machine vs. free weights

i have a theory right now, when using free weights...i try to get between 6-8 reps....but when i use machine weights..i shoot for 8-10 reps.....because ive heard that free weights "work" the muscle better...am i wrong in doing this???

What? Free weights use supporting muscles, so it should be easier for you to do free weight exercises than the isolated machines exercises.

I bust mine to beat yours.

free weights have a better range of motion, so you can get better form, and workout more muscles.

i usually dont use machines.

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what can u reccomend for shoulders and triceps..keep in mind i have a BUM sternum so i cant do dumbell shoulder presses or barbell presses or weighted dips.....any free weight reccomendations for those muscle groups???

There are four possible exercises w/a chinup bar
1. hands face in w/ hands wide apart
2. hands out w/ hands wide apart
3. hands face in w/ hands side by side
4. hands out w/ hands side by side
these do your shoulders, tricepts, back, and lat.

I bust mine to beat yours.

do pull ups do triceps as well?? i would think not, but ill give it a try...thx for the info

I'd think that the triceps are only used when you're lowering yourself down after each pull-up. Therefore, they would only get minimal use.

yeah, they do your tricepts pretty well, it depends whether or not you're doing chinups or pullups, the latter does your tricepts if you go down farther.

I bust mine to beat yours.

Actually, pullups of any kind don't really involve the triceps at all.
Some great free weight exercises for tris are...
Lying tricep extensions
Dumbell kickbacks
Single arm overhead extensions
Another exercise which happens to be one of my favorites, but not a free weight one- Tricep pressdowns, performed with a lat pulldown station.

What? Free weights use supporting muscles, so it should be easier for you to do free weight exercises than the isolated machines exercises.

Wrong! Sounds almost like it might be true though, doesn't it? With his justification and all. First off it depends on the construction of the machine and the leverage factors. Secondly, on machines like Hammer Strength which aren't leveraged, I find that I can lift significantly more than with free weights like from 225 to 315 for incline bench.

D

Every machine exercise I've ever tried has been significantly easier than the equivalent free weight exercise. I can always lift heavier on machines-
Sure, using free weights means you use other muscles to assist in the lift- Djduhon's right, when you put it like that, it sounds like using free weights is almost like cheating... But the opposite is true. Those stabilizing muscles you're using with free weights aren't involved when you're using a machine. The machine stabilizes everything for you, which means those stabilizers aren't going to get the workout they need. Let's say you only do squats with a smith machine- Over the months, you work your way up to squatting around 350. Do you think you'll be able to squat the same weight with free weights? I wouldn't even try it.
Because your body uses more muscles when you're using free weights, the exercise actually becomes harder. More muscles are involved when you're using free weights, so more muscles come into play when you're talking about fatigue. Those smaller muscles will fatigue earlier than the larger ones you're working, and then your form begins to suffer. This, of course, is when your set should end. Also, don't forget that your body will be using a significant amount of energy to keep those stabilizers working.
So, let's say you've been using free weights for months, and worked your squat up to 350- Could you head to the smith machine and lift the same weight? Easily. All those stabilizers are barely needed on a smith, and you can focus all your strength and energy on your legs.

Every machine exercise I've ever tried has been significantly easier than the equivalent free weight exercise. I can always lift heavier on machines-
Sure, using free weights means you use other muscles to assist in the lift- Djduhon's right, when you put it like that, it sounds like using free weights is almost like cheating... But the opposite is true. Those stabilizing muscles you're using with free weights aren't involved when you're using a machine. The machine stabilizes everything for you, which means those stabilizers aren't going to get the workout they need. Let's say you only do squats with a smith machine- Over the months, you work your way up to squatting around 350. Do you think you'll be able to squat the same weight with free weights? I wouldn't even try it.
Because your body uses more muscles when you're using free weights, the exercise actually becomes harder. More muscles are involved when you're using free weights, so more muscles come into play when you're talking about fatigue. Those smaller muscles will fatigue earlier than the larger ones you're working, and then your form begins to suffer. This, of course, is when your set should end. Also, don't forget that your body will be using a significant amount of energy to keep those stabilizers working.
So, let's say you've been using free weights for months, and worked your squat up to 350- Could you head to the smith machine and lift the same weight? Easily. All those stabilizers are barely needed on a smith, and you can focus all your strength and energy on your legs.

VERY WELL SAID,
D