Free Weights Vs. Machines

There’s a big debate about which is more effective when it comes to working out – free weights or machines. Before I break it down, let’s go over what each of them are!

Free weights: These include barbells, dumbbells, and kettlebells. They’re portable and not attached to anything, hence why they’re called “free weights.”

Workout machines: These machines target specific muscle groups, are fixed, and are definitely not portable. These include machines like the leg press, lat pulldown, and cable machine to name a few. You can find these machines at the gym!

Which one is more effective for working out? It depends! Ultimately, I think both are effective and great for working out. Each has their strengths and weaknesses. Free weights are amazing for working balance, core, and multiple muscle groups. You can also do free weight exercises anywhere like in a home gym or outdoors. They’re also more functional. If you do have injuries or are still working on your balance and strength, free weights may be more challenging since they require more control and coordination.

As for workout machines, they’re great for isolating muscle groups or working with an injury. For example, if I wanted to strengthen or work on my hamstrings more, I may do a few sets on the hamstring curl. There is also more support with workout machines so you can generally go heavier or do more reps. If I have clients with an injury, a machine is good to use if they’re still trying to strengthen that weakened joint or muscle or work around that injury. The downside is that these machines take up a lot of space and can be expensive. You also don’t work core and stability as much as you would with free weights.

Overall, I use both free weights and machines in my own workouts and my clients’ training sessions! It really depends what I’m working on, but typically I’ll do all my big compound lifts with free weights such as barbell deadlifts and then end with machines like the hip abduction and hip adduction machines. Both are great and have different uses. Keep an open mind and experiment with both free weights and machines!

I hope you found this week’s post to be helpful! If you are interested in training with me, sign up for a training consultation today!

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