Authors of a brand-new study recently published in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise sought to challenge the myth that free weights are superior to machines for developing muscle strength and muscle size.
The study included a group of males who strength trained for eight weeks using only free weights and a second group of males who performed the exact same exercises but with a machine version. Researchers were meticulous in keeping every variable (other than free weights or machines) consistent throughout the duration of the study.
The researchers concluded, “Contrary to traditional beliefs… the current study suggests that free-weight and machine-based exercises are similarly effective to promote strength and muscle hypertrophy (size increase) without increasing joint discomfort.”
This topic represents perhaps the most significant gap between what research shows us and what people/practitioners are actually doing in their workouts. Talk to a collegiate or professional sports strength and conditioning coach, and they will advise using almost exclusively free weights (this was evident if you watched the popular Netflix documentary "Quarterback". Likewise, walk into any high school weight room, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find even one machine. The misapplication is widespread.
Take home message: It’s not the tool but how the tool is used that is important. We can probably maximize all the benefits of resistance training by thoughtfully integrating machines, free weights, body weight, manual resistance, and bands into our workouts. Machines possess a few distinct advantages as they can (1) vary the amount of resistance throughout the range of motion, matching your strength levels as your muscle contracts and providing a safe training environment (2) can be biomechanically designed to allow for more effective muscle isolation, and (3) often allow for more joint comfort when training with a high level of intensity.
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