Generally speaking, a progressive resistance exercise program is an effective means of achieving muscular fitness. The two most widely used approaches for attaining muscular fitness are resistance provided by either free weights or exercise machines. According to The American Council On Exercise(ACE), novice weight lifters should use strictly machines, while more experienced weight lifters can benefit from combining free weights with exercise machines. Consult with your health care provider before beginning any new activity.
Considerations
A weight training program that integrates free weights and machines can be structured in a variety of ways. How your program is structured depends on your available time, equipment and fitness goals. If available time is an issue, you may include fewer free weight exercises in your program. Generally, because changing weight plates takes extra time, a free weight oriented program takes more time than a program with mostly machines. Also, if your time is limited, you may want to work your whole body three times a week instead of a four-day, or five-day split routine.
Types
Generally, their are two basic types of programs that can incorporate free weights with machines. They include full body workouts, or workouts that target different muscle groups on different days of the week. For example, a four day split routine would target the legs, back and biceps on Mondays and Thursday, and the shoulders, chest and triceps on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Benefits
Exercise machines and free weights have their own particular advantages. A program that combines both of them is very versatile and provides the user with the advantages of both. For example, free weight training develops prime mover muscles and stabilizer muscles, while exercise machines target just prime mover muscles. On the other hand, according to Bodybuilding.com, some bodybuilders prefer exercise machines on some exercises, because they isolate the prime mover muscles more effectively. A good example of this specific targeting would be a hamstring curl machine, which directly isolates the hamstring muscle
Sample Program
A three day full body program can integrate free weights and exercise machines. A three day, full body workout targets all the main muscle groups, and is performed on either Monday, Wednesday and Friday, or Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. When working all the major muscle groups in one day, start with the lower body first. Warm up sets should be included with each new exercise. Rest for approximately one to two minutes between sets.
Perform two additional sets of each exercise after the warm up set. Sets should consist of eight to 12 repetitions. For the lower body, perform hamstring curls(hamstrings-machine),thigh extensions(thighs-machine), calf raises(calves-machine) and squats(buttocks and thighs-free weight-barbells). Move to the upper body and perform lat pull downs (back-machine), one arm rows(back-free weight dumbbells),shoulder press(shoulders-machine), side laterals(shoulders-free weight- dumbbells),chest press (chest- machine), bicep curls(biceps-machine), tricep pressdowns (tricep-free weight-cables), and crunches (abs-machine) A brief warm up of five to 10 minutes should be performed on a piece of cardio equipment, prior to working out with weights. Gentle stretching should be performed after working out with the weights
Warning
Working out with free weights can be dangerous, so consult with a personal trainer if you are attempting new free weight exercises. Finding a partner to watch you on free weight exercises is an added measure of safety.
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