Good morning, everyone!
It’s been a while since I have posted (maybe about a week) but I’ve been busy with finding a new apartment with my husband and it’s been slightly hectic here in good ol’ North Carolina.
A lot of people have come to me asking my opinion on whether or not if using free weights or machines really makes a difference… Well, it just so happens- it does.
It depends on what muscle(s) you’re trying to target in your workout.
If you’re new at this weight lifting thing, I suggest starting out with machines or very light weight. You really want to study how a lift should be done. If you visit bodybuilding.com you can find the section where they talk you through each step when doing a certain lift, and also show you.
Without properly knowing how to position yourself or hold the dumbbell/barbell, you could potentially work out a completely different muscle than intended, or simply injure yourself.
Advantages of Free Weights (dumbbells & barbells): 
More effective in developing smaller helping muscles & stabilizer muscles. You will be working out more than just your biceps during a bicep curl. You’re helping out a few of the smaller surrounding muscles while also helping those muscles that keep your arm still.
More versatile. There’s more than just one-two workouts you are able to do while using a dumbbell or barbell.
Less Expensive. Whether you’re a gym owner or wanting to own some weights for at home.
Greater overall strength can be achieved.
Power is improved more efficiently and to a greater extent. Power is also known as “speed strength” which is how well you apply force with speed. Power stimulates your fast-twitch muscle fibers. Fast-twitch muscle fibers are those that contract quickly and is used in intensive short-duration exercises.
Size, flexibility, reduced body fat, and muscle toning are achieved more efficiently. Because it’s your control that the dumbbell or barbell is moving, and you are utilizing more than just one specific muscle during the workout while using proper form.
Disadvantages of Free Weights:
Free weights are adjustable and can come apart if the collars are not secured tightly or properly. The barbells/ dumbbells could be tightly secured and could also be loosened by those who tend to drop the weights repeatedly, as well.
Adjustment in the weight from set to set can be time consuming and tedious. If you’re using a dumbbell that isn’t one you need to re adjust the weights yourself, I can guarantee you that the weights up on the rack are not in any sort of numerical order and simply searching for the matching weight or the weight you’re looking for is time consuming in itself. Re- rack and put the weights back where you found them! It’s like that for a reason, and time is important while working out!!
Large spaces are needed to use free weights. If there’s’ a large group of people using dumbbells or barbells in a small space, that could be hazardous…. Especially for unorganized people who may be clumsy. (Watch your head and your toes).
It’s difficult in certain exercises to derive maximum isolation of a muscle or muscle group. It can be very difficult, if not impossible, because the dumbbells and barbells rely on stabilizer muscles and smaller synergistic muscles to aid in the lifting and lowering of the free weights.
Advantages of Machines:
Some machines are more efficient in isolating a muscle or muscle group for more overload. Using a machine will set you up the way you need to be and since it has a ‘track’ that you follow, there is no need for other muscles to aid in helping out as much as if you were using a dumbbell or barbell.
In terms of space utilization, machines are more efficient. I said some, not all machines are that space friendly, but a majority of them are. Also, when you’re at a machine you’re most likely out of everyone’s way and just in your little cubby that the machine allows.
Ease of use. Once you get to a machine, it has a little sticker on the side that tells you which muscles you’re isolating and also how to do the workout. Some even say what not to do while working out. This is helpful for those who don’t fully understand the free weights just yet!
Faster workouts. Instead of waiting on a spotter, or having to undo the entire thing just to change the weights and then re-adjust, you just have to take the pin out and push it in to increase or decrease the weight on the machine. It’s far less time consuming. You also don’t need to re-rack the machine, you just wipe it down and go to the next exercise. Simple!
Disadvantages of Machines:
All of the machines aren’t alike; however, most of them do require moving a weight along a predetermined path. This makes it impossible to derive synergistic or stabilizer muscle strength.
Isokeinetic machines (those that control movement velocity) remove the “natural” aspect from the exercise. Many physiologists claim that this renders the machines less effective in developing strength and size.
It’s generally impossible to achieve maximum velocity, and high-speed training. This is due to the machine’s construction constraints. The machine may break, jerk violently, or simply not accommodate training.
Most of the machines are built to serve an average sized person. Very short or very tall people can find it very hard to use many of the machines.
Here’s the bottom line… Find the fitness equipment that best meets your objectives. Like I had mentioned earlier, if you’re new at this it won’t hurt to start out on the machines. Some machines offer exercises that dumbbells and barbells don’t (it’s a few, but still). Get used to the weights using the machines, or even your own body weight…then work your way to the free weights.
Experienced exercise scientists agree that as far as weight training goes, the free weights reign supreme!
Have a great day! I hope you found this helpful!
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