Muscle Gain: Free Weights vs. Machines

A lot of people debate about which one is effectiveFree weight exercises, such as squats, dumbbell
when it comes to exercising and producing muscles.presses, dumbbell fly, bench presses, bent over
They often debate whether machines are moredumbbell row, and others put a lot of stress in the
effective or free weights. Basically, barbells and freesupporting muscle groups, which is why you get tired
weights are classified as free weights. On the otherreally fast doing free weight exercises. However,
hand exercises that have pulleys or cables to helpeven if you do get tired really fast, you will gain
you lift the weight are machines.more muscles and you will become a lot stronger at
In order to gain muscles, you need to focus more ona very fast rate.
free weight exercises. For all machine enthusiasts outYou can include machine exercises in your program
there, you might rethink about which one is morebut you need to do it after you execute all the free
effective. Free weights are indeed more effective inweight exercises. This way, you will be able to take
promoting muscle growth. Although the exercisesadvantage of the strength you have on free weight
here are much more difficult to execute becauseexercises and not deplete it on machine exercises.
nothing is actually assisting you to employ the correctIf you are a beginner, concentrate on lighter weights.
execution, this fact alone is why free weight exerciseYour primary goal is not muscle gain yet. You first
is much more effective.need to properly execute the free weight exercises
Free weight exercises are able to stimulate most ofyou have in your program in order for you to move
the muscle fibers as possible. This is impossible to doon to heavier weights.
with a machine. Why?Concentrate on strengthening the supporting muscles
Basically, machines lack in promoting stabilizers andfirst and when it is able to support the weight you
synergist muscle development. Basically, these twoare lifting and that you are able to execute the free
muscles are what support the main muscles whenweight exercises properly, then it's time for you to
you are performing a complex lift. For example, ifconcentrate on the primary muscles.
you need to do bench presses, you need to be ableAlso, in order to build muscle mass, you need to lift
to make use of the stabilizers and the synergistheavier weights. What heavy means is that weights
muscles in order for you to achieve lift. And, youthat are challenging for you and weights that you will
need lots of it. If you bench press using a machine, itbe able to lift with 8 to 12 repetitions for 3 sets. If
will not really need any assistance from the stabilizersyou can do more than 15 repetitions before
as the machine itself is already supporting your maintemporary failure sets in, then it will be considered as
muscles.light weight.
Machines basically fail to stimulate the muscles aroundRemember these tips and you can be sure that you
the area you are working on, which are thewill be able to gain muscles fast. Always remember
stabilizers. You need to remember that in order forthat one of the keys to muscle gain is to strengthen
your main muscles to grow, the stabilizers should bethe supporting muscles. And, only doing free weight
strong. And, the only way to do this is by doing asexercises will be able to do this efficiently.
much free weight exercises as you can.