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Free Weights vs Machines: Which is Better?

QUESTION: I know this is an old question; but which is better for developing strength and muscle mass, free weights or machines?

ANSWER: I would have answered this question differently a year or two ago and given you the numerous purported advantages of free weights, i.e., variety, multiple angles of training, customizing movements, development of balance and coordination and overall strength. I've now changed my mind and favor machines for most, though not all, training requirements. Here are some of my reasons for my different stance.

1. I have to admit I never really completely understood how good machines, e.g., Nautilus and Hammer, work. My thought was machines primarily mimicked free-weight movements, making those movements a bit safer and smoother. In fact, that's all many machines do, but the better machines feature variable resistance and movements that are different and a fuller range of motion than free weights. If calisthenics are analogous to using paper and pencil for calculations, free weights are similar to good but limited hand-held calculators, while machines -- good ones -- are commensurate with powerful personal computers.
2. A variety of free-weight movements may be used to work a body part because each movement emphasizes a different part of the range of motion. Conceivably, for example, you could do regular bar curls, incline dumbbell curls, and concentration curls to emphasize mid-range, stretch, and contracted parts of the range of motion. Clearly, this is not an economical way to train, and the approach recognizes the limitation of each movement.
3. Contrast the free-weight approach to cover all bases to a bicep curl on a (classic) Nautilus machine. Using variable resistance (however imperfect), there is appropriate resistance in a full stretch position, plus a fully contracted position behind your head. You can use the one movement, often for one hard set, in place of the three free-weight movements.
4. Likewise, some newer machines effectively combine two movements. For example, the Hammer chest press machines combine a flye type (stretch) movement with a pushing movement. The result is one great movement that entirely works the chest, instead of two or three free-weight movements.
5. Machines help you train in a very high-intensity way. With machines, you can more readily do slower, controlled repetitions and negative repetitions with little chance for injury. Of course, machines do not guarantee a high-intensity workout, but simply make it more feasible for all body parts.

Having listed some of the merits of machines, it is also important to note these potential drawbacks or points to think about:

1. Most home gyms will not have the space, much less the resources, for many machines. Therefore, a good free- weight set-up is more practical.
2. Excellent results can be achieved using a limited number of free-weight movements requiring inexpensive, absolutely barebones equipment, i.e., squats, deadlifts, rows, chins, dips, overhead presses, pullovers, curls, forearm curls.
3. A few free-weight movements may better approximate the functional strength movements required in everyday life and may have better transfer, e.g., bent-knee deadlifts.
4. Some compound free-weight movements may better train the coordination and balance of different muscle groups, again required for everyday functional strength.

Please note there is controversy about the last two points, with surprisingly little supportive data for the transfer of a specific modality of training to other circumstances. Indeed, a contrasting notion is to build strength and then learn how to transfer that strength to different activities by performing those activities.

A final point favoring some use of free weights has to do with competitiveness and demonstrating strength. Here I am not referring to power or Olympic lifters who somewhere in their training must practice maximum or near-maximum lifts in their designated movements. Rather, I'm referring to the more typical athlete, recreational trainer, or even competitive bodybuilder interested in strength. The point is there are universal yardsticks for what are "good weights" in any of the usual free-weight movements, but this is less the case for machines (although this will probably change). Therefore, for those of us interested in demonstrating our prowess, doing a few free-weight movements makes sense.

For these and the other reasons noted, while my training is largely machine-based, I continue to do regular squats, stiff-leg deadlifts, barbell rows, and regular chins and dips. Also, keep in mind virtually everyone uses "conventional machines" for such movements as calf raises, pulldowns, and pushdowns, further illustrating why some of the controversy about machines v. free weights is a pseudo-debate.

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The information presented on this website is intended to be used for educational purposes only. Please consult with your own physician or health care practitioner regarding any suggestions and recommendations made.