Free Weights vs Machines

[kyleb]

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There is a lot wrong with using the Smith Machine. A lot.


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No there isn't. It isolates certain muscles that you need to isolate. If you are a 7fter with no coordination then I dont' know what to tell you. 90% of the people who do squats do them wrong (me included) and mess up things that the Smith Machine wouldn't let them mess up. Ex. Back, knees etc.

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There is a lot wrong with the Smith Machine in that most people who use them push back on the bar, which can cause serious stress on the back and can cause shearing effects on the knees. Even the majority of the people who show you how to do squats on the Smith Machine are doing incorrectly. Simple ass-to-grass squats and deadlifts with free weights are best for stabilizer muscles and for safety reasons.

[Colt McCoy]

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There is a lot wrong with using the Smith Machine. A lot.


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No there isn't. It isolates certain muscles that you need to isolate. If you are a 7fter with no coordination then I dont' know what to tell you. 90% of the people who do squats do them wrong (me included) and mess up things that the Smith Machine wouldn't let them mess up. Ex. Back, knees etc.

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This is exactly what's wrong with it. Unless you're rehabbing or something, isloation is bad, not good.

[Colt McCoy]

I was actually going to start a thread on this since my comment in Dids thread sparked the question.

Why are machines bad? Because they isolate the muscle, which is bad for a variety of reasons. Here are a couple.

1) It doesn't make you strong. Almost no task that you perform in real life, whether it's sports-related or lifting a bag of dog food, can be performed using a single muscle. Most movements will require multiple muscle groups including large muscles and numerous stabilizing muscles.

Free weights require you to work those stabilizing muscles, whereas machines perform the work of those stabilizing muscles for you. The result is that when you try to perform some task, the main muscle may be strong, but you're still unable to perform the task because the stabilizing muscles are weak and the other large muscle groups are not providing any support either.

In addition, because machines isolate muscles rather than stimulating large muscle groups, they don't adequately stimulate the central nervous system to learn to recruit more muscle fibers, which dramatically limits your strength gains.

2) Machines are dangerous and result in injuries. They are probably safer in the gym as they don't really allow you to do much that will hurt you. The danger is outside the gym. Since your muscles are isolated during workouts, they never learn to work together. They don't learn to support each other correctly. They don't learn to tense and relax the way natural movement and exertion requires. The result is that next time you go to pick up that bag of dog food, you have some muscles zigging when others are zagging. Some muscles tense, but the support muscles are relaxed and don't provide the natural protection for each other than they should. Lo and behold you pull something, strain something or tear something.

[Colt McCoy]

Also, for people who think machines are good for beginners to get started who will eventually learn and switch over to freeweights once they're stronger and more comfortable. This is a recipe for disaster.

Using the bench press as an example, many beginners have trouble with even light weights not because their large chest and shoulder muscles aren't strong enough to lift the weight but because all the stabilizing muscles aren't strong enough to hold the bar steady. So what happens?

Say they can bench 110 lb. using freeweights, but anything heavier and they have trouble holding the bar steady. So they decide they like the machine better because it effectively holds the bar steady for them. They spend the next couple fo months making those big beginner strength gains and their bench press on the machine goes up dramatically.

Then they think, hey, it's time to get serious. They realize if they want to continue to progress, they'll need to lift freeweights. So they get someone to show them proper form and switch over. Now they're in an even worse situation. The strength of their large muscles that do most of the work have increased dramatically so they can lift say 175 lb. BUT the stabilizing muscles have gotten not one iota of work from all the machine lifting. So which was more dangerous? Lifting 110 with weak stabilizing muscles? Or lifting 175 with those same weak stabilizing muscles?

[slickpoppa]

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"[F]ree weights require the help of a spotter, and result in more injuries than machines." LINK

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Are you [censored] kidding me? Did anyone click on that? Never post a garbage, fluff-piece link like that again.

Free weights will only cause injuries if:
a) You use bad technique (which is also possible with machines),
b) You do too many reps and develop an overuse injury (which is equally as likely with machines), or
c) You somehow lose control of the weight and drop it on yourself (highly unlikely and not even possible with most lifts)

So if you learn proper technique and train intelligently, you will not get injured using free weights. If you don't know proper technique, go to http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Stren.../dp/0976805405 and buy "Starting Strength" by Mark Rippetoe

Not having a spotter is a poor excuse. The vast majority of free weight exercises do not require a spotter. There is absolutely nothing stopping you from asking someone else in the gym for a spotter, and really the only excercise that requires one is the barbell bench press.

If you to half-ass your workouts and get mediocre results, then buy all means go ahead and use machines. There is a reason why all serious athletes, powerlifters, and bodybuilders all use free weights for the majority of their lifts. If you want to make the most of your time in the gym, then lift free weights.

[StregaChess]

Hey Tim, free weights rock. I'm 47 over the hill and still use and prefer free weights (I'm a mess now, we've been "preggers"). Not a fan of Smith Machines, no range of motion. I work out alone at home, no problem....

Power Rack
No fear of injuries, do light warm up sets and work your way up. Depending on your age you can just make some adjustments to avoid injury. No presses behind the neck. Squats done with a full range of motion, 100% down, butt to calf and no wraps, you just use a little less weight. Minor stuff like that….

[StregaChess]

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Practice on low weight and get a professional to critique your form.

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einbert,
Good post...

You can also find good advice online including videos that will help you with form.
Here and Here too

[Arnett23]

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Simple ass-to-grass squats

[/ QUOTE ] this is exactly what I was talking about, doing anything past a 90degree angle causes serious injury and doesn't help any muscle group.

Everyone must have missed the part I was saying of using several machines to isolate several muscles. If someone wanted to set up a prop bet of some kind where someone just used free weights for 3-4 months and I just used machines and after the time we both maxxed out on free weights before and after I am 99% sure I would win.

[SmileyEH]

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Simple ass-to-grass squats

[/ QUOTE ] this is exactly what I was talking about, doing anything past a 90degree angle causes serious injury and doesn't help any muscle group.

Everyone must have missed the part I was saying of using several machines to isolate several muscles. If someone wanted to set up a prop bet of some kind where someone just used free weights for 3-4 months and I just used machines and after the time we both maxxed out on free weights before and after I am 99% sure I would win.

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arnett your advice is consistently horrible, please stop posting.

[Colt McCoy]

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this is exactly what I was talking about, doing anything past a 90degree angle causes serious injury and doesn't help any muscle group.

Everyone must have missed the part I was saying of using several machines to isolate several muscles. If someone wanted to set up a prop bet of some kind where someone just used free weights for 3-4 months and I just used machines and after the time we both maxxed out on free weights before and after I am 99% sure I would win.

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Wow, just wow. This is just absolute nonsense.