Free Weights Vs. The Machine: Pros and Cons

I'd like to present a case for choosing and using quality weight-resistance machines, while granting that free-weight "purists" do make some compelling arguments. In the course of this discussion, I will also allude to Weider and Parabody as two general types (and brands of) weight-resistance machines.

First, a little background. It will soon become obvious that I'm neither a dedicated jock nor an expert on exercise gear. My aim here is to talk to the "average Joe" consumer, not to those who have more experience and bigger biceps than I will ever acquire. Several years ago, while browsing the sporting goods section of my neighborhood Wal-Mart, I stumbled onto a large, well-illustrated box containing a Weider 8520 multi-gym for only $239. It encompassed numerous exercises via the following "stations": bench press; butterfly arms; leg lift; high and low pulleys (for various snap-on attachments); and, most impressively to me at the time, a leg press! (Few cheap gyms include the latter.) I soon decided I could gamble on this unit-did I mention it was only $239?

After considerable hassle transporting the unwieldy box home in my Dodge Neon, then came the daunting task of assembling it myself; oh, sure, I'd put together various gadgets and machines over the years, but this one truly took a full day, with its imposing, seemingly endless array of painted-steel arms, stainless-steel posts, plastic-coated weight plates, and pulleys and cables--lots and lots of pulleys and cables. But, a day later, I was the proud owner of my very own home gym, gotten on the cheap.

In contrast to department store gyms, "professional" units (such as the Parabody 250 that I discovered three years after having bought the aforementioned Weider machine)--sold exclusively at authorized specialty fitness stores--can be conveniently delivered and assembled for you in your home by, presumably, experienced experts. (My local dealers' quoted fees for these combined services range from perhaps $50 to $100; if you're a gutsy haggler, and if your local shop's business is slow, perhaps you could get these chores thrown in at no extra charge!) Don't forget to factor in the very availability of these services when contemplating the price tag of many "multi-gym" machines at specialty shops. Trust me: while far from impossible, assembling such a unit yourself is a bit of a chore for the uninitiated or the mechanically challenged.

I'll have more to say below about my evaluation of the aforementioned Parabody unit. But first, let's digress a bit and consider whether you should buy ANY machine at all. Why not save a small fortune by opting for a set of free weights and a decent bench?

POINTS IN FAVOR OF FREE WEIGHTS:

Adaptability
With free weights you're not locked into the prescribed motions of the machine's invariable exercises. You can move in virtually any direction, at any angle. Therefore, all muscle groups, theoretically, can be pinpointed and benefited. This will, however, require the neophyte to learn proper technique, an intimidating task for the casual or "weekend" exerciser.

Expandability
You're not limited to the fixed amount of weight that comes with a machine. Just add more and/or heavier plates to your barbell or dumbbells.

Economy
Again, a free-weights setup is typically much cheaper. You could buy a deluxe set with more poundage than you'll ever be able to lift and a deluxe bench for far less cash than is required for even an entry-level machine, especially a high-quality unit.

Compactness
Arguably, it's easier to store free weights in such a manner that less floor space is taken up. However, this generally would only apply if one didn't use a bench-which is not only very unlikely but also potentially unsafe. And most benches nowadays come with leg-lift and even lat-tower attachments, which, in fact, are simple machines.

POINTS IN FAVOR OF A MACHINE:

Safety
With a machine, you're not going to risk dropping a dumbbell on your foot, or a barbell on your chest; however, be sure not to let children or pets near the machine while the weight stack is being lifted, or serious injury-even death--could result if/when you slam the stack back down!

Freedom
You can pretty safely work out solo; little need-if any--for a "spotter" as is recommended for free-weight sessions. (All right, I admit it: I have frequently lifted free weights all by myself-who hasn't? But there's always, at least theoretically, a risk level there that's simply not entailed with a machine.)

Convenience
Unlike barbells and dumbbells, machines don't necessitate continually adding and removing those heavy, easily droppable plates; instead, just quickly reposition a pin in the machine's weight-plate stack. Let's face it: I can be notoriously lazy at times, and the comparative hassle of the free-weight approach sometimes puts me off. By contrast, a machine workout is quicker and simpler, if not exactly "easy."

Simplicity
Unlike learning proper technique with free-weights, a machine is almost a no-brainer: it's pretty immediately obvious what the primary exercises are that you can perform. By contrast, a set of free weights can be relatively mysterious to the neophyte. Some study/training is required to derive the utmost from free weights.

Aesthetics
Some of us frankly find the commanding appearance of the machine more alluring than free weights, although it must be granted that deluxe benches and racks are available nowadays that can make old fashioned "iron" appear pretty impressive--even multifaceted--in its own right. But, to me, there's just something inexplicably inviting about a well-designed home gym! If such purely emotional appeal entices one to work out longer and more regularly, then that's clearly a point in favor of the machine.

THE PARABODY 250 HOME GYM: Not unlike MANY high-quality (and high-priced) multi-gym machines.

Several years ago I checked out this fine "multi-gym" unit at a local dealer, and, as it's not altogether unlike MANY "home-gym" units out there, you can generally think of this unit as fairly typical of many currently available "high-end" models from various manufacturers.

As you can infer from the photo, the Parabody 250 Home Gym exudes an appealing, "club-caliber" image. Its steel frame is coated with an almost indestructible, powder-coated (baked-on) white finish. The other predominant color is black, as with the painted, solid-iron weights in the 160-pound stack (heavier and more durable than my old, low-cost Weider gym's 105-pound, plastic-coated-cement stack); smooth, vinyl upholstery; plastic-coated cables; fiberglass pulleys; and four-inch foam roller pads on the leg-lift. The latter are noticeably more comfortable than their three-inch counterparts on my Weider gym. A lifetime warranty covers everything except the upholstery and cables, which carry a three-year warranty.

Another advantage over my cheaper Weider gym is the Parabody 250's vertically adjustable bench press seat. It's nice to see the designers not adopting "a one size fits all" philosophy.

The press arms of the Parabody 250 have two sets of handle grips: you can grip one set "vertically," the other "horizontally." In this way different muscle groups can be worked. By contrast, my cheap gym only has horizontally configured grips.

Regarding Parabody's vaunted "biomechanically correct," "no dead spots" motions: my early, somewhat tentative impression is that some movements do indeed feel more comfortable than corresponding ones with my low-cost Weider gym. My unscientific impression is that the Parabody 250's upwardly curving arm press motion, in particular, is more enjoyable, easier, and quite possibly gentler on my joints than is my cheap Weider model. Now, to be fair, the "straight-forward" arm-press motion of my Weider gym does seem very comparable to the conventional press motion used with a barbell while lying flat on a bench. (Disclaimer: everything said in this context constitutes merely my own early, subjective reaction after comparing the three respective movements; to concede that I'm "no authority" on biomechanics is a monumental understatement!)

Now, I do continue to admire the virtues of the cheap Weider machine that I threw together three years ago. It's been used quite a lot (though, admittedly, not continuously!). It still looks great, is totally functional, has beaucoups exercise stations (even more than the Parabody 250), and represents real value for the bargain price of--$239. BUT, if I had it to do over again, I would scraped up the serious cash for a more expensive, still-better gym, quite possibly the Parabody 250, though their higher models are very tempting, featuring more stations and exercises. (I do consider the 250's lack of butterfly arms and a leg press to be its most conspicuous shortcomings.) I especially enjoyed Parabody's optional leg press attachment, whose motion I preferred to that of my Weider counterpart; with the latter, you press with the soles of your feet and actually move the "foot plate" forward. With the Parabody version, as you press, the foot plates do not move, you do: as you extend your legs, you rise upward at an angle. I found this to be great fun, and I'm told that a portion of your body weight is also used in the motion, unlike the "old-fashioned" leg-press motion of my cheap gym.

Now, if I could only have a home gym machine or a bench with free weights, I frankly would go for the machine. I realize that, to the free-weight purist, this flies in the face of biomechanical logic. I would be missing out on countless body motions that only barbells and dumbbells can provide. But, aside from the fact that I'm incurably lazy and like my workouts to be as easy as possible, I must return to the fact that I'm just a hopeless sucker for the grand aesthetic of these "great big" machines.

Ultimately, the really neat thing is that I don't have to make an either/or choice. I--and you--can enjoy both. I have no intention of discarding my cheap free weights and bench. I enjoy occasional variety in workouts as in all things, and it's nice having options whenever that "same old, same old" malaise starts setting in.

Before deciding on ANY exercise equipment, read the hype (much of which you should take with a grain of salt) and tentatively compare the models. Then visit the nearest dealer(s) in your city or region. Nothing less than one or more thorough, hands-on trial sessions should determine your final decision. Don't just spring for the first bargain you stumble onto while roaming at Wal-Mart, as a kooky friend of mine once did.