Free Weights vs. Exercise Machines

Free Weights vs. Exercise Machines

If you are a bodybuilder, chances are you’ve worked with both of the different kinds of weight setups before. Free weights are what typically come to mind when you think of a bodybuilder. These are the “plates” that are put onto bars and then lifted on the bench press and other exercises. The other possibility is a weight machine, where a key placed between the stacked weights determines the resistance level as you lift the weights using cables. Each option has its advantages and disadvantages.

When it comes to price, free weights have the edge, hands down. You can buy a bench and a few necessary attachments for relatively cheap, maybe even finding them used somewhere. The weights themselves are typically priced around 50 cents a pound, meaning you can get a 300-pound set for about $150. Exercise machines, on the other hand, can be very expensive. They have been meticulously planned and designed, and this is reflected in their price.

For ease of use, the machines may get the point. Free weights almost always require a spotter. Doing the bench press without someone standing over you is very unsafe and extremely dangerous. The weight machines are designed to where they spot themselves, in a way. As the user, you are really only handling the cables, and they pose relatively little danger if you were to lose your hold and let them drop. If you are planning on working out without a partner to spot you, then you may want to seriously consider one of the weight machines.

This leads directly into safety, another category in which the weight machines may have the edge. With free weights, the weight itself is in your hands and being lifted above you. If you drop it, you could be hurt or killed. Weight machines are designed so that the weights do not leave the machine; they are low to the ground and relatively stationary. You are only touching the cables that are connected to the weights, keeping you away from danger.

The actual workout that you are getting from the two different setups is an interesting factor though. Two different men who do the exact same workout regimen, one of free weights and the other on a weight machine, will turn out looking very different. This is due to a simple fact that many people do not realize about free weights. Free weights actually give you a better workout, because they require you to balance the weight yourself. This utilizes different parts of your muscles, closer to the surface of your skin. These smaller muscle areas twitch and move to help you keep the weight balanced above you. With weight machines, the weight is held steady for you. These small muscle areas do not get utilized and thus do not grow. This is why a bodybuilder using a weight machine will get the same increase in overall muscle size from lifting the same weight, but will not look as soon overall. His surface muscles will be less developed that a free weight user.

This detail may make all the difference for some bodybuilders, but in the end, the choice is up to each individual. Next time you go to the gym, stop to think and weigh the pros and cons before you decide which equipment to use.

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