Are you a free weight fanatic or do you enjoy using resistance machines? No matter which camp you fall into, we can all agree that both are essential in the pursuit of building strength and improving overall health. 

From enhancing bone density to increasing muscle mass, these training tools are powerhouses of physical benefits. But which one is better? This blog will cover Free weights vs machines —  pros, cons, and which one reigns supreme?

What’s The Difference Between Resistance Machines & Free Weights 

When it comes to the debate of resistance machines vs free weights, there are significant differences in both how they work and the results that can be achieved with each. 

Free weights include gym equipment like dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells etc. In essence, they are weights that can be moved freely. This allows you to move them in any way you choose and personalise your workouts. It is extremely important to maintain good form and technique no matter what lift you are completing, especially when you are using free weights. 

Weighted machines refer to weighted equipment that have a guided movement path. These can be loaded with weighted plates (i.e., leg press) or pin-loaded (i.e., cable machine lat pull down). These are great for maintaining control of the movement, allowing you to work till failure with less risk.

Benefits and Drawbacks To Free Weights

Benefits

One of the most prominent benefits is the activation of stabiliser muscles. When incorporating this method into your workouts, your body must coordinate multiple muscles, especially around joints such as your shoulders to control the weight and the movement. By doing so, the increased muscle activation within stabiliser muscles causes adaptation. Therefore, some argue that by doing free-weight training, you are gaining greater muscular adaptation. The key thing with strengthening your stabiliser muscles is that it is great for injury prevention and improves your ability to perform dynamic movements.

Additionally, free weights offer pieces of equipment that take up less space and are versatile, allowing you to move them around and reorganise your gym easily. 

Drawbacks

Although very useful in building stabiliser muscle for injury prevention, with improper form, you can be at a greater risk of injury before reaping the benefits. It is important to start light and learn the proper technique of each lift before ramping up the weight.

Also, as you progress and start lifting heavier weights, for equipment such as barbells, you will need a spotter, to not risk dropping the weight on yourself.

Examples Exercises

• Bench press
• Shoulder press
• Barbell squats 
• Dumbbell lunges
• Bicep curls
• Lateral raises

Benefits and Drawbacks Of Resistance Machines

Benefits

Resistance machines offer a beginner-friendly piece of equipment. The guided path helps you to learn how a movement should be completed for you to take over into your free weight training. With this, injury risk is reduced. Becuase of this, it makes it a great piece of equipment for people who are completing a rehanilitation programme and returning from injury. 

Additionally, they allow you to isolate specific muscles, which is great for trainers such as bodybuilders or for people who only want to focus on one muscle group.

Drawbacks

Some resistance machines limit your range of movement during the lift. This means that you're not pinning your muscle under tension for the full range of motion, which leads to less adaptation. With this, the movement becomes less functional, meaning it doesn't associate with everyday activities. 

It depends on your health goals, for building specific muscles, machines might be for you, however, you wont get as much of a benefit in functional ability, which helps you complete day-to-day tasks. 

Examples Exercises

• Chest press
• Lat pull down
• Seated row
• Leg extension 
• Hamstring Curls
• Leg press

Free Weights Vs Machines: Which is better for you? 

A recent review presented an analysis that shows that both methods are similar in providing improved strength, hypertrophy and jump performance (Source).

This means that whichever you use, is purely dependent on your fitness goals.

For functionality, free weights will likely be the favoured method within your programme. Free weights are the predominantly used method for athletic development as well. Although free weights and machines provide similar increases in jump performance, over-athletic qualities were not assessed. Contact sports require full body strength to perform better, which cannot be measured with strength tests that were used in the aforementioned research. 

If you're new to the muscle-building game, machines or light free weights should be your go-to. The machine will help you learn the movements required to lift free weights. They offer more safety during your training, which is crucial, even more so if you are training alone.

We recommend that you use these concurrently. By doing so, you can target isolated movement with resistance machines but also activate important stabiliser muscles to prevent injury. 

One thing that is worth noting, is that free weights come at a much lower cost and can offer a variety of exercises. This will allow you to optimise your space also. So if you're just starting out at creating your home gym, free weights should be at the top of your list. 

Check out our range of free weights on our website.

FAQs 

Are machines safer than free weights?

Safety is a top priority when it comes to strength training. In general, machines are considered safer than free weights because they are designed to guide your movements and provide support throughout the exercise. 

With machines, you don't have to worry about balancing the weight, which can be particularly beneficial for beginners or those with injuries. However, proper form and technique are crucial regardless of the equipment you use.

Do free weights or machines burn more calories?

If your goal is to burn calories, both free weights and machines can be effective options. However, free weights typically require more stabilisation, which means they engage more muscle groups and therefore burn more calories. 

That said, the number of calories burned depends on factors such as the type of exercise, the intensity, and the duration. So, it's best to choose the equipment that you enjoy using and that challenges you the most.

Can you build more muscle with machine weights if you can lift more than free weights?

Building muscle is about challenging your muscles to adapt and grow, regardless of the equipment you use. Whether you lift free weights or machines, the key is to progressively increase the weight or resistance over time. 

While lifting heavier weights with machines may be easier due to the added support and guidance, it doesn't necessarily mean that you'll build more muscle. The most important factor is to push your muscles to fatigue, ensuring that you're using proper form and technique. 

Ultimately, the best approach is to vary your training routine with both free weights and machines to optimise muscle growth.