Weight training: Free weights vs Machines

At Sports Health Northwest we see a lot of sports injuries, including weight training related injuries. In the winter months, many individuals in the Portland, Oregon area move indoors for their workouts which results in more weight training, and unfortunately, more weight training related injuries. At our injury clinic, we get a lot of questions about weight training and the pros and cons of certain exercises. We discuss strength training and various fitness regimens with our patients and help fine-tune their workouts and reduce common injuries to the shoulders, back, and neck. Neck strains are typically caused from heavy lifting with improper form. Low back strain and disc pain can be caused due to heavy lifting or overuse.

A recent article in the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) in their December journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise talks about weight training and compares the use of free weights to machine-based training. Are they equally effective?

For many years, it has been assumed that free weights are better than lifting with exercise machines. It’s common in many different fitness facilities to see a mixture of machines for lifting weights made by a variety of different companies with variations of the same exercises as well as areas of the gym, dedicated to dumbbells, barbell, and other free weights. In the gym that I work out at, it’s common to see younger people in the free weight area and “older people” like me lifting weights using machines. So, which is better? This is the question that the recent article in the American College of sports medicine set out to answer. In the study, there was a group assigned to free weights and another group assigned to machine-based training. Each group trained 3 times per week for 8 weeks. The studied exercises included full squat, bench press, prone bench pull, and seated shoulder press. All variables like intensity, number of sets, recoveries were identical for both groups.

After the last training session, an ultrasound machine was used to image the anatomical cross-sectional area of the quadriceps femoris of the right leg, pectoralis major both sides and rectus abdominis muscles. The study found that individuals who lifted specific exercises such as the squat, shoulder press, and bench press, both had similar muscle gains, whether they used free weights to accomplish the lift like barbells, or if they used a machine with a similar movement. The study found no difference in machines versus free weights. These findings can be useful when applied to gym workouts. For example, if you enjoy lifting machines, but wonder if that’s as good as free weights, well, you no longer have to wonder as the answer to your question is yes, they are as just as good. If you’re trying to decide whether or not to buy certain home gym equipment and struggling with the decision of whether to buy free weights or machines, this is one less variable to contemplate during your purchase decision. The most important choice is not what type of weights to lift, but more the decision to work out consistently. So, I would like to encourage you no matter whether you choose to do free weights or machines the most important decision is to work out.

At Sports Health Northwest, we want to help you stay active and healthy during the winter months. With short days and cold, rainy Pacific Northwest weather, it can be tough to stay motivated and healthy during the winter months. If you are injured or trying to avoid injury and have questions about weight training, contact our office and we’ll be happy to help.

Author

David Westerdahl MD FAAFP RMSK Sports Medicine Physician and owner Sports Health Northwest, Inc.