Free Weights Vs Weight Machines: Which is More Effective?
Walk into a gym, and you’ll have two different weight training options to choose from- weight machines or free weights. If you are new to weight lifting, how will you decide whether you should lift dumbbells or barbells, or move to chest press or leg press?
Both, weight machines and free weights, have their own benefits. To help you decide between the two, we have listed some of their most important benefits.
Benefits of weight machines
- Reduced risk of injury- Most of the free weight exercises require proper training and knowledge to do them in the correct form. On the other hand, the levers and guides of weight machines like Bodymasters equipment make it easier for you to get the right form which in turn helps in reducing the risk of injury.
- Better muscle isolation- If you prefer working on a single muscle group at a time or are injured, machines would help you achieve your objective in a much simpler way than free weight.
- Ideal for beginners- Generally, weight machines are placed in areas that are far from the crowd around the dumbbell racks. Moreover, they also have professional instructors to help you use the machines in the correct manner.
- Easy weight changes- Free weights require you to stack a lot of plates on a barbell or pick and place the dumbbells back on the rack. On the other hand, weight machines have their own weight stack which makes the whole process of changing weight simple and quick.
Benefits of free weights
- Get stronger- A number of studies have proven that free weights make you much stronger than weight machines.
- More athletic- As compared to weight machines, free weights do an exceptional job of eliminating imbalances and improving coordination.
- Better and more natural range of motion- With free weights, you get a much more comfortable and natural range of motion which in many cases cannot be experienced with weight machines. For instance, for a lot of people, overhead shoulder press can feel more comfortable with dumbbells rather than a weight machine.
- Work higher number of muscle- While weight machines are good for isolation, free weights employs a higher number of muscles and can burn more calories in lesser time.
A healthy exercise program should have weight machines as well as free weight exercises. Many of the weight lifters do circuit on weight machines but also include some free weight exercises to replace some machines which they are not comfortable with, burn a higher amount of calories, or just to mix things up.
No matter what you prefer, rest assured that both the options will help you achieve your bodybuilding goals, get stronger and burn calories.
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