free weights vs machines?

Like several people said above...good form is absolutely necessary or you're defeating the purpose. Go to youtube and type in the lift you want to do...there are GREAT explanations of how to perfect them. Be careful though..I've come across some really bad ones too..lol. Watch the comments to see if people give them a hard time for bad form..if so, find another.

Great suggestion! Thanks : )

There are lots of different options for resistance training. You can pick and choose among different exercises depending on your interest, your skill level, your medical background, etc.

And the great thing is that there is no law -- federal, state, or local -- that says that once you choose an exercise, you have to keep doing it forever.

Since developing your ability to lift weights is an ongoing process, you can opt for simpler choices at first when you are just starting out and progress to more complicated exercises as your abilities and interests change over time.

While, in general, exercises that focus on compound and more functional movements, and that require a user-defined path of motion, will provide more benefits than equipment with a machine-defined path of motion, there are a number of situations where machines can be a good choice.

It's not an "either/or" situation in most gyms--they have lots of machines of all kinds. And not only is there no law that says you can't switch from one type of machine/free weight exercise whenever you want, it is also legal to combine different types of exercises in the same workout.

Really. Go figure.

In the beginning, your body will respond to just about anything. If is often faster and more convenient to go through a whole-body circuit of machines. It doesn't really matter that they are isolation exercises--you are just waking your body up and starting to feel where the muscles are.

While you are learning your form, you can also do some "heavy work" using a few machines, and thus not be totally dependent on the learning curve with the free weight exercises.

See, I've been wondering this myself. I was told by one of my trainers that the machine is best, but then someone randomly stopped me in the gym earlier today and told me to go for the free weights, claiming that they, 'get you to your goal faster'.

I'm not in any rush to the finish line in any case. I just wondered which got you the best results without the injury. I'd started using free weights just the other day and so far I personally prefer it over the machines. Maybe it's all in my head, but I feel like I'm makine more progress this way. Don't get me wrong though. There are some machines that I will definitely continue using (mostly leg ones).

There is no question that when you use free weights you feel more "engaged" in the exercise and usually feel more "carryover" into "real-life" activities. You usually feel a greater overall "effect" from the training because you are activating more muscles.

I used just the machines for awhile and when I finally did move on to free weights I was sore, in ways I didn't think I would be! That told me that the free weights were definitely isolating muscles that the machines just weren't hitting. I use both now. I love the free weights!

See, I've been wondering this myself. I was told by one of my trainers that the machine is best, but then someone randomly stopped me in the gym earlier today and told me to go for the free weights, claiming that they, 'get you to your goal faster'.

I'm not in any rush to the finish line in any case. I just wondered which got you the best results without the injury. I'd started using free weights just the other day and so far I personally prefer it over the machines. Maybe it's all in my head, but I feel like I'm makine more progress this way. Don't get me wrong though. There are some machines that I will definitely continue using (mostly leg ones).

There is no question that when you use free weights you feel more "engaged" in the exercise and usually feel more "carryover" into "real-life" activities. You usually feel a greater overall "effect" from the training because you are activating more muscles.

Yeah I'll say! I took the liberty of working biceps with free weights just the other day and my arms still feel like they are gonna break off any minute now (mildly exaggerating of course, lol).. but I never felt this overall pain from the bicep curling machines.. sooo yeah. I think I found my calling. Now I can finally use the phrase, 'Hurts so good!'.

I used just the machines for awhile and when I finally did move on to free weights I was sore, in ways I didn't think I would be! That told me that the free weights were definitely isolating muscles that the machines just weren't hitting. I use both now. I love the free weights!

Actually you just "involved" more muscles with free weights. Synergist muscles (muscles that accompany and agonists and antagonists when lifting) get activated more with free weights.


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

I am sure some of people have already mentioned it here, but machines are solely for keeping the form without hyperextending your muscles where you could hurt yourself, which may happen if you are not sure how to use free weights. I personally do a mix of both, with more emphasis on free weights. Once you learn to keep good form with machines, try the same with free weights (but much lighter) and keep increasing the weight. Free weights are better in my opinion as they tend to involve more muscles, while machines are limited to a certain range of motion.

They both have their advantages and disadvantages. It will depend on the person mostly though. While compound lifts with free weights are superior to doing isolated work on machines, there will be some people who can't do compound lifts due to injury, ROM, grip strength (say from a stroke), etc.
I personally like to train my clients on free weights if they can do them, but in my gym we have a huge number of people on rehab, physical therapy, and many seniors who balancing isn't very sound. I don't see them doing squats or bent over rows, but they could do a leg press and seated row.
Find out what works for you best. The key to exercise is DOING IT and regardless of how great an exercise may be in opinion, if it ain't getting done, it ain't the best exercise.


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

We put a lot of people on machines for the reasons you described. I try to get the best of both worlds with some of my beginner seniors. I give them a core program on machines so they can feel comfortable and safe and start seeing some strength gains. I also include some functional exercises that are lighter in weight, or use just body weight in the beginning (Ex: body weight squats, step ups, rear deltoid flys on a cable machine like the Kinesis while standing on one leg, etc). That way, they are getting some functional training and compound movements without having to depend entirely on these for their strength improvement.

With you on this. We have 3 senior fitness classes, with chairs involved, to help promote strength training to seniors and have to remember that a 5lb weight could be extremely heavy to some.


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