Machine vs. Free Weight Training: Which Is More Functional?

Key Points:

34 resistance-trained young men were assigned to eight weeks of either free weight or machine-based strength training.
Both groups improved vertical jump, anaerobic cycling performance, and strength similarly. The free weights group saw a small improvement in balance and change of direction speed tests.
Both types of strength training can be effective for improving athleticism and performance.

***

For as long as I’ve been interested in strength training, there has been a notion that free weight training is more “functional” and better for athleticism than machine-based training.

Rewind the clock even further, and you have the heated discussions about whether strength training is at all beneficial for athletes or if it just makes them slow and “muscle-bound”. (I’ve always been a bit enticed by that expression, by the way. It sounds just as nice as being “too big”. Sign me up!)

Today, we know that strength training can significantly improve performance and athleticism in plenty of metrics: jumping higher, running faster, and throwing further.

But does it matter which type of strength training you do?

Is one type of training more “functional” than the other?

The definition of the term functional is, of course, highly dependent on whatever your specific function is. The bench press is very functional if you’re a powerlifter. If you’re a marathon runner; not so much.

Still, a recently published study pinned the two types of strength training equipment against each other to see how it impacted performance in common athletic tests.

Machine vs. Free Weight Training for Eight Weeks

In the new study, a group of 34 resistance-trained young men was recruited to follow either a machine or free weight-based training program for eight weeks.¹

After two weeks of familiarization with the program, they went through an extensive set of athletic tests:

Sprint speed (20 m)
Change of direction speed (10 m)
Vertical jump height
Balance
Anaerobic power, measured by 20 s of all-out cycling (one test each for the arms and legs!)
Strength tests in all exercises of the program

They then underwent an eight week, three times per week training program.

Both groups trained the full squat, bench press, bench row, and overhead press, but the free weight group used a barbell and the machine-based group used machines with the same movement patterns.

They performed all four exercises every workout (3x/week), for three sets per exercise, and with 4 minutes of rest between sets.

They used velocity measurements to maintain equal intensity (resistance) between the two groups, and they terminated each set when they had reached a 20% velocity loss – approximately halfway to failure.

They began training in week one with a resistance approximating 65% of their one-rep max and linearly increased it up to 85% of their one-rep max in week 8.

Now, you might wonder why they stopped their sets halfway to failure.

While doing so is not optimal for muscle growth, it is effective for developing strength and power. Because stopping short of failure shortens the recovery period, I can see this working well in programs such as this, where they perform every exercise three times per week.

The Results

After eight weeks of training, the participants went through the battery of tests again.

There were no significant between-group differences for any of the tests.

Here’s a quick run-down of the tests and results:

Vertical jump: Both groups improved vertical jump height.
Sprint speed: Neither group significantly improved sprint speed, but the free weight group saw a small increase in change of direction speed. (The machine-based training group also saw a small improvement, but it didn’t reach statistical significance)
Anaerobic power (20 s cycling test): Both groups significantly improved their lower body anaerobic power, but only the machine-based group significantly improved their upper body anaerobic power.
Balance: The free-weight group saw a significant improvement in balance on one leg.
Strength: Each participant was tested in all eight exercises (four movements, times two types of equipment: machines and free weights). Strength gain was similar in both groups: around 10%.

In summary, both groups got stronger and increased their jump height, as well as the anaerobic capacity in their legs.

As for the minor differences in results, I mostly view them as noise.

Or, as the authors put it themselves, “There were no meaningful differences between the two groups.”

Practical Take-Away: Should You Use Machines or Free Weights?

In my opinion, this study adds to the pile of research saying that you can use either free weights or machines to enhance your strength and athleticism.

Both machines and free weights have their pros and cons, which I have previously written about in this article.

Both types of equipment are equally effective for improving strength and power, but the strength gain is task-specific.²

Therefore, consider things like:

Which equipment do I have access to?
Which exercise do I know how to perform comfortably and consistently?
Which exercise can I train effectively, for the right muscles through a long range of motion, and progressively increase the load in?
Does any exercise or piece of equipment seem to have a lower injury risk, or more favorable risk:reward ratio?
Which exercise or piece of equipment do I enjoy training with?

Your strength training doesn’t have to be overly specific. The purpose of strength training is to increase your muscle mass and strength in general; then, the sports practice is where you translate this new muscle and strength into improved performance.

For example, a soccer player using barbell squats to increase her leg strength and muscle mass learns to utilize her new strength and speed by practicing and playing soccer.

(There is, by the way, strong evidence that increasing strength in the barbell squat translates to higher sprint speed in soccer players.³ ⁴)

I love the barbell and think it is a great tool for athletes (or anyone) looking to improve their performance.

But if you don’t enjoy hoisting the barbell, don’t have access to one, or have other considerations you need to factor in, you can certainly use other tools to get bigger, stronger, and faster.

Related reading:

Machine vs. Free Weight Training: Which Is More Functional?

Machine vs. Free Weight Training for Eight Weeks

The Results

Practical Take-Away: Should You Use Machines or Free Weights?

References

Related Posts