Free Weights Vs Machines? Holy crap!

I've been strength training fairly heavy for one year and two months. But the first year was using machines at the gym. I belonged to Planet Fitness, and the locations closest to me didn't have free weights, so I did machines. And I was really happy with the results, because it was a HUGE improvement over doing nothing but cardio, body weight and 5# dumbbell stuff, which was a HUGE improvement over not exercising at all.

But I hated going TO the gym. It took almost a half hour just to get there, another half hour back, so I didn't want to spend more time driving to and from than I spent working out, so ... boom, there's two hours out of my day. It just felt like a waste of time and gas. I decided to spend about 5 months worth of membership fees on a cheap barbell and bench set from Sears.

I've been lifting at home little over 2 months now. I'm eating around 2000 calories a day, running 3x a week and lifting 3x a week, usually a half hour to 45 minutes, sometimes an hour. I'm lifting "lighter" than I was using the machines, because the machines did half the work for me, and I don't have a squat rack or spotter and would rather err on the side of caution than risk hurting myself.

But I'm getting a MUCH more thorough workout and the results speak for themselves.









Also a good example for anyone concerned about getting bulky or losing curves from lifting. :happy: And I know it's not a hugely dramatic change, but I'm still gobsmacked because the scale has barely moved and I don't see changes in the mirror.

I'm not following a particular routine. Just the basics like bench press, overhead press, rows, squats, deadlifts, standing calf raises, leg curls and extensions, usually split into an upper body day and lower body day, and if I'm feeling really spunky and not going to run the next day, I might do both.