Have you ever wondered which resistance training methods are best suited to yield significant results? In a recent Arnold’s Pump Club Newsletter shared on August 23, 2024, Arnold Schwarzenegger compared the muscle building, strength, and jump performance benefits of free weights versus machines.
Reaching the top of the Mr. Olympia mountain a staggering seven times, Schwarzenegger used every resource available to him to sculpt a championship-caliber physique. What makes Schwarzenegger’s contributions to the sport so special is the fact that machines weren’t widely available in the 1970s during the prime of his career. Instead, he built one of the best physiques the sport has seen with free weights, often using a bench, dumbbells, and barbells to build muscle.
The fitness and bodybuilding industry has seen science-based exercise take over in the past few years. This has led to questions about whether machines or free weights produce better results. In his latest endeavor, Schwarzenegger analyzes both resistance training methods, offering insight into which one rules the roost as the most effective form of exercise.
Machines or Free Weights? Arnold Schwarzenegger Breaks Down Which Is Better At Building ‘Muscle, Strength, and Jump Performance’
According to Schwarzenegger, researchers found that machines and dumbbells were equally effective at building muscle and strength.
“Free Weights Are Better Than Machines
Is it better to reach for free weights or stick with machines? A recent review and meta-analysis compared the effects of these two popular training methods on strength, muscle growth, and jump performance.
The researchers found that machines and dumbbells were equally effective at building muscle and strength.”
Additional research suggested that those who trained with free weights increased strength on free weight exercises whereas those who trained with machines, saw the same improvements while using machines.
“Some people interpreted the study to show that free weights were better, but that’s not what the scientists found. People who train with free weights do a better job of increasing strength on free weight exercises, while those who train with machines are better at seeing machine improvements.”
The bottom line? Both types of exercise equipment led to a similar increase in strength and muscle growth.
“In other words, your rate of progress and improvement is specific to the type of exercise you do most often. So lifting isn’t just about strength but specifically training a skill and movement pattern. But if you look at strength increases — regardless of the type of exercise you perform — both types of exercise equipment lead to similar increase and muscle growth.”
However, the study showed one glaring exception: jump performance improved ‘much more’ with free weights compared to machines.
“The exception? Jump performance appears to improve much more with free weights compared to machines.”
Ultimately, Schwarzenegger maintains that ‘progressive resistance’ by adding weight, reps, or sets to a workout is how to improve and transform the body.
“At the end of the day, your body responds to resistance, whether from dumbbells, machines, barbells, resistance bands, kettlebells, or even your body weight. As you get stronger, it’s essential to keep challenging your muscles in new ways, either by adding weight, reps, or sets. That’s the idea of progressive resistance, which is how you improve and transform your body.”
Fitness expert and bodybuilder Jeff Nippard has also tackled the age-old question about free weights versus machines. Similar to Schwarzenegger’s conclusion, Nippard suggests that both forms of resistance training offered relative benefits.
“But the latest research doesn’t conclusively support one set of tools over another. It comes down to specificity. If you want to get stronger on the barbell bench press, you won’t make much progress doing cable crossovers.
But if your primary goal is to get bigger, both machines and free weights will work, as long as you push your muscles close to failure,” Nippard revealed.
The next time you’re debating whether to use free weights or machines, pick the one that best suits the goal you’re after. They both can offer similar muscle-building and strength benefits, but when it comes to jumping, free weights are the way to go.
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