Are Exercise Machines Better Than Free Weights for Beginners?

If you're just beginning your quest to get in shape or simply haven't been to the gym in a while, the atmosphere can be intimidating. And while having a broad range of equipment with which to work can be great, the range of choices can be confusing and you might not be sure which types are best for you. However, exercise machines are generally better than free weights for beginners, as they provide multiple beginner-friendly benefits. Always ask your doctor prior to starting a workout plan.

  1. Encourage Proper Form

    • Exercise machines are better than free weights for beginners because such machines encourage proper form. When you pick up free weights, you may not immediately understand how to perform an exercise properly. However, with exercise machines the learning curve is virtually nonexistent, as the machine guides you through the motion. Additionally, machines tend to have charts showing how to perform the exercise properly, so you can be sure you don't make any mistakes that could potentially lead to injury.

    No Need for a Spotter

    • If you're lifting a lot of weight using free weights, you'll want a spotter standing by to make sure you don't accidentally drop the weight and hurt yourself. But if you're just starting out, you may not know many people who could act as a spotter for you. Instead of risking injury, you can simply use an exercise machine to perform the exercise. Because exercise machines operate on a set range of motion, you can be sure a barbell or heavy set of dumbbells won't be crashing down on you.

    Teach Proper Habits

    • When you're using free weights, you may be tempted to take advantage of the momentum generated by swinging the weights. While this can help you squeeze out a few more reps, this is a bad habit to get into, as you're not getting the full benefit of the exercise by relying on momentum. With exercise machines, you don't have this option, so it's only your muscles generating the power for movement on each rep.

    More Efficient Workouts

    • If you've just started exercising, you may not want to stick with the program if you have to stay at the gym for endless sessions. When you use free weights, you will either have to add or remove weight plates from barbells or switch to a different pair of dumbbells to vary the resistance. With exercise machines, you can typically move a weight pin or dial to adjust the resistance, and you can move from exercise to exercise without reracking weights or doing any cleanup. This encourages more efficient workouts so you don't have to spend hours at the gym while you're still testing the waters.