Free weights vs. Machines

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FitFabFlirty92
FitFabFlirty92 Posts: 384 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I recently joined a gym, and in mine the upstairs room has all the cardio machines plus a weight section with dumbbells and a couple of machines. Then the bottom floor has ONLY various weight machines. Being a total noob to strength training, the machines make a lot more sense to me than the free weights. Can I still get great results using those machines, or is their something "better" about free weights that attracts so many on here to them?
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  • Loftearmen
    Loftearmen Posts: 380
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    Machines will not give you the same results as free weights. Regardless of what your goal is, you will get there faster using free weights. Go to stronglifts.com and start running their program.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,583 Member
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    Machines will not give you the same results as free weights. Regardless of what your goal is, you will get there faster using free weights. Go to stronglifts.com and start running their program.

    Stronglifts is the plan I follow and recommend. I've seen just as many people recommend New Rules of Lifting for Women.
  • FitFabFlirty92
    FitFabFlirty92 Posts: 384 Member
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    Stronglifts is the plan I follow and recommend. I've seen just as many people recommend New Rules of Lifting for Women.

    That's a relief, I already ordered New Rules of Lifting for Women and I'm expecting it in the mail soon. :) Just trying to understand this whole process and what works best. This is all incredibly knew to me and I still have a lot to learn.
  • kjm3579
    kjm3579 Posts: 3,975 Member
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    I would also recommend using StrongLifts -- when you lift with free weights your body uses more muscles to balance and work with the weights than you use just to do the motion of a machine.
  • Nikiki
    Nikiki Posts: 993
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    free weights activate many more muscles than machines do because you have to stabilize the weight while you do the motion. I do gaff be a couple of machines that I like to add to my rotation but most of my workouts are done on the cable machines and with the free weights. I havent gotten it yet but I hear very good things about new rules for weightlifting, you can also see if your gym has a trainer on staff, most offer a free session or two with your membership

    good luck and yay for getting buff!!
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    The machines do a great portion of the stabilizing work for you and end up working fewer muscles. A lot fewer. Whatever your endgoal is, you'll get there a lot more efficiently with free weights.

    Also, many machines do isolation work. So instead of 3-5 sets of squats, you end up doing 3 sets of leg raises, 3 sets of ham curls, 3 sets of abduction, and 3 sets of induction. The squatter is already in the locker room drying her hair.
  • Nikiki
    Nikiki Posts: 993
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    btw trog: I love your stache!!
  • Nikiki
    Nikiki Posts: 993
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    also! and this is because I have workout add: pick a program and stick with it awhile and you'll see more benefits, I tend to switch things up too much and usually end up over working one muscle group and ignoring the others :/
  • Chopshopcop
    Chopshopcop Posts: 37 Member
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    Are you doing this solo or using a trainer? Many people start out using the machines and as they become more confident in their abilities, progress to free weights. There's no shame in it. It's all about taking one step at a time, especially if you're new to lifting. Lift according to your beginning abilities, take it slow, lift safely and have fun.
  • lilpoindexter
    lilpoindexter Posts: 1,122 Member
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    The best machines or free weights are the ones you will use regularly, without getting discouraged. All of us start with the machines. Do routines that keep you motivated, and changed it up every once in a while to keep things fresshhh.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    Another problem with machines is that they're not fully adjustable to match your body's range of motion. But if you're going to use them, a good general rule is that your joint should line up with the pivot points of the machine (not 100%, but generally). You should have a trainer go with you to show you how to properly adjust each machine to minimize undue strain associated with improperly aligned ROM.

    It would be a better general plan to learn to use free weights. If you start with a program like Stronglifts 5x5, you will only need to learn to do around 6 basic exercises- in the end it's actually much simpler than 63 different machines.
  • FitFabFlirty92
    FitFabFlirty92 Posts: 384 Member
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    Are you doing this solo or using a trainer? Many people start out using the machines and as they become more confident in their abilities, progress to free weights. There's no shame in it. It's all about taking one step at a time, especially if you're new to lifting. Lift according to your beginning abilities, take it slow, lift safely and have fun.

    Unfortunately I have no trainer, and my gym doesn't offer any. :( That's why weight lifting is so nerve-wracking for me, I have no reference for what I'm doing except what I've read online.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    I just started on the machines and dumbells but can't wait to get at the barbells but my trainer said to do these first :(

    As soon as I can I'm going to start stronglifts.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
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    I know it is intimidating, but once you get into free weights, you'll LOVE it.

    I was scared of the machines, so I tried a few at a time until I was comfortable doing pretty much all of them. Then I took a free class on the cable machines, and I did those for several months...

    Then I decided I wanted to barbell squat. In theory I knew how to do it, but I was scared I would have bad form and hurt myself...so I asked the trainer on duty if he would please come watch my form to make sure I didn't hurt myself. He said I looked good. Any time I try something new, I ask him if he has a few minutes to watch.

    Now that I have been lifting for a few months, I kinda feel empowered...kinda bad@ss. There are not that many women over in the free weight area!
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
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    Are you doing this solo or using a trainer? Many people start out using the machines and as they become more confident in their abilities, progress to free weights. There's no shame in it. It's all about taking one step at a time, especially if you're new to lifting. Lift according to your beginning abilities, take it slow, lift safely and have fun.

    Unfortunately I have no trainer, and my gym doesn't offer any. :( That's why weight lifting is so nerve-wracking for me, I have no reference for what I'm doing except what I've read online.

    do they have any staff monitoring the free weight area? If they do, that person could possibly give you some pointers. You might also see if there are any women in there...maybe ask them to show you a few things. My introduction to the free weight area was b/c I told one lady that "one day" I wanted to be able to use the leg press she had just gotten off of---she offered to show me how and I never looked back!!
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    The problem with the "start with the machines" approach is that being proficient with the machines in no way helps you with the free weights. You'll still have the same learning curve when you finally step into the free weight section. Possibly worse, because the machines will have given you bad balance mechanics and a misperception of how strong you are.

    Learn the free weights right from the start.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    Free weights are better than machines
    Machines are better than nothing
  • omnisis
    omnisis Posts: 85 Member
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    The problem with the "start with the machines" approach is that being proficient with the machines in no way helps you with the free weights. You'll still have the same learning curve when you finally step into the free weight section. Possibly worse, because the machines will have given you bad balance mechanics and a misperception of how strong you are.

    Learn the free weights right from the start.

    Totally agree. If you make gains on the machines, it won't translate to gains on the raw metal at all. There are some advantages to the machines for isolation excercises where you want to target very specific muscle fibers or go to failure without the need for a spotter. Machines are also great for exhaustion and pre-exhaustion work. But you gotta have core compound movements with free weights in there if you want to see the best results especially in a beginner trainee who is trying to develop their base muscle and not just tweak what they already have.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
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    Are you doing this solo or using a trainer? Many people start out using the machines and as they become more confident in their abilities, progress to free weights. There's no shame in it. It's all about taking one step at a time, especially if you're new to lifting. Lift according to your beginning abilities, take it slow, lift safely and have fun.

    Unfortunately I have no trainer, and my gym doesn't offer any. :( That's why weight lifting is so nerve-wracking for me, I have no reference for what I'm doing except what I've read online.

    Youtube is your friend here.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,583 Member
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    btw trog: I love your stache!!
    I'm particularly fond of it myself. Thanks :)

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