There are many hotly debated questions in the world of physical fitness, but perhaps none is more contentious than the age old question of whether it is better to do strength training with free weights or exercise machines. In this article I will address the strengths and weaknesses of free weights and exercise machines and give my recommendation as to which one is better.

With free weights you can determine the exact path of motion of an exercise. This particularly benefits people with unusual proportions who do not fit in weight lifting machines. Free weights work the stabilizer muscles in a way that machines cannot. For example, a free weight bench press works the stabilizer muscles in the shoulders and a machine bench press does not. Also, studies have shown that exercise with free weights leads to a greater natural release of human growth hormone during the workout. This is probably due to the fact that free weight exercises recruit more muscles than machine workouts. Free weights take up less space than machines, but it is also harder to change the weight with free weights as opposed to machines. It is, however, easier to hurt yourself with free weights because you can drop them on yourself in ways you cannot with a machine. Also, there are some movements you simply cannot do with free weights that you can do with an exercise machine. Free weights are harder than machines, so it is easier for beginners to use machines.

With exercise machines, you can learn a movement without potentially hurting yourself, and you can do movements that you cannot do with free weights. Also, it is very easy to change the weight on an exercise machine. However, with exercise machines you do not work stabilizer muscles since you do not have to balance the weight. Your body will release a bit less human growth hormone since you recruit less muscle than you do with free weights. Finally, the machine dictates your range of motion, so you have less freedom to do the movement as you see fit.

My recommendation is to do both, but do the free weight exercises first in your workout. This will exhaust your stabilizer muscles but leave a bit of strength left in your major muscle groups. Then, you can use machines to exhaust your larger muscles.

Neither free weights or machines is "better" than the other, they are just different. Use both in your workouts for maximum muscle gains!