Is there a difference between machines and free weights???

[BallaLegend8]

lets say i wanted to do a workout for my biceps,would there be a difference if i used a machine or a dumbell???

[DavetheDog]

Use the search function. It's marvellous.

[Aftershock]

Use the search function. It's marvellous.

Agreed. But i'll answer anyway (forgive me guys)


There's a huge difference. Less stabilizers is one of the biggest. For the rest start searching


AS

[gixser11]

Big difference. Free weights will always be the preferred way to build muscle. Using the machine compensation will occur and your "strong" arm will use more force.

[MasteringMyBody]

lets say i wanted to do a workout for my biceps,would there be a difference if i used a machine or a dumbell???

Common' guys, let's try to help him....if no body answers anymore and let people search then why would somebody become a member of this forum ?

Machines isolate the target muscles much better and are safer to use when you want to experiment with new or different techniques. Futhermore a machine provides your with much better control and stability and requires less co-ordination and skill. It also saves a lot of time, because you don’t have to go around stacking plates and carrying dumbbells all the time. The disadvantage of using machines is that they do not offer you much variety and can become boring after a while. Another problem is that machines are often designed for the average person, and may be uncomfortable to use for a very tall or very short person.

Free weights, on the other hand, allow you to use your body in a more ‘natural’ way, simulating real-life movements more accurately. It encourages you to employ your stabilizer muscles properly and to use correct body alignment. Free weights also offer you much more variety and can be used in lots of different ways to target different muscle groups. Free weight exercises are normally suitable for most exercisers, but often beginners need a lot of guidance to ensure they are using proper form and technique. People who do not have the necessary skills may develop serious injuries by training incorrectly. Training with free weights is also a very time-consuming process.

As you can see there is no reason to exclude free weight or machines. Both have a place in any strength workout, depending on your goals, fitness level, skill and time constraints. To put it simply, a chef does not debate whether pots are better than pans. He uses both in his cooking. To him it is more important that the end result is a success. Maybe the fitness industry should start thinking the same way.

[MasteringMyBody]

Oh yeah, I forgot.....try this link, it's about Pro and Con on Machines and Free Weights, an interesting article :
http://www.bodytrends.com/articles/s...machinesvs.htm

[ATrainer]

Here's a better one

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek12.htm

[BallaLegend8]

thanx everybody

[mightymouse37]

Machines (good ones, anyway) also help to compensate for the fluctuations in strength along the ROM of any given movement. Machines will add more resistance to the parts of the movement that you're stronger in, and vice versa. I still prefer free weights, but don't discount machines altogether.

[DavetheDog]

Common' guys, let's try to help him....if no body answers anymore and let people search then why would somebody become a member of this forum ?

Because it is a topic which has been discussed at length previously. Should there be any questions after having read through old posts, then fine. Bottom line is that the guy gets the answer to his question; I wonder if he cares whether it's through reading old posts or reading new posts?

[MasteringMyBody]

Because it is a topic which has been discussed at length previously. Should there be any questions after having read through old posts, then fine. Bottom line is that the guy gets the answer to his question; I wonder if he cares whether it's through reading old posts or reading new posts?

Hey Dave ! Common', he is still new, maybe he doesn't know yet......A short simple help won't kill, will it ?

Anyway, nice to meet you all ! I am new here !

[$AJ]

yes

"
The difference between the smith machine and a free weight bench press is significant in terms of overall gains. There are several important neurological factors at play here:

balance proprioception: In every exercise you do there is an element of balance, or to put it more technically a feedback loop that constantly adjusts recruitment of agonist, antagonist and synergists in order to maintain the desired output. This is a facet of the CNS, so it's centrally controlled and can be improved by using primarily free weight exercises, and even more so by using CKCE exercise, closed kinetic chain exercises. Squats on the smith machine would be a very seriously bad idea, as squatting is THE exercise which improves balance proprioception to the greatest extent. For bench press it's less of a concern, but it's still a concern.
Other than the effect on the CNS, the fact is that using EMG study and simply common sense, a free weight bench press recruits more muscle fibres it's as simple as that. The body does not and cannot hypertrophy on the scale of an individual muscle, the synergists of that muscle must also hypertrophy or the body would be in a constant state of imbalance and injury.

force proprioception: force proprioception is another attribute that operates both peripherally and centrally, and boils down to this, how heavy does an exercise feel and in what is the specific adaption required to deal with that force? Many people erroneously think that the squat is the king of exercises because of hormone release, which obviously is completely wrong, the actual amount or change in hormone release whilst squatting is insignificant. If you want to release a lot of test go to bed, if you want to release a lot of GH go do some endurance training. The real power of squatting is that as a load bearing exercise is has an extremely strong effect on the force proprioception of the CNS.
Although you may be able to apply a RPE (rating of percieved effort) of 100% to both smith bench and free weight bench, or in other words you will be pushing with everything you have for both exercises. The actual response of the body will be quite different given the demands of the exercise. It just isn't true that load is load is load no matter what the source is, the body can tell a cable from a free weight from a machine.

In terms of injury I don't believe that it matters, it's not WHAT you do it's HOW you do it that determines injury rates. The body can adapt to cope with almost anything.
"

[ATrainer]

Cables rule!