Free Weights vs. Machines: How To Get The Most Out Of Your Workout

The following is an informative, beneficial and useful article on the many benefits of exercise and how a carefully planned training routine will boost our health and fitness. This great article discusses, compares and anlyses the benefits of free weights versus machines so that we can develop a more tailored and successful training plan. Thank you to Josef Samuels from iMonty for providing the article and his professional servive.

Do you prefer free weights or machines? Do you use a mixture of both? It would be great to hear your thoughts. Enjoy the read.

High 5,

Matt

Free Weights vs. Machines: How To Get The Most Out Of Your Workout

Reaching your fitness goals requires a carefully planned training routine that targets specific muscle groups, allows for optimal training of those muscles and is supplemented by a healthy and balanced diet. You may have this waxed already. But, there is always room for improvement. When you opt for the shoulder press machine, you neglect the strengthening of stabiliser muscles. When you choose to squat with a barbell, you fail to target your quads for superior development. Free weights versus machines is a hotly contested debate. But, neither should be dismissed. Each offers a range of unique benefits and knowing these is the first step to choosing a routine that will help you achieve your goals quicker.

Whether you choose the barbell or machine bench press for your chest workout, you can boost the efficiency of your training regimen with several beneficial supplements. Green tea extract is a potent energy-boosting supplement and therefore is an extremely effective pre-workout. Carb blockers prevent the absorption of starch into the body and therefore are beneficial for weight loss programmes. These are just a few supplements that can help you achieve your training goals more efficiently and you can find the best options available here at Review Critic.

Free Weights

Free weight training is the use of any gym equipment that does not guide or assist movement and range of the chosen exercise. Examples of this training include; dumbbell bench press, barbell bicep curls and barbell back squats. Because of the need to control the movement of these exercises, free weight training is often considered to be more difficult. In these exercises, you will want to start lighter and gradually increase weights as you become accustomed to them. The benefits of using free weights include:

● Quicker strength gains as a result of stabiliser muscles being used to complete the exercise. While you may be performing a simple back squat to strengthen your quads, many other muscles are working in tandem to compensate for the lack of assistance provided by a machine. These muscles, such as the core, are maintaining balance and coordination to aid in the completion of the exercise.
● Free weight training trains your body in three dimensions. As a result, this improves your functional fitness and makes performing activities outside of gym easier.
● Using free weights can add a level of excitement and fun to your gym experience. They give you the opportunity to zone in and take control of your routine, allowing you to train the way you want to. However, the correct form is crucial to free weight training. You may require the assistance of a friend or personal trainer to ensure that you are maintaining solid form during each rep.

Here is a great free weight programme for optimal hypertrophy training. 

Machines

Resistance machines control the range of motion of a particular exercise. They alleviate other muscles from supporting the workout of a targeted muscle. These machines are great for beginners. They help your muscles get accustomed to and learn the movement required for a specific exercise. They are beneficial for those wanting to strengthen isolated muscle groups. Here are a few more benefits of using resistance machines:

● Muscle groups that are harder to train with free weights can require the assistance of machine training.
● If you do not have a friend or personal trainer to 'spot' you then using these machines can help you increase the weight of your exercise without sacrificing form.
● These machines are beneficial for training muscles that are 'lagging' behind the others. By isolating specific muscle groups, they do not strengthen muscles that are not targeted in the exercise.
● Resistance machines help those suffering from injuries train with less strain. Less strain on injuries equals reduced recovery time.

Here are a number of beneficial machine workouts to add to your programme.

While both offer significant benefits, they are not void of shortcomings. Free weight training can be difficult without the assistance of a 'spotter' when using heavier weights. They result in increased strain on the muscle which can lead to injuries. Machines do not promote functional fitness and may be ineffective for athletes or sports enthusiasts. They also provide slower gains when compared to free weight training. Despite their downfalls, both are beneficial to muscle strength and a combination of the two would prove most advantageous.