free weights or machines for bulking up?

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dave1980

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A lot of people Ive spoken to don't seem to keen on machines. My mate only uses 1 machine when he goes down the gym - the one for pullups.
Bearing in mind this is an expensive gym with a lot of very nice machines, he must have pretty good reasons to use free weights most of the time.
So what are the disadvantages of machines when bulking up?
Is it that free weights work out the body more or what?
 
I prefer the machines...particularly the ones with cables. I feel that it is safer and that it is harder to cheat with the ones that use cables (similar to bowflex but better quality since it is at a gym)...
 
Thanks for that. :)
I find it very hard to workout triceps with free weights, (due to an annoying elbow click) yet there is a machine that I find much easier to work out triceps on, so I find that a major bonus for me.

Anymore ideas people?
 
When you use free weights u are getting more range of movement during each exercise. Plus, there are an outspoken amount of diferent exercises available when using free weights. Whereas, if you were using a machine you would only be able to do the specific exercises.
 
I've got an annoying click in my right elbow but it is my shoulders that i suffer with most. I find that using light free weights with high repetitions is easier on the joints and when lifting for strength use the machines doing each exercise in a slow and controlled rhythm.;)
 
with machines you get less range of movement...most of the time, unless the machines are the kind with cables like the bowflex. Then there is resistance no matter how you move and it is very hard to cheat, and you can't use momentum... So with regular machines that only move one way, then free weights are best, but for machines with cables that allow for any range of movement...then they are better than free weights...
 
i would definately recommend free weights over machines. i have heard that they are better for mass building. not only do they work your targeted muscles, but also the stabilizers.

the best things to build mass are compound movements: squats, deadlifts, bench presses, military presses, etc.
 
I totally agree with Coach Dan on this one...
Almost all machines you see, have you sitting or lying down, which tries to isolated your muscles. But if you're training an athlete lets say to do a seated bicep curl, I can't think of one sport where you're sitting and you have to do a bicep curl... (but if you think of one let me know...lol)

That's where freeweights are better over machines in THIS situation... It solely depends on what you're trying to do... the seated bicep curl may be good for someone trying to gain definition, but the standing bicep curl may be better than sitting, because now you have to use your stabilizer muscles to keep you standing still and level.

Just train you body what YOU need it to do...
 
Wow loads of useful advice there, thanks guys!
I think Dans advice is particularly useful to me - thanks again mate!
I know what Im doing now, cheers guys
 
Maximum releaase of HGH and increase in testosterone levels are achieved by exercises that work the most muscles at once and involve the most central nervous systm involvement. Those are exercises that require balance and core and trunk stabalization and a certain degree of danger. Specifically those are exercises that require moving the torso through space: squat, deadlift, pull up, handstand push up, pushup, dip, etc. with FREE wieghts. Machines almost entirely eliminate the core stabalizers, any balance requirement and all elements of danger, invloving the least amount of central nervous system involvement resulting in the minimum benefit per time and effort invested.
 
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