Free weights vs. machines – what’s the difference

This topic has been a debate at the gym since machines hit the gym. Some people think that free weights, don’t maximize your gains. While others think that machines are pointless and won’t help you get fit.

The question is who is right?

Free Weights – Pros and Cons

Free Weight Pros –

• You will burn 50% more calories by completing free weight exercises.
• Core Stabilization: Since free weights do not isolate just one muscles, you will work more of your muscles when you are training with them.
• Balance Improvement: Your balance improves when you use free weights to train because since you will be constantly balancing yourself.

Free Weight Cons –

• Bad form can lead to injury: If you are not correctly performing an exercise, you will get hurt.
• Heavy lifts require a spotter: If you a lifting a heavy weight you will need a spotter, so you don’t get hurt.
• Bigger Learning curve: For you to get the best of training with free weights, you need to be taught and then to practice for a long time. This will help you to get the correct techniques of training unlike using machines. With free weights, you need to learn from an experienced person.

Machines – Pros and Cons

Machine Pros –

• Easy to Use: Machines are so easy to use as compared to free weights. This is probably the biggest advantage of strength machines over the free weights.
• You can resist more in the training without much effort and help; no spotter needed.
• Creating metabolic overload – Metabolic overload occurs when a muscle is required to work to a point of momentary fatigue and does not have the energy to generate another contraction.
• Machines isolate the target muscle, it is the opposite of free weights in the sense that it doesn’t recruit outside muscle groups.

Machine Cons –

• Limited potential: body can become use to machines and plateau
• You are Overworked: Because the machines are designed to work on a specific muscle group, you may be tempted to overload the weights and thereby cause injury to yourself.
• You will wait in the gym for your turn. Unlike free weights you don’t have the machines at home. Meaning you will have to go to the gym.

So, who wins the Free Weights Vs Machines?

Honestly is depends. It depends on how long you have been training and what your training goals are. There is no ‘cookie cutter’ to a training approach.

What do you think?

Which side are you one – The Free Weights, or The Machines?