What’s the short answer?
Both free weights and machines are beneficial.
It all comes down to — as with many fitness-related “this or that” questions — your fitness level and goals.
In general, weight machines are a great tool for beginners, as they teach proper form and reduce the risk of injury.
Free weights, on the other hand, allow you to work more muscles and promote functional fitness.
Plus, if home workouts are your jam right now, free weights are more accessible and versatile than machines.
Do they work the same muscles?
Yes, both free weights and machines will work many of the same muscles.
But when you’re comparing apples to apples, free weights work more muscles than machines do.
Think about this: When you perform a dumbbell shoulder press, not only are your shoulders engaged, but so are your core, traps, and triceps, as your whole upper body works to stabilize you.
In a shoulder press machine, a fixed range of motion guides the weight up and down, eliminating the need for that extra stabilization on your end. Here, the majority of the work falls to your shoulders.
