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Machines vs Free Weights
When I go to the Y I go straight upstairs to the fitness room which is full of all of the machines I'll use for working out. (i.e. Overhead press, Vertical chest press, etc)
The floor directly below is the weight room consisting of all of the freeweights but I never go there, frankly, because I feel so inferior to the people I see down there. They're all much larger than I am.
My goal so far has been to use the fitness area until I can no longer add weight... Basically, until I'm lifting the max on every machine that I used upstairs. On a couple of machines I'm getting kinda close. On others I've got a long way to go.
I'm definitely noticing results. It seems like everyweek I can add 5 pounds on some machines or 10 pounds on some of the others.
I got Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Mondays and Thursdays are strength days and Tuesdays and Fridays are endurance days. My main concern is that even after I finish my first goal of lifting the max on every machine (3 sets of 10 reps sounds like a good number) that I still wont be prepared for free weight lifting due to the extra coordination it requires. Has anyone made the switch all of a sudden from machines and no freeweights to just free weights?
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Just start on free weights.
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[QUOTE=JonD202;649737803]When I go to the Y I go straight upstairs to the fitness room which is full of all of the machines I'll use for working out. (i.e. Overhead press, Vertical chest press, etc)
The floor directly below is the weight room consisting of all of the freeweights but I never go there, frankly, because I feel so inferior to the people I see down there. They're all much larger than I am.
My goal so far has been to use the fitness area until I can no longer add weight... Basically, until I'm lifting the max on every machine that I used upstairs. On a couple of machines I'm getting kinda close. On others I've got a long way to go.
I'm definitely noticing results. It seems like everyweek I can add 5 pounds on some machines or 10 pounds on some of the others.
I got Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Mondays and Thursdays are strength days and Tuesdays and Fridays are endurance days. My main concern is that even after I finish my first goal of lifting the max on every machine (3 sets of 10 reps sounds like a good number) that I still wont be prepared for free weight lifting due to the extra coordination it requires. Has anyone made the switch all of a sudden from machines and no freeweights to just free weights?[/QUOTE]
Uhm, I havent done this change from machines to free weights, i usually use free weights i only use machines when the benches are being used and im on a hurry or something.. just to tell you an idea
in decline i can press bout 175 and on the machine i can 270... machines for me are bs cuz you can add weights really fast.. yes they can give you some strength but not at all. When you touch the free weights for example bench press or Db bench press you will require Strong triceps and also a coordinated shoulder to do them correclty.. you will gain the experience and technique within the pass of the time
good luck i sugges you to dont be scared about the people "bigger" than you and go ahead they wont laugh or anything everyone have a first time
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U should be thankful that you have a gym with a floor where is only free wights not some kind of pussy gym and I strongly advice u to use free weights, results will be much greater.
Few trainers actually have told me that machines are only good if u have to recover from injury.
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Alot of people are going to say that free weights are better, but machines are just fine. I get great results with them. The same motions will produce the same results. But remember that the weight on the machines is not accurate to the actual free weights. Just because you can curl 100 on the machine does not mean that you can do it with a barbell.
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Just get yourself started on the free weights. Nobody is going to judge you, and if they do, they are as insecure as you are about the gym and you shouldn't give a ****. At the same time, if you are seeing gains from what you are doing now, there is no harm in carrying on for another 4 weeks until you max the machines out. But just remember that the sooner you get started, the sooner you are really going to benefit from using free weights. Everybody has to start somewhere.
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It doesn't matter really, I prefer free weights, but in the end, Dorian Yates says free weights and machines are just tools to use to work your muscles to failure...
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Start out with free weights. The fact that you are weaker than others there will just be that much more motivation.
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Thanks everyone. So it sounds to me like even if I do max out on the machines I still may not be all that big compared to the guys who always stick to the freeweights. I'm going back to the gym tonight, I may go downstairs and check everything out. Maybe I could do strength days on the freeweights and run back upstairs for endurance training on the other two days...
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[QUOTE=spiderman997;649743383]Start out with free weights. The fact that you are weaker than others there will just be that much more motivation.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=miilk;649742603]Just get yourself started on the free weights. Nobody is going to judge you, and if they do, they are as insecure as you are about the gym and you shouldn't give a ****. At the same time, if you are seeing gains from what you are doing now, there is no harm in carrying on for another 4 weeks until you max the machines out. But just remember that the sooner you get started, the sooner you are really going to benefit from using free weights. Everybody has to start somewhere.[/QUOTE]
Haha, both very true.
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Buddy I am skinny but I hit the free weights who cares what people think were all there for a reason you get me? When you say the guys downstairs are larger that's why there down there so get your ass down there to but dont show off just lift what you can they wont say nothing
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[QUOTE=JonD202;649744113]Thanks everyone. So it sounds to me like even if I do max out on the machines I still may not be all that big compared to the guys who always stick to the freeweights. I'm going back to the gym tonight, I may go downstairs and check everything out. Maybe I could do strength days on the freeweights and run back upstairs for endurance training on the other two days...[/QUOTE]
If it really bugs you, you can do what I used to do when I started lifting weights. I felt like a douche in the gym too, so I would always go at 2 or 3 in the morning so there was no one else there. After doing that a few times to get your form down on all the basic lifts, you'll feel a hell of a lot less awkward in the gym.
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[QUOTE=JonD202;649744113]Thanks everyone. [b]So it sounds to me like even if I do max out on the machines I still may not be all that big compared to the guys who always stick to the freeweights.[/b] I'm going back to the gym tonight, I may go downstairs and check everything out. Maybe I could do strength days on the freeweights and run back upstairs for endurance training on the other two days...[/QUOTE]
It all depends on how much weight your gym's machines have. If they don't go up very high, then you will need to move on to the free weights soon. But some gyms (like mine) have machines where the max weight is very heavy, and you won't be too strong for them anytime soon.
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[QUOTE=spiderman997;649747663]If it really bugs you, you can do what I used to do when I started lifting weights. I felt like a douche in the gym too, so I would always go at 2 or 3 in the morning so there was no one else there. After doing that a few times to get your form down on all the basic lifts, you'll feel a hell of a lot less awkward in the gym.[/QUOTE]
My gym opens at 6am I think. Thursday I'll get up early, eat, and get down there as soon as I can and see how packed it is. It shouldn't be at all. I think that will help me a lot. lol.
[QUOTE=Controvox;649747783]It all depends on how much weight your gym's machines have. If they don't go up very high, then you will need to move on to the free weights soon. But some gyms (like mine) have machines where the max weight is very heavy, and you won't be too strong for them anytime soon.[/QUOTE]
Most of the upper body machines max at 245, with the exception of a few that only target one or two smaller muscles that max out at 210. The machines for your legs max out at a lot higher, but I can't remember exactly how much.
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[QUOTE=JonD202;649752873]My gym opens at 6am I think. Thursday I'll get up early, eat, and get down there as soon as I can and see how packed it is. It shouldn't be at all. I think that will help me a lot. lol.
Most of the upper body machines max at 245, with the exception of a few that only target one or two smaller muscles that max out at 210. The machines for your legs max out at a lot higher, but I can't remember exactly how much.[/QUOTE]
You are being a vagina about it. You don't need to wake up early to lift when no one is there. Just do your thing; no one will make fun of you.
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[QUOTE=Ka0s;649778063]You are being a vagina about it. You don't need to wake up early to lift when no one is there. Just do your thing; no one will make fun of you.[/QUOTE]
I would.
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[QUOTE=spiderman997;649778713]I would.[/QUOTE]
Lmao.
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[QUOTE=spiderman997;649778713]I would.[/QUOTE]
Me too. But sometimes it can be fun to pretend that we are nice guys.
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[QUOTE=JonD202;649737803]When I go to the Y I go straight upstairs to the fitness room which is full of all of the machines I'll use for working out. (i.e. Overhead press, Vertical chest press, etc)
The floor directly below is the weight room consisting of all of the freeweights but I never go there, frankly, because I feel so inferior to the people I see down there. They're all much larger than I am.
My goal so far has been to use the fitness area until I can no longer add weight... Basically, until I'm lifting the max on every machine that I used upstairs. On a couple of machines I'm getting kinda close. On others I've got a long way to go.
I'm definitely noticing results. It seems like everyweek I can add 5 pounds on some machines or 10 pounds on some of the others.
I got Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Mondays and Thursdays are strength days and Tuesdays and Fridays are endurance days. My main concern is that even after I finish my first goal of lifting the max on every machine (3 sets of 10 reps sounds like a good number) that I still wont be prepared for free weight lifting due to the extra coordination it requires. Has anyone made the switch all of a sudden from machines and no freeweights to just free weights?[/QUOTE]
**** what other people think, do your thing, Free weights are much more effective than machines, some machines do have their place, but not many.
You will probably find you will be lifting alot less with free weights because when using free weights you actually need to stabilize the weight as well as lift it, which means you will have to start off quite low on the weight.
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[QUOTE=Shalskar;649786213]**** what other people think, do your thing, Free weights are much more effective than machines, some machines do have their place, but not many.
You will probably find you will be lifting alot less with free weights because when using free weights you actually need to stabilize the weight as well as lift it, which means you will have to start off quite low on the weight.[/QUOTE]
After reading everything, I think I'm being pushed more towards using free weights. I'm not feeling sore or weak today at all, and last night I did "strength training" on the machines. Full upper body. I might hit the freeweights tonight if I feel up to it. Otherwise, in the morning I'll try it.
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free weights is a natural movement that also works stablizers, machines is a fixed movement that doesnt work much stablizers
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I work with free-weights mainly, few machines only because i see machines as more of a toner not a strength builder. GO TO FREE WEIGHTS
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[QUOTE=JonD202;649737803]When I go to the Y I go straight upstairs to the fitness room which is full of all of the machines I'll use for working out. (i.e. Overhead press, Vertical chest press, etc)
The floor directly below is the weight room consisting of all of the freeweights but I never go there, frankly, because I feel so inferior to the people I see down there. They're all much larger than I am.
My goal so far has been to use the fitness area until I can no longer add weight... Basically, until I'm lifting the max on every machine that I used upstairs. On a couple of machines I'm getting kinda close. On others I've got a long way to go.
I'm definitely noticing results. It seems like everyweek I can add 5 pounds on some machines or 10 pounds on some of the others.
I got Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Mondays and Thursdays are strength days and Tuesdays and Fridays are endurance days. My main concern is that even after I finish my first goal of lifting the max on every machine (3 sets of 10 reps sounds like a good number) that I still wont be prepared for free weight lifting due to the extra coordination it requires. Has anyone made the switch all of a sudden from machines and no freeweights to just free weights?[/QUOTE]
it might take you awhile but one day you'll realize that people notice and think about you alot less than you think. You have to understand, even most people who don't know you really don't give a **** so just go do free weights who cares if their bigger(sometimes highschool is a little different but the gym is not)
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it's not a question of Machines or Free weights, is a question of how you are going to combine to two to get maximum results, they both have their advantages and disadvantages.
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doing only machines is straight up dumb. If you want to build mass then free weights are the way to go, but that doesnt mean give up on machines entirely. you dont have to choose one or the other, they will both gives you the results youre looking for but machines wont do it alone. they have their time and place in your workouts but for the majority of exercises stick to the free weights
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don't worry bout free weights vs machines. Train hard, Eat a lot, get enough sleep, and be consistent and you will see results.
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free weights and machines do the same ****, ur still adding stimulus to ur muscle, the only difference is a machine limits ur range of movement and free weights dont, u can target the different heads of certain muscles as to where in a machine u dont have a range of movement to adjust ur body to feel a specific squeeze in a specific side of a muscle.
for some muscles like triceps/biceps machines provide great stability to isolate the mus
machines are great
free weights are great..
use them both in ur workouts + eat alot and ur good.
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[QUOTE=PlayMoarXbox;649790963]I work with free-weights mainly, few machines only because i see machines as more of a toner not a strength builder. GO TO FREE WEIGHTS[/QUOTE]
Don't use the word tone ever, machines can't tone muscle, no weights tone anything, what you are thinking is low BF%, that's achieved by diet, the way you train your muscles makes no difference.
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the benefit of freeweights is that it actually makes you [b]think[/b] about the weight you are lifting and the muscles you are using to get there
its all too easy to fall into the trap of just mindless lifting on machines as there is no danger of a dumbell falling on your skull, esp if you are feeling unmotivated / tired etc