Should you use free weights or machines? Depending on what you're looking for, both weight workouts can help you get stronger, in different ways. And by incorporating the right type of weights at the right time in your workout, you can build muscle and be safe at the same time.
Free weights are good for lifting because they build a number of muscles at once. When you lift a weight, you're using more than just one muscle. For example, when you bench press you're not just working your chest, biceps and shoulders, but also a number of smaller supporting muscles. Free weights also improve your balance and coordination. Machines, on the other hand, don't leave much room for creativity. They get straight to the point, targeting certain muscles. A machine guarantees that you're working on the exact muscle you want to. If you're targeting a single muscle, though, you should probably find the machine just right for you.
If you're like me and you don't know much about weight lifting, then machines are a great introduction to the art. I like using machines because most have diagrams and instructions telling you how to operate the machine and what muscles are affected.
If you don't know a lot of free weight exercises - or just feel silly trying to figure out what to do in front of everyone - machines are there for you. As you get stronger and more comfortable in the weight room, you can start incorporating free weights into your workouts.
But be careful not to cheat! Senior personal trainer and Rec Center facility manager Tanmay Manohar said a drawback about machines is that they give you "more potential to cheat."
"Unless you are doing something that has separate handles for your left and right sides, you might naturally try to use your stronger side, like your right arm in a biceps curl, to lift the entire weight, resulting in unbalanced muscles," he says.
Some experts say that free weights build "core" muscles, whereas machines are more for "aesthetic" muscles.
"I only want to work out my glamour muscles," senior Dan MacShane said.
Since free weights work a number of muscles as well as your balance and coordination, the results of free weight lifting are often more useful in real life.
For example, you could do a million moves to strengthen your biceps on a machine, but your coordination and smaller muscles are still underdeveloped. When it comes time to lift a heavy box, your strength and coordination is all out of proportion. Since free weights work a number of muscles, the variety of muscles built can help you in the real world.
Free weights also combine large muscle groups, which most machines can't. A squat, for example, works all parts of your quad, hamstrings, hip flexors, outer and inner thighs, lower back, pelvic region and abs. A leg press machine can work on a few of these areas, but still falls short.
What matters most, though, is your safety. Though free weights have many pros, safety is their big con. If you're new to lifting or not sure about your body's limits, free weights can do more harm than good. Make sure to have a spotter when necessary and if you're not sure if you can handle the weight, go to a machine instead. If you overexert yourself or use poor form, you could do more harm than good.
"One of the most important tips is to maintain perfect form," Manohar said. "If something doesn't feel right, or if adding more weight means that you are sacrificing your form, stop right away. It is not worth injuring yourself and being sidelined for months just so that you say you bench pressed 10 extra pounds."
Most weight lifters save the machines for the end of their workout, when their muscles are tired. This way, if their muscles give out, their foot won't be crushed by a dropped dumbbell.
And don't forget the "ultimate free weight" - the human body. Push-ups, sit-ups and other strength exercises can keep you strong and toned.
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