Your looking to get the best pump in the world, you have an hour and 30 minutes to wreck havoc in the gym before you got to a party where your crush is. You know what you have to do, but what should I use to get those gains?
Should I get those dumb bells and free weights or hop on the weighted machines? Now that I have painted the picture of going to a party with your crush being present….lets snap back to reality and choose what is the best equipment for your body overall: Free Weights Vs Resistance Machines (In order to wow that crush of yoursJ.)
First we need to differentiate and define what free weight and what resistance machines are:
FREE WEIGHTS:
- Dumbbells
- Barbells
- Kettlebells
- Medicine Balls
- Weighted Gloves/ Vests
Resistance Machine:
- (Any contraption that you would sit in, in order to push/ pull in a specific motion)
- Leg Extension
- Chest Press Machine
- Hamstring Curl Machine
- Bicep Curl Machine
- Lat Pull Down Machine
- Calf Raise Machine
- Triceps Push Down Machine
- Seated Row Machine
- Leg Press Machine
- ETC
Things such as Cable exercises have elements of both free weight and resistance machines within them, therefore it cannot be held within this battle of training. First of all, both methods are very good for your body, with extensive research in both of them showing that consistent weight training of either variety has positive effects on muscle, nerves and overall health. First we will look at the pros of each, followed by the cons:
PROS OF FREE WEIGHTS:
- Utilizes a variety of muscles, including hard to activate stabilizer muscles
- Exceptionally reduces muscle imbalances due to each individual limb carrying the same weight load (instead of the dominant arm taking over and pushing most of the weight)
- Due to the weaker appendage getting stronger with addition to stabilizer muscles being strengthened, fitness related injuries can be mitigated
- Range of Motion in most exercises with free weights is increased, therefore the muscles time under tension is lengthened, meaning strength gains will be optimal
- Promotes ADL (Activity of Daily Living) fitness, things that are to be done everyday like opening a door, picking up laundry baskets, pushing a table; can all be strengthen through the functional movements of free weights
CONS OF FREE WEIGHTS:
- With free weights, your form has to be impeccable (that is with resistance machines as well, however it is less harmful than with free weights)
- Free weights are geared towards intermediate to advanced gym goers, if you are a beginner it will be difficult to balance the weight while exerting force
- In the beginning free weight exercises such as Dead lifts and or Squats can have the potential of injury due to the complexity of the exercises
With round one out of the way lets see what Resistance Machines counter with!!
PROS OF RESISTANCE MACHINES:
- Very Beginner friendly and can be used strategically even for the most advanced gym goer
- Safety is paramount with resistance machines, no spotter is needed due to you being within a machine and weights that are safely on an aligned track
- With safety taken care of, you can easily overload your muscles with heavier weight, without the risk of devastating injury. This will then increase muscle hypertrophy and strength
- At times, utilizing machines can proficiently isolate certain muscles which will then be pushed due to you being able to add more weight
CONS OF RESISTANCE MACHINES:
- Due to the machine being on a predetermined track, the lack of range of motion hinders muscle stimulation/ growth
- Moving such weight in one direction consistently does not translate to real world (ADL), the lack of stabilizer muscles and or support muscles hinders overall strength
- Muscle imbalances are more likely to happen with resistance machines due to both appendages moving simultaneously. The stronger of the 2 appendages will move more weight than the weaker one, further increasing an imbalance
- Free weights are cheap and readily available to even be utilized at home for off day exercises, whereas resistance machines are exceedingly expensive, and when they break down (even at the gym) it is very costly and time consuming to fix
With round 2 coming to a close, our judges have come to a conclusion of which form of training is best for you: Well it depends really! If you are a beginner, with little muscle established, resistance machines will be your best friend due to the simplicity of the movements. However, if you are much more advanced, you would want to partake in free weights in order to strengthen stabilizer muscles while getting more full range motions in order to better your lift. Like always, it is totally up to you which form of training you go with, however I recommend utilizing both within your regiment. As a personal trainer, I make sure my clients utilize both in order to maximize strength and endurance within muscles.
If you want the best exercise program on the market, which utilizes your personal fitness level, your calculated strength and even your biological body type, click the link to find out which program best fits you and begin your journey as a Spartan Warrior!
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