Free Weights vs Machines

[Matty]

Pushups...

 

While I vote free weights over machines....my favorite and mostly all I do is body weight exercises. I've seen what the Marine Corps did to my brothers....and they were all very lean and mean (and frigging tough) after boot camp and deployments in Iraq.

 

All they ever did was body weight exercise. Pushups, pullups, run, crunch, mt climb, etc. You might not get huge, but you'll be tougher than nails if you do enough of it.

 

When I was in really good shape (none of you have ever seen that) lol.... I finally got up to 1000 pushups in an hour....my brothers then worked till they could do more...but that pushed me and I pushed them. Motivation is the name of the game.

[Axiom]

Machines are worthless.. Just expensive feel good contraptions designed to help the wanna be fit part with their money...

 

Free Weights...

[NJ Predator]

Machines are worthless.. Just expensive feel good contraptions designed to help the wanna be fit part with their money...

 

Free Weights...

Oh you MUST be a trainer then ok I got ya...pretty much all of the BB's and anybody that trains uses machines in one way or another....It's called ISOLATION...machines are the best for that but according to you since I mean you are a pro bodybuilder that uses only free weights then I guess they are garbage

[DeplorableDan]

Oh you MUST be a trainer then ok I got ya...pretty much all of the BB's and anybody that trains uses machines in one way or another....It's called ISOLATION...machines are the best for that but according to you since I mean you are a pro bodybuilder that uses only free weights then I guess they are garbage

Not for anything, but studies have shown that isolation yields minimal results for gaining muscle mass. The best way to develop muscle is "progressive overload". The more muscles that you work out, more growth is gained. They say you have to gain 10 lbs of muscle to grow an inch on your biceps. Just isolating your biceps alone does not have any advantage over a compound exercise that targets multiple muscle groups. That being said... I do not think that machines are worthless, just not AS good as free weights.

[JHbowhunter]

anybody buy into the zillion Testosterone boosting supplements that are advertised just about everywhere?     As men age, the T levels decline. It's a fact of life. Does anyone really believe a pill can reverse this?

[NJ Predator]

Not for anything, but studies have shown that isolation yields minimal results for gaining muscle mass. The best way to develop muscle is "progressive overload". The more muscles that you work out, more growth is gained. They say you have to gain 10 lbs of muscle to grow an inch on your biceps. Just isolating your biceps alone does not have any advantage over a compound exercise that targets multiple muscle groups. That being said... I do not think that machines are worthless, just not AS good as free weights.

I completely agree with you.....Machines are good for injuries or at least working on form until you get the hang of it....There are only a few machines I use to help with certain muscles. Biceps, I will use free weights for sure but I will use the preacher machine to do negatives to tear the muscle even more...Free weights are the way to go but you can't rule out machines because they do help

anybody buy into the zillion Testosterone boosting supplements that are advertised just about everywhere?     As men age, the T levels decline. It's a fact of life. Does anyone really believe a pill can reverse this?

As a matter of fact, the stuff in GNC is absolute garbage...I've used on three separate occasions, a Mild test Booster that has worked and that is pill form but it wasn't from GNC or any infomercial. It was pretty legit stuff and did notice muscle hardness and gains from it but nothing outrageous. The best way to go is straight test that is injected. You won't see much from a doctor suggested dose....if you want results, you'll need to get it yourself and go to a certain dose and then you will see but then you need a PCT which is quite a few pills to balance out your test levels back to normal

[not on the rug]

Weighted chinups and heavy deadlifts will do more for your biceps than a preacher curl machine could ever do. Don't waste your time on isolation. Who has bigger (and stronger) biceps, the guy on the machines or the guy deadlifting 600lbs and strapping 150lbs around his waist and doing sets of chinups?

Edited May 4, 2017 by not on the rug

[NJ Predator]

Weighted chinups and heavy deadlifts will do more for your biceps than a preacher curl machine could ever do. Don't waste your time on isolation. Who has bigger (and stronger) biceps, the guy on the machines or the guy deadlifting 600lbs and strapping 150lbs around his waist and doing sets of chinups?

What purpose does a Bicep serve? It's a show off muscle that's it.....But I also said I do negatives which is a movement you do after you're pretty much done with your workout.....To be honest, I've never seen anyone strap 150lbs around their waist doing chin-ups either

[not on the rug]

What purpose does a Bicep serve? It's a show off muscle that's it.....But I also said I do negatives which is a movement you do after you're pretty much done with your workout.....To be honest, I've never seen anyone strap 150lbs around their waist doing chin-ups either

The bicep is the binge of all pulling exercises. You can't deadlift or row and sort of real weight without developing strong biceps.

 

I dont "workout". I train. Heavy barbell compound lifts. Its probably been 10 years since I've done a bicep curl. Lol

 

If you've never seen a guy do weighted chinups, it's time to find a new gym. My 160lb buddy (who is stronger than I am) does sets with his bodyweight every week. After he is done deadlifting nearly 4x his bodyweight and squatting 3x his bodyweight. And he is one of the low end 160lb guys. A truly strong 160 pounder squats in the mid to high 500s and deads in the mid to high 600s. And you won't find any of them doing bicep curls

[NJ Predator]

The bicep is the binge of all pulling exercises. You can't deadlift or row and sort of real weight without developing strong biceps.

 

I dont "workout". I train. Heavy barbell compound lifts. Its probably been 10 years since I've done a bicep curl. Lol

 

If you've never seen a guy do weighted chinups, it's time to find a new gym. My 160lb buddy (who is stronger than I am) does sets with his bodyweight every week. After he is done deadlifting nearly 4x his bodyweight and squatting 3x his bodyweight. And he is one of the low end 160lb guys. A truly strong 160 pounder squats in the mid to high 500s and deads in the mid to high 600s. And you won't find any of them doing bicep curls

I go to those global conglomerate gyms mostly but I do go to Apollon in Edison once in a while ever since I moved I can't go all the time as much as I used too but those dudes that powerlift are strong SOB's but I never see them do any kind of curls either since all they do is literally squat deadlift and bench press for the most part.....I don't agree as much with the whole strong bicep to deadlift, it's more of a strong lower back with a strong forearm/grip...I mean I am no bodybuilder and I have small biceps but I can deadlift over 400 pounds but I don't deadlift either from the floor because I don't want to do legs with back which is basically what you're doing when deadlifting from the floor

[not on the rug]

I go to those global conglomerate gyms mostly but I do go to Apollon in Edison once in a while ever since I moved I can't go all the time as much as I used too but those dudes that powerlift are strong SOB's but I never see them do any kind of curls either since all they do is literally squat deadlift and bench press for the most part.....I don't agree as much with the whole strong bicep to deadlift, it's more of a strong lower back with a strong forearm/grip...I mean I am no bodybuilder and I have small biceps but I can deadlift over 400 pounds but I don't deadlift either from the floor because I don't want to do legs with back which is basically what you're doing when deadlifting from the floor

The deadlift works the entire posterior chain, from the calves to the neck. It also heavily involves the biceps and abdominals, as well as the quads, shoulders, forearms, etc.

 

A rack pull is an exercise used to train the top/lock out portion of the deadlift. You can usually rack pull a bit more than you can dead. The rack pull is sort of viewed as an assistance exercise to the deadlift

[NJ Predator]

The deadlift works the entire posterior chain, from the calves to the neck. It also heavily involves the biceps and abdominals, as well as the quads, shoulders, forearms, etc.

 

A rack pull is an exercise used to train the top/lock out portion of the deadlift. You can usually rack pull a bit more than you can dead. The rack pull is sort of viewed as an assistance exercise to the deadlift

For sure......you can def rack pull more than dead lifting no doubt I do see you straining your bicep and still tearing your fibers for sure but still don't see it giving you bigger biceps, seated rows or even bent over rows yes, since you are engaging the bicep or any kind of pulling exercise for that matter even though if you feel your bicep being used and wearing out faster than your back, then you are doing back all wrong and relying on your biceps way too much

[not on the rug]

For sure......you can def rack pull more than dead lifting no doubt I do see you straining your bicep and still tearing your fibers for sure but still don't see it giving you bigger biceps, seated rows or even bent over rows yes, since you are engaging the bicep or any kind of pulling exercise for that matter even though if you feel your bicep being used and wearing out faster than your back, then you are doing back all wrong and relying on your biceps way too much

Ever see a guy deadlifting 600lbs with small biceps? I rest my case. Lol

[NJ Predator]

Ever see a guy deadlifting 600lbs with small biceps? I rest my case. Lol

Well define small biceps? I know some guys that are about 160-180 and I don't think they have BIG biceps and can deadlift 500lbs + Are we talking 24'' biceps?

[not on the rug]

Relatively speaking. If a 160lb guy is pulling 5+ his biceps are probably going to be bigger than the guy doing preacher curls. Unless that guy is your typical 160lb, chicken legged needle fiend who does nothing but bench press and bicep curls.

 

Personally, I'd rather be strong than huge. If I'm a solid 180 and strong and athletic, I'm happy there. I don't need 24" pythons and a $1000 monthly steroid bill