Free weights versus machines, for Rambo and others to debate

[CCS]

Hairy, thanks for correcting StopTheMaddness.

As for everyone else, discuss!

 

[CCS]

I find that even bench press locks my grip into a position I don't like, forcing me to bend my wrists to adjust to it. They can handle it for a while, but then they can get injured. That is why I take two dumb bells with the bars parallel to each other and lean the weights together to make a neutral grip. Then I press with that. It works tri's and chest, and lets me hold them how I want. I wish I had designed this years ago.

And wide grip pull ups (thumbs pointing together) hurts my elbows. I later read that they are only good for very flexible guys. So now just do normal grip with thumbs pointing away, or neutral grip or close grip. Feels good. My brother got hurt by those thumb together grips too. I know it is needed for rock climbing, but I don't get hurt if I don't do it a lot. But if I'm cranking out reps and sets at the gym, that is when I need to do it the other way. Same with bench.

 

[hair today gone tomorrow]

there isn't much to discuss

free weights > machines

 

[mulder]

Free weights are the base exercises for building muscle in my opinion. Machines might be good for refining exercises or the injured, or simply an adjunct to free weight exercises....but I have little doubt that properly executed free weight exercises would be more effective in building muscle mass than the majority of machine substitutes. Particularly when you're talking about large muscle groups IMO.

 

[TAINTED-MEAT]

Re: Free weights versus machines, for Rambo and others to de

Hairy, thanks for correcting Tainted Meat.

As for everyone else, discuss!

What did I say that was corrected?

 

[The Gardener]

I agree that free weights are better, but machines have their place.

Case in point... I used to do shoulder press with bells, while standing. Somewhere back in time I somehow got lazy and started doing them in a chair. Well, one day I went to the gym and it was shoulders day, and all the chairs were taken. I decided to do them standing, like I used to. I could lift the weight, but the weights over my head were swerving all over the place from side to side because the seated position handicapped all of the supporting muscles!

Free weight workouts are far better from an holistic perspective... but I do think that some of the machines should be thrown in from time to time, because they are great at the range of motion stuff.

When working out a muscle group, its good to mix it up, do a concentrated exercise, do a full range of motion exercise, and do a more holistic exercise.

 

[muaythai187]

In my opinion if you are looking to add mass and increase your overall strength nothing can beat free weights. Squats are a great example why free weights are superior to machines. Also you won't see same results with machines because you aren't working your stabilizing muscles that are such a vital part of seeing gains in the weight you can lift.
In contrast machines are far superior to free weights due to the fact that you don't have a specif "zone" in which you are actually working the desired muscles. With machines, they utilize a cam that eliminates this " zone" giving you far superior results. They also have the ability to isolate a specific group or groups of muscle, making them ideal for physical therapy patience that only want to do one leg or arm. They are also good for older people or handicap people who can't handle all of the stress of free weights but still want to work out and get in shape.
I think both have its benefits and disadvantages.

 

[CCS]

Re: Free weights versus machines, for Rambo and others to de

Hairy, thanks for correcting Tainted Meat.

As for everyone else, discuss!

What did I say that was corrected?

Sorry, it was StopTheMadness who, not TaintedMeat. Both have a cat avator. He said beginners should start out with machines, especially for back exercises, until we get stronger. Then we can graduate to free weights. Hairy corrected him, saying it is better to start free weights before we get too strong.

 

[Harie]

I definitely think that machines are good for injured people in that , it allows them to train around their injury in many cases. Though, I'd suspect their injury (if gotten in the gym) was due to using machines in the 1st place, or performing the exercise improperly...Or just being plain ol' stupid when it comes to lifting.

I disagree that old people should use machines because they especially need strong stabilizer muscles.

With the ability to adjust free weights in 2.5lb increments, it's easy for any older person to start out with the proper weight for their bodies. If 2.5lbs is too much (maybe on squats for an 80 year old), they can do body weight exercises instead.

 

[hair today gone tomorrow]

I love how most people try to claim that squats...esp. *** to the grass squats are bad for your knees and back....so INSTEAD they do leg extensions...

Too bad heavy weight leg extensions are actually TERRIBLE for your knees and full range squats actually STRENGTHEN your knees.

 

[CCS]

I love how most people try to claim that squats...esp. *** to the grass squats are bad for your knees and back....so INSTEAD they do leg extensions...

Too bad heavy weight leg extensions are actually TERRIBLE for your knees and full range squats actually STRENGTHEN your knees.

That is what I keep hearing. Funny how leg extensions don't hurt at all, and squats do. For me anyway. Not sure why. I used to ride a bicycle with a low seat, and got lots of knee bend, and hurt my knees bad. Now I have shorter cranks and a higher seat. My knees feel great. And they really hurt if I ever get on a smaller bicycle.

 

[powersam]

never used machines myself. they might be good for working muscles that are hard to isolate though.

as for squats, i actually had a bit of trouble with them for a while. knees clicking and hurting etc. i did a bunch of weighted forward lunges for a month or so then went back and there was no issue.

 

[hair today gone tomorrow]

never used machines myself. they might be good for working muscles that are hard to isolate though.

as for squats, i actually had a bit of trouble with them for a while. knees clicking and hurting etc. i did a bunch of weighted forward lunges for a month or so then went back and there was no issue.

reallym muscles dont need to be isolated...especially for newbs...

if you do compounds your body will grow as a whole...obv. there are a few isolations you should do...but free weights can take care of them.

 

[CCS]

as for squats, i actually had a bit of trouble with them for a while. knees clicking and hurting etc. i did a bunch of weighted forward lunges for a month or so then went back and there was no issue.

non-weighted lunges hurt my knees. Not every day though. Some days my knees don't hurt.

 

[Harie]

I love how most people try to claim that squats...esp. *** to the grass squats are bad for your knees and back....so INSTEAD they do leg extensions...

Too bad heavy weight leg extensions are actually TERRIBLE for your knees and full range squats actually STRENGTHEN your knees.

HTGT - how far down do you go in the squat? I can't go more than a few inches below parallel. I've seen vids of people that can go till their glutes hit their calves. Crazy flexible!

 

[powersam]

I love how most people try to claim that squats...esp. *** to the grass squats are bad for your knees and back....so INSTEAD they do leg extensions...

Too bad heavy weight leg extensions are actually TERRIBLE for your knees and full range squats actually STRENGTHEN your knees.

HTGT - how far down do you go in the squat? I can't go more than a few inches below parallel. I've seen vids of people that can go till their glutes hit their calves. Crazy flexible!

what???? you arent meant to go that far???? full range of motion i thought.

 

[hair today gone tomorrow]

I love how most people try to claim that squats...esp. *** to the grass squats are bad for your knees and back....so INSTEAD they do leg extensions...

Too bad heavy weight leg extensions are actually TERRIBLE for your knees and full range squats actually STRENGTHEN your knees.

HTGT - how far down do you go in the squat? I can't go more than a few inches below parallel. I've seen vids of people that can go till their glutes hit their calves. Crazy flexible!

I can go pretty low, my calfs dont hit my glutes... but im WELL below parallel. Obviously you have to sacrifice weight to go that low but i dont mind it.

 

[hair today gone tomorrow]

I love how most people try to claim that squats...esp. *** to the grass squats are bad for your knees and back....so INSTEAD they do leg extensions...

Too bad heavy weight leg extensions are actually TERRIBLE for your knees and full range squats actually STRENGTHEN your knees.

HTGT - how far down do you go in the squat? I can't go more than a few inches below parallel. I've seen vids of people that can go till their glutes hit their calves. Crazy flexible!

what???? you arent meant to go that far???? full range of motion i thought.

full range of motion is as low as your body allows....dont stop at parallel...thats probably the WORST thing you can do for your knees

 

[CCS]

full range of motion is as low as your body allows....dont stop at parallel...thats probably the WORST thing you can do for your knees

Oh great, now squating to parallel is the worst thing we can do for our knees. Any other ways to mess them up? Are leg curls safe?

 

[powersam]

but why wouldnt you be doing them till your glutes hit your calves? why would you only do them till paralell? to me not being able to do the full range of motion would mean you were using too much weight to start off with.