Free Weights vs Machines

Training with free weights vs machines depends upon your goals, experience, and personal situation. Advantages of free weights are the disadvantages of machines, and vice versa.

Free weights are loose resistances that you lift without the guidance or restriction of any mechanical devices. Barbells and dumbbells are primary examples.

Weight lifting machines are mechanical devices that offer resistance while guiding your range of motion to some extent.

By definition, medicine balls, stability balls, weighted bars, and other weighted objects used for exercise are free weights.

Training Advantages of Free Weights

The very fact that you must support the resistances throughout the range of any lift without assistance (except spotting) offers certain advantages and disadvantages.

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Having to grip, balance, and control the resistance taps body mechanisms that are not needed for exercising on many machines.

For example, squats involve supporting the bar on the shoulders while coordinating the actions of multiple joints. More muscles play supporting roles (i.e., to stabilize and neutralize) to the main muscles involved in the lift.

Several machines would be needed to accomplish the same movements. However, each movement would be executed separately and without tapping the body's support mechanisms needed to control a bar.

Overcoming unguided resistances simulates real life movement patterns. Women, particularly female athletes, can greatly benefit from performing free weight exercises that match the demands of many sport skills.

When you involve more muscles and lift heavier resistances, you use up more energy. You can also improve more components of fitness, and learn to train with more economy of movement and time.

Training Disadvantages of Free Weights

The nature of performing exercises with unguided resistances also poses shortcomings, depending upon your needs and goals. With the issue of free weights vs machines, the disadvantages of one are often the advantages of the other.

Leg Press Lifting free weights using multi-joint exercises can be a disadvantage if you do not perform exercises with proper technique. This is especially true for the explosive Olympic lifting exercises.

If you do not maintain good posture, lift with jerky movements, lift too much weight, or train without a spotter, injuries can occur.

Whole body lifting can be problematic if you have certain physical limitations, want to emphasize specific muscles, or are new to weightlifting.

Weight lifting machines or light resistances, such as medicine balls, may be better options.

For more about free weights vs machines for athletes, see Weight Training for Sports

Free Weight Equipment

Neoprene Dumbbells--a favorite type of free weight for women. Low cost, easily stored, and very versatile.

Thera-Bands--also low cost and versatile. Great for rehab from injuries.

Body Bars --light weight bars are gaining popularity among women; also used for sports training (e.g., gymnastics).

Medicine Balls--very versatile, durable; excellent for core and upper body training.

Kettlebells have gained popularity world-wide, even though they've been around for a century. They offer an excellent general fitness workout for functional strength, cardio, and balance.

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