With the ever increasing complexity and advancement of weight machine technology, there has been a lot talk and sometimes even arguments about which is best for training when you're trying to lose fat and gain muscle. Is it free weights or machines? Much like the "which came first: the chicken or egg?" dilemma there really is no right answer, because each form of equipment is more than adequate in helping you realize your dreams and goals for a better physique. However, I do believe that no matter what the advances in technology are, free weights will always do a much better job in sculpting the perfect physique than any machine. Furthermore, I doubt the improvement of the machines that you see in the gym have really created that much of an advantage, if any, over free weights. But, whatever your stance is in this dilemma, the fact of the matter is that changing your life and your body all comes down to two things; that is 1) desire and 2) commitment.

Though it can be argued that machines have advantages over free weights, it is important to understand that first and foremost; our muscles were designed to overcome the pull of gravity rather than overcome machine resistance. Therefore, for those who want to make great gains in muscularity and definition, free weights are still the way to go.

In my opinion free weights have numerous advantages over machines primarily because of the range of motion that they give the user, which in turn makes for a better workout. The wider range in motion makes the targeted muscles recruit the use of other muscles that are otherwise not used when using machines. The use of free weights also challenges the user to use proper balance and coordination when performing the exercise thus preventing the user from cheating by using all the available muscle fibers to perform the exercise correctly.

Unlike machines, free weights are not guided by a pulley or a cam system that assist your body through the sticking points in the exercise. These sticking points are the most important reps of the exercises because they are when you are re-conditioning or reprogramming your body to adjust to the level of stress that you are putting it under. Also, these sticking points further heighten the respond time of your bodily systems (neural, endocrine and muscular). If observed carefully, machines only work by keeping resistance along one constant plane -- meaning that motion is limited and there is no need for balance because the exercise is done the way the machine wants it done. Some might argue that the limit in motion isolates the muscle that is being work upon. While that may be true, if thought through carefully, every exercise that is performed on a specific muscle actually affects another set of muscle(s) and therefore it becomes a constant domino effect. It's been long theorized that free weights increase stabilizer involvement, which means "working the muscles which support the acting muscles, called prime movers", this is what I just mention in the previous statement. For example, when you're doing a bench press, not only are you stimulating your pectoral muscles, you're also including your shoulders as well as your triceps. When you're working on your biceps, you're also stimulating your forearms. The fact of the matter is that free weights involve more stimulus to the body therefore making the body respond much better and faster. Also, free weights give much more creativity to the user with respect to different exercises and new angles to stimulate certain muscle groups. With the restriction in movement that some machines have, all that really happens is less muscle development and disproportioned muscle development in the target areas.

However, the biggest advantage that free weights have over machines is that free weights caters to all users; tall short, bulky, skinny, long legged, short legged, long armed, short armed, short stature, as well as to those with disabilities. Free weights, unlike machines, are not set or design to accommodate the average male or female frame with little flexibility to accommodate the rest of the population.

If it sounds like I'm against using machines at all, I'm not. I'm just merely stating the upside of using free weights because a lot of people are scared to use them. I believe machines are a good compliment to free weights if use properly. After all, how can we better sculpt our legs without the use of the leg extensions or the leg curls? Or to even fully stimulate the inner pectorals without the use of pec deck or cables or to work the lats without the assistance of the lat pulldowns? Machines are great when you're trying to burn and squeeze out that extra rep after fatigue sets in. Machines provide increased safety for people with injuries, and for beginners out there who wants to use strict and proper techniques. But most of all, machines are great because they allow users to work out in relative safety without a spotter, to total exhaustion.

So, don't be afraid to use both free weights and machine weights because they compliment each other to help you achieve your ultimate goal. If you're a beginner and you have no idea how to perform some of the exercises, use the machines and observe the provided diagrams that show you how to do the exercise. Once you get a little stronger and much more comfortable start using free weights. The combination will provide you will the ultimate workout routine, and in time, the ultimate body.