What's wrong with weight machines?

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sheilaq14
sheilaq14 Posts: 35 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am getting ready to do a gym restart after a 15 year hiatus, during which time I have become sedentary and have lost my core strength following a c-section and inactivity. Back when I was working out every other day, I would do cardio then the full nautilus circuit. I was very happy with my definition back then. Now, it seems that cardio is out of fashion, no problem here as I hate cardio, and that weight machines are inferior to free weights. I might be interested in free weights long term, but I am thinking that to get restarted I should do the machines as I do not want to injure myself. I couldn't do a push up to save my life at this point. I am afraid I won't have the basic strength to have proper form now that I am older (42) and weaker. So my question is, what is wrong with doing the machines again, at least as a reintroduction? My goals are just to tone and retain whatever muscle I have while losing weight. And can I really skip the cardio? My diet is going very well right now with very little activity. I am doing the every other day diet which seems to agree with me. Thank you for any insight.

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  • trochelwoman
    trochelwoman Posts: 10 Member
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    I just got back into going to the gym this week. I too have lost alot of my strength. My trainer put me on the weight machines to help me start building muscle and strength again. Free weights are when you've gained some of your strength back possibly. The machines will help take some stress off you in the beginning. Although I see plenty of people using the machines. I also do cardio on a stationary bike. My trainer did mention that if I had no time to do both at the gym. Not to miss the strength training. But I don't think cardio is out of fashion. You need to get that heart beating.
  • Kenazwa
    Kenazwa Posts: 278 Member
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    The latest information I've come across recommends matching cardio to weight lifting 1:1.
  • cbarn025
    cbarn025 Posts: 939 Member
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    Well for your goals there is nothing wrong with machines. However, the reason machines are and will forever be inferior to free weights is range of motion. On a machine your range of motion is limited. THey do this to try an prevent injury. However, with a dumbbell you control the range of motion(rom) and that 20lb dumbbell feels 20lb throughout the entire rom. On most machines the weight feels heavier at contraction but is lessend throughout the rom. As far as cardio goes that depends on your diet and rest time between sets and excersises. If your diet is on point and you only take short breaks between sets allowing you to keep your heart rate up you should be fine doing minimal amounts of cardio. In fact since you are just starting back up you'll see results without doing any cardio at all. I would reccommend waiting until you start to plateau then add maybe two days of HIIT cardio a week. 15mins should suffice. Hope this helps.
  • tycho_mx
    tycho_mx Posts: 426 Member
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    Saying there's something wrong with a weight machine is like saying there's something wrong with a hammer. It's just a tool, made for a task. If you try to use a hammer on a bolt, the problem is not in the too - but in the user.

    Full range of motion free weights have their place - they promote the development of stability, proprioception, and coordination. Machines are excellent for isolating and controlling movements. None of them are "superior" in the vacuum - they are only superior with respect to a specific application.

    If your hip is sore (let's say, hockey strain) but you can still work out, there is nothing wrong with using the leg press or curl machine instead of doing a full-on squat.

    The cardio-to-lift thing is also equivocal, without a reference. What are you trying to aim? Build aerobic fitness? Then you need long training sessions at moderate cardio intensity interspersed with maximal effort intervals. Maximizing calorie expenditure? Then go as hard as you can for the time you have. Build muscle? Then cardio is unnecessary. Build muscle while reducing body fat%. Combine them, and eat judiciously. There is no single method that will do everything.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    Weights machines tend to focus on specific muscle groups.
    Free weights, especially compound moves tend to work a range of muscles at once, including 'stabiliser' ones - hopefully leading to a better 'balance'.

    Of course there's some cross over - take a dumbbell preacher curl vs a standing cable-machine row and the 'machine' will be working a good bit more.

    Me, I'd go for free weights and keep the weights very low to start with. I would suspect that this will mean you are LESS likely to injure yourself not more - you'll be working more of your body so you don't 'miss' muscles.

    Either start with an empty bar; if you need less weight than an Olmypic bar and don't have access to 1" bars, use the fixed weight bars or dumbbells.

    Got a link to this information Kenazwa?

    Me, I'd suggest you only worry about cardio if you want better cardio health. I do, so I do cardio. It also lets me eat cake and icecream while still getting enough protein :).
  • Shinpiden
    Shinpiden Posts: 25 Member
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    While machines allow for isolation, hence growth in mass and strength, they are a bit contrary to the “natural” way we – humans – function (physiologically). That is to say, by using free weights we “fully” engage all of the associated muscles to accomplish the lift (much as we do – in real life – (doing housework or washing a car)) and thus both strengthen muscle and develop more “function”.

    So considering our goal – simply “look” better” or look better and develop a more natural “balanced” functional strength.

    In the long run, one would get strong using the machines but in the application of that gained strength more prone to injury (because of not equally developing the stabilizer and associated muscles that perform the work we do). On the other hand, any gains gleaned from free weight training will translate to corresponding “function” in real world performance.

    Simply start with the most comfortable weight you can manage and gradually work your way up… no rush have fun while you get even more awesome!
  • sheilaq14
    sheilaq14 Posts: 35 Member
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    Thanks everyone. I think I will start with the machines, build up some confidence at the gym and a bit of strength. Then I will book the trainer for some free weights lessons.
  • macchiatto
    macchiatto Posts: 2,890 Member
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    FWIW, I am new to strength training and after experimenting with some things, I'm mostly using free weights. I'm 37 y/o and though I've worked up to running 5 miles over the past 14 months, I'm relatively newer to strength training beyond things like the 30 Day Shred. My husband's been working as my personal trainer over the past month or so and we're mostly over in the free weights section (we've used machines a couple times). Since I'm not that strong yet, I've been using dumbbells but next session I'm going to try using the bar. I couldn't have gone right to that though; I really wasn't strong enough. People on here make fun of the "Barbie weights" but for some of us, that's actually an appropriate place to start. :p (And fwiw, even the 5 lb dumbbells at our gym are black, not pink and purple.)

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