination and increased use of stabilizer muscles. This then engages more contraction of extra muscles and could include the core muscles depending on what exercise and the level preformed at.

    Free weights usually are healthier for your joints when done properly.

    The central nervous system is also taxed to promote muscle group co-ordination.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
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    Several reasons
    - free weight force you to use other muscles to stabilize the weight. For example, squats become a full body exercise because you need to hold a strong core, push up with your hamstrings, glutes, and quads, and keep your upper back tight.
    - machines can compromise your range of motion forcing you to move the weight in a way that is not right for your body.

    Because of scheduling issues, I went back to machines this week after doing free weights for a few years now.
    I did not like my arm range of motion on the bicep curl machine.
    I'm not always sure if I'm adjusting the machines properly for my body, which may have been part of the issue.
    I think machines are kind of tedious to use, but I did notice some soreness in different areas than from free weights.
    Benefit or poor body alignment/range of motion?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,566 Member
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    I echo the reasons above and give my own:

    If one relies on a machine to do an exercise, then they are stuck. In other words if one needs a bicep curl machine and DOESN'T know how to do a bicep curl with free weight or body weight, then they would have to find a gym or workout center that has that machine for them to workout. Not to mention with machines, you have more contact points with other peoples bacteria.

    I liken free to learning how to drive a stick, and machines to learning how to drive an automatic.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ScottishMrs
    ScottishMrs Posts: 254 Member
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    ...DOESN'T know how to do a bicep curl with ... body weight...

    Whoa! You can curl body weight?? Tell me more! I've never heard of this. (Please note that I am quite serious here.)

    ETA: I love the driving analogy. I wish that my parents had a manual car when I learned how to drive.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
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    ...DOESN'T know how to do a bicep curl with ... body weight...

    Whoa! You can curl body weight?? Tell me more! I've never heard of this. (Please note that I am quite serious here.)

    ETA: I love the driving analogy. I wish that my parents had a manual car when I learned how to drive.

    I have manual transmission PTSD, but can appreciate the analogy... :tongue:
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,566 Member
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    .
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,566 Member
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    Whoa! You can curl body weight?? Tell me more! I've never heard of this. (Please note that I am quite serious here.)

    ETA: I love the driving analogy. I wish that my parents had a manual car when I learned how to drive.
    Well you will need something like a TRX or Smith machine to do it:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-JUBe6oqvE

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pX6MBvfL1k

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • croooz
    croooz Posts: 48 Member
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    Because my joints have screamed at me that free-weights are better for them than machines. Anecdata but I've found from other "old timers" the same thing. I've found powerlifters with no joint pain versus machine rats with multiple joint pain.
  • quirkyone1
    quirkyone1 Posts: 78
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    Whoa! You can curl body weight?? Tell me more! I've never heard of this. (Please note that I am quite serious here.)

    ETA: I love the driving analogy. I wish that my parents had a manual car when I learned how to drive.
    Well you will need something like a TRX or Smith machine to do it:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-JUBe6oqvE

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pX6MBvfL1k

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer

    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Or chin-ups ;)
  • ScottishMrs
    ScottishMrs Posts: 254 Member
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    Whoa! You can curl body weight?? Tell me more! I've never heard of this. (Please note that I am quite serious here.)

    ETA: I love the driving analogy. I wish that my parents had a manual car when I learned how to drive.
    Well you will need something like a TRX or Smith machine to do it:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-JUBe6oqvE

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pX6MBvfL1k

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Oh, is that what those are considered to be? I always thought of them as a mix between pull ups and up-side down pushups (not real, I know). I'm a little disappointed now that it's not something I can just roll over in bed and do when I can't sleep, but it's a great reminder that it's something simple I can do at home that doesn't require lots of expensive equipment.
  • krhn
    krhn Posts: 781 Member
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    I echo the reasons above and give my own:

    If one relies on a machine to do an exercise, then they are stuck. In other words if one needs a bicep curl machine and DOESN'T know how to do a bicep curl with free weight or body weight.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition


    I actually don't feel much stimulation from curling machines - they feel so awkward... Alternating dumb bell curls = the best! :wink:
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
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    Because my joints have screamed at me that free-weights are better for them than machines. Anecdata but I've found from other "old timers" the same thing. I've found powerlifters with no joint pain versus machine rats with multiple joint pain.

    I would second this. When I do the weight machine, I experience a lot more pain than if I do free weights. Body weight exercises are even better---not sure why but when I do body weight, my joints seem much stronger and I hardly ever have pain in my shoulders now.
  • LJCannon
    LJCannon Posts: 3,636 Member
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    :drinker: bump
  • LJCannon
    LJCannon Posts: 3,636 Member
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    :drinker:

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