A seeming consensus exists among bodybuilding experts regarding the advantages offered by free weights compared with machines for muscle building, to the point where machines have been defined by dedicated bodybuilders as virtually worthless for those seeking maximum muscle gain. In addition, those same bodybuilders will claim that gyms outfitted with modern machines are in fact doing so in order to satisfy the lazy who seek sleek muscle building workout equipment, and who are not interested in grueling, intense, muscle blasting workouts. This theory has been propagated regularly and by such a vast number of bodybuilders that there must be validity to such a claim; or, could this actually prove to be another of the many muscle building fallacies?
Bodybuilders realize that, free weights are clearly not less effective than machines when used correctly, as they allow a muscle complete range of motion, and require a level of balance that is not inherent in machine equivalent exercises, therefore free weights will enhance the possibility for muscle gain, but to what level? By adopting ideas from mainstream bodybuilding, the advantage free weights offer is so substantial that a weight lifter would be foolish to use machines regardless of the circumstances, yet, the muscle building advantages free weights provide is in reality far less than most believe. In fact, if a bodybuilder is using the same weight training techniques with free weights and machines, his muscle gains will prove to be nearly identical, to the point where even an experienced bodybuilding personal trainer will never uncover the difference in muscle gains between the two methods. Yet, because the free weight superiority misconception has been repeated so often, by numerous bodybuilders, the idea is propagated as fact, no different than a host of bodybuilding ideas that are, in fact, myth masquerading as wisdom.
Not only are machines a potent option for those wishing to achieve significant muscle building results, but machines may in all likelihood prove to be superior in long term muscle gain due to a lower risk of injury, and a common reason why bodybuilders are not able to achieve their muscle building genetic limits is due to joint and muscle injuries that derail consistency, fostering frustrating unexpected layoffs, which destroys momentum, and soon causes many to quit the muscle building process completely. Workout consistency ranks as one of the most vital concepts in building maximum muscle mass, and free weights present an extra risk of joint discomfort that will be greatly minimized by focusing on machines as a substitution for common free weight muscle building exercises.
In fact, following many years of free weight bench pressing, I felt a prolonged period of discomfort, to the point where I was no longer able to execute the flat bench press with free weights, so I chose to experiment with an alternative. After purchasing a Smith Machine, I started to integrate the bench press into my weight lifting workout, and the pain I experienced with free weights on a continual basis completely disappeared, to the point where I have since been able to successfully use the Smith Machine for impressive results without the injury setbacks. My muscle building results did not suffer due to switching from free weights to the Smith Machine, but I was surprisingly able to continue performing one of the most powerful upper body muscle building workout exercises without discomfort, and this, alone, is enough reason to classify machines as a desirable and very effective substitution for free weights.
I believe that many of the bodybuilders who reject the idea of using machines for muscle building are perpetuating a "traditional vs. modern" crusade, where they feel free weights symbolize classic bodybuilding, while machines represent the opposite of all that muscle building has historically entailed, defining the new era weight lifter who is not interested in maximum muscle gain effort, but rather focuses on convenience. This idea is not foreign to other industries, such as automobile enthusiasts believing that any individual preferring modern clutchless transmissions is somehow less worthy of owning a sports vehicle, when this is actually a personal preference, and one that, in fact, allows the driver of a clutchless automobile to potentially perform far better in other aspects of navigating the vehicle. Free weights are considered the bodybuilder's clutch, and for many, are rejected for superficial reasons.
If you enter a gym and find yourself surrounded by many machines, assuming you are using a powerful bodybuilding diet and weight training workout routine, you can produce the same muscle gains as those who stubbornly rely on free weights, but with less injuries to hamper your bodybuilding quest.
Author Resource:-
Francesco Castano authors MuscleNOW.com, a diet and weight training program teaching the exact techniques for muscle gain without supplements or drugs. He also owns FatVanish.com, where you will find his natural weight loss program.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.freebie-articles.com/images/rss.gif "XML Feed For RSS")
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites