Machines or free weights/barbells

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I noticed today that the massive blokes at the gym were almost all using machines and not doing compound moves with the barbell. They do a lot of dumbbell work but not squats, bench, deadlifts etc.

Is this because they've trained so long that they do isolation moves on one body part per session? Novices are advised to use compounds on the barbell to build initial overall strength?
 


Stevie Freestein II said:
I noticed today that the massive blokes at the gym were almost all using machines and not doing compound moves with the barbell. They do a lot of dumbbell work but not squats, bench, deadlifts etc.

Is this because they've trained so long that they do isolation moves on one body part per session? Novices are advised to use compounds on the barbell to build initial overall strength?
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They can be effective for avoiding injury, working around long standing injuries and targeting specific body parts. As accessory exercises as well. They're not better than barbell excercises for the vast majority of things though.

World class bodybuilders pretty much all use barbells as the basis of their training.

Something like DB press allows a different range of motion to barbell benching. That's a reason you'd use that.
 
Charmless Man said:
They can be effective for avoiding injury, working around long standing injuries and targeting specific body parts. As accessory exercises as well. They're not better than barbell excercises for the vast majority of things though.

World class bodybuilders pretty much all use barbells as the basis of their training.

Something like DB press allows a different range of motion to barbell benching. That's a reason you'd use that.
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Thanks. There are quite a few bodybuilders there, very humble and polite blokes.

Another bloke who I have chatted to does strongman events and I've seen him deadlift but he uses a squat type machine where you put 20kg plates on each side.

https://m.facebook.com/Physique-and-fitness-869890329728534/
 
Charmless Man said:
They can be effective for avoiding injury, working around long standing injuries and targeting specific body parts. As accessory exercises as well. They're not better than barbell excercises for the vast majority of things though.

World class bodybuilders pretty much all use barbells as the basis of their training.

Something like DB press allows a different range of motion to barbell benching. That's a reason you'd use that.
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This. Think of the barbell back squat. Doing a lot of that exercise, with a decent load, can murder your lower back. Using the hated Smith machine, you can continue to squat once your back is tired as it takes the stabilising need off your muscles and allows you to really hammer your quads.
Everything has a use in the gym, but the rise of bro science has poured scorn on some quite effective machines.
 
Stevie Freestein II said:
I noticed today that the massive blokes at the gym were almost all using machines and not doing compound moves with the barbell. They do a lot of dumbbell work but not squats, bench, deadlifts etc.

Is this because they've trained so long that they do isolation moves on one body part per session? Novices are advised to use compounds on the barbell to build initial overall strength?
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It depends on what they're trying to achieve I guess but I do know some big lads who don't ever use free weights in order to avoid injury. I suspect that might be broscience bollocks though.
 
Tin hat on but I think that machines could be a better option for a lot of people other than a programme such as StrongLifts 5x5. It is fine if someone has the necessary flexibility and technique but could be more harm than good for many novices.
 
Stevie Freestein II said:
Tin hat on but I think that machines could be a better option for a lot of people other than a programme such as StrongLifts 5x5. It is fine if someone has the necessary flexibility and technique but could be more harm than good for many novices.
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Agree somewhat.

A lot of novice routines are too generic too.
 
Something I've noticed at my last 3 gyms now I've had a think about it (Thanks to this thread & a bout of insomnia), when the PTs take people on the tour round the gym they always go round the resistance machines & dumbells but they never take people to the squat racks or benching stations. I wonder if that's why so few people seem to use them & why so many who do have poor form?
 
Daydream Believer said:
Something I've noticed at my last 3 gyms now I've had a think about it (Thanks to this thread & a bout of insomnia), when the PTs take people on the tour round the gym they always go round the resistance machines & dumbells but they never take people to the squat racks or benching stations. I wonder if that's why so few people seem to use them & why so many who do have poor form?
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There should be classes to teach proper form, and the induction should check for flexibility and mobility issues that could affect how people perform exercises. Instead I would assume that at a lot of gyms it's more of a recruitment and marketing exercise - "hey look at our new shoulder extension bicep machine it cost £3k and is metallic. Oh that over there is a barbell but it weighs a lot".
 
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