Walk into the typical health club and you will quickly notice that machines make up the bulk of its exercise equipment. So based on appearances it’s very easy to get suckered into thinking that machines are a very important part of a good training program, or maybe even better than free weights. And of course, there’s also the fact that there is no shortage of folks occupying these machines. Now before I continue with the rest of this blog post, let me remind you that I am writing this with the goal of fat loss and functional training in mind. If you have a different goal (bodybuilding for example) this may not apply to your type of training.

The bottom line is that free weights blow machines out of the water. Why? Well first of all, let’s think about how a machine functions. Most machines move along a fixed track. In other words, while you still have to move the weight, you don’t have to control the alignment of the weight. Think about a rollercoaster for example. It moves, but nobody has to steer it because the track keeps it in line.
 
On the flip side, free weights (dumbbells and barbells) require movement of the weight as well as control or maintaining proper alignment. There are two big benefits you get as a result. One is that you engage more muscle, since smaller muscles now have to get involved in order to stabilize or control the weight. The other is that your body is being trained functionally or for real world performance. Look… when you squat down to pick up a box there is no track to stabilize it for you. When you move furniture there is no track to stabilize it for you. When your kid jumps up into your arms there is no track to stabilize them for you. Get my point?

For us regular joes that aren’t training for some sort of competitive sport and simply want to stay fit and strong, free weights are the way to go. Now before I end, let me make an important point. I am not saying that you should never ever use machines. There are several machines (cable-based machines and leg press) that I integrate into my training routine. However, these probably only make up 25 – 30% of my overall program. Also keep in mind that if your muscles are very weak or deconditioned, machines might be a good option to create a foundation that you can build upon as you work your way into free weights. Until next time, train hard and train smart.