Free weights/machines/pulleys

[Syringer]

What's the difference between the three, and which is most effective?

 

[slikmunks]

well, free weights are... free.... weights..... basically they're barbells and dumbells, no machine to help you support or restrict movement, whereas machines/pulleys are where you use a machine to stabalize the movement and pulleys to lift the weight in a way that you normally wouldn't be able to, like doing pull-downs, if there were no pulley/machine, you wouldn't be able to do weighted pull-downs...

machines are good, but imho, free weights are better, they work the supporting muscles as well as the muscles you're trying to focus on. so rather than just working out your chest and tris when doing a chest press using a machine, you use all the stabalizing muscles in your upper body to keep the weight from swaying and stuff... creates a better network of muscles in your body, i guess you could say

 

[Heisenberg]

slikmunks has a good explanation of the differences. Although I will disagree that free weights are better than machines. IMO, each has their strengths/weaknesses, and one isn't "better" than the other. Free weights do tend to work more muscles at once, but machines allow you to target specific muscles more effectively. They each have their uses, and a combination of the two is, IMHO, the best way to go.

 

[Saltin]

Free weights are the best for building muscle, no question. They are also the most difficult to use properly. Free weight requires one to use muscles (stablizers) that machines do not/cannot address.

 

[Ameesh]

i start using the machines when i cap out on my wieghts on the free wieghts that way i dont worry about a heavy dumbell falling on my face.

 

[slikmunks]

heisenberg is right... i usually work out for overall strength, but i need to start working on tone, and a combination of both machines and free weights is probably the best. what i would and will probably do is use free weights to power train, and machines to iso to build a little definition and build strength in specific body parts.

 

[HOWITIS]

free weights are way better for muscle growth. you get to use your stabalizer muscles.


the only people who use ONLY machines and pulleys are women.

 

[slikmunks]

Originally posted by: Ameesh
i start using the machines when i cap out on my wieghts on the free wieghts that way i dont worry about a heavy dumbell falling on my face.

hehehe, that's another good point

 

[Kyle]

Originally posted by: HOWITIS
free weights are way better for muscle growth. you get to use your stabalizer muscles.


the only people who use ONLY machines and pulleys are women.

Or me...got the routine from a personal trainer at gold's gym, now at 24hr fitness there are enough machines to hit every main muscle group and I've bulked up just fine. I've tried freeweights before but machines/pullies work for me for now at least...

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: Ameesh
i start using the machines when i cap out on my wieghts on the free wieghts that way i dont worry about a heavy dumbell falling on my face.

Hmm, yeah, I was doing incline bench presses today with a 60 lb dumbbell and at the peak of the lift I kind of just dropped it on my left shoulder. I was still holding on to it but it was quite an impact..

 

[Sluggo]

Free weights can do more harm than good on occasions.

Not using proper form and just slinging around more weight than you can SAFELY and PROPERLY handle is a great way injure muscles, tendons and ligaments.

Free weights do have the advantage of implementing your natural lifting geometry if done properly, machines and pulleys can give artificial geometry to some exercises.

Some machines are hard to live without for a good workout, the cable crossover is a prime example, there is no dumbell exercise that can give the same resistance through the extreme range of motion that a cable crossover machine can.

Machines, cables and free weights all have a proper place in a complete workout, guys who know what they are doing and want to look good will make effective use of all of them.

 

[Ameesh]

Originally posted by: Syringer

Originally posted by: Ameesh
i start using the machines when i cap out on my wieghts on the free wieghts that way i dont worry about a heavy dumbell falling on my face.

Hmm, yeah, I was doing incline bench presses today with a 60 lb dumbbell and at the peak of the lift I kind of just dropped it on my left shoulder. I was still holding on to it but it was quite an impact..

yeah imagine that $hit falling on your face. ouchie!

 

[Ameesh]

Originally posted by: HOWITIS
free weights are way better for muscle growth. you get to use your stabalizer muscles.


the only people who use ONLY machines and pulleys are women.

 

[Spamela]

i use machines only when i'm recovering from an injury.

otherwise, strictly free weights - machines restrict your "natural" path of movement too much, although they are safer.

 

[godmare]

Machines/pulleys are for 'back day' for me 😉 Even then I concentrate more on barbell rows than machine rows, but pulldowns are important, too.

 

[StageLeft]

I use mostly free weights and throw machines and pulleys in to supplement. I think you'll find that at most gyms the largest most built guys rely primarily on free weights.