are free weights better than machines?

[AbailNeil]

my cousin and I started lifting the same exact day 8 months ago, he is more a free weight guys I do more machines
we have different training plans but we both work our asses of for sure, for some reason he looks way bigger than me
and I wonder if it's the fact that he has been doing more free weights and I have been doing machines, should I switch
to free weights? thank you.

 

[SteveMobsterG]

All things being equal - yes go with freeweights

 

[stevesmi]

first off never compare yourself with friends.. i worked out with a friend in high school all summer.. both had the same workouts, same diet, same age, same everything.. i had better results because i had better genetics. he had cancer just a couple years prior and mother nature gifted him awful luck/genetics

2nd it isn't about working out hard, it is about working out efficient. the best way to lift weights is ripping up your muscle fibers and then getting quality sleep to recover and repair. until you master that you will never reach your peak performance

and yes you should be doing free weights, resistance training, some machines, etc etc.. utilize everything ..

 

[muskate]

Free weights stimulate muscle protein synthesis and train the central nervous system much more efficiently then machines do.

Machines have their place but free weights should be the 'bread and butter' of your workouts

 

[chemicalyouth]

I use both mainly free weights but machines are nice for fitness like some dealt exercises or last exercises. If he's using only freeweights incorporate both into your exercise and see if you notice a marked improvement. Definitely free weights for core exercises. I wouldn't use machines for pec exercises or quads those can get torn down better with free weights. After you've tried both you should have a better appreciation for which is better for exercising what muscles and how.

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[MasonicBodybuilder]

Variety is the key. Stick to free weights as your main exercises but definitely add in machines too.