Machines v. Free-weights

 

With apologizes to the great Natche, Whooooooo!!! That JavaLean is some great stuff. And as suggested recently, it makes for a great pick me up and fill me up in the afternoon between lunch and dinner. Just the thing to keep us rollin’ as we wade into the heated debate between the pro-free-weight faction and the machine-heads.

Now, this battle has been ragin’ since well before I hopped into the scene some two decades ago…wow…that sounds like I’ve been around forever. Huh. (old man soundbite). Yeah…thanks.

Anyway, like I was saying, there are lots of folks who ask me on a weekly basis whether I think they should use free weights or machines for best results. To which I usually reply “best results for what?” And that’s a good a place as any to kick this piece off…

Free-Weights

Let’s take a look first at the advantages of free-weights, which include among them dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells. (Holy hell…with all those bells, it’s only natural to wonder where’s Quasimoto)?

Well, for one, free-weights can normally better imitate real-life situations due to the fact that they can swing and move in several directions.

That’s the main reason for the second point, actually, is that all of that movement can lead to better development of the stabilizing muscles needed for safer and stronger movements.

What’s more is that free-weights are generally multi-purpose, meaning we can use plate weights for squats and then presss, rows, etc. With the exception of those “all-in-one” universal gyms, machines generally do only one movement.

And, in addition to being multi-purpose, free weights are usually less expensive—and that’s the whole damn reason for this season, y’all follow me? I ain’t got it like I once did, and so multi-purpose and cheap is damn sure in my wheelhouse!

But, free-weigthts do have some draw backs that are of note, so let’s those breathe the light of day also:

Because free-weights are unstable, many times people will think about that fact and not the exercise itself, and not see the best results. For example, think about times when y’all have had heavy weights over your heads…I’ll bet much of your energy was spent keeping that weight off of your domes and less so on working the shoulders.

Also due their instability (the weight’s, not the people), some movements require safety spotters at times. And no, I’m not talking about regulatory women on their periods…I mean like a gym buddy to make sure that heady 150 lbs. ya’ got on the bench press doesn’t come crashing down onto your sternum. Most of us have been there. It’s a bummer.

Also, unless very specific form and techniques are used, it can be really difficult to isolate muscles during a set. Think about doing rear delt flys. It’s so easy to feel just traps and not the rear delts themselves. In fact, had Yumon Eaton not smartened me up a few years ago, I might not be doing that movement correctly myself. Big up, homie…hope you’re holdin’ it down in SoFlo. Still the most genetically gifted man I’ve ever seen.

Machines and Machinations

Don’t get me wrong, now, I’m not anti-machine—I have both free-weights and machines in my studio (and would probably have several more if they weren’t so damn expensive)! In fact, that incident with Yumon happened on machine rear-delt flys on a pec-deck. But, the point was the rear delts. Anyway.

Machines can help you target specific muscles very easily and with little training or understanding of exercise science, save for what’s printed on those instruction placards.

Also because they require very little in the way of instruction, they’re safer and usually a good choice for unsupervised beginners.

Machine circuits are generally faster due to not having to load and unload weight (unless it’s a plate-loaded machine, and even then, it’s a toss-up). I can usually cut my time in half if using machines for my workouts. And, part of that is because I don’t have to put my weights back! I suppose if I left my weights strewn across the shop, I could cut down time. But, because that’s a dick move, I put ‘em back. And I make sure to wipe said machines down when I finish. I recommend the same for y’all. Cleanliness is, indeed, next to Godliness, after all.

All this convenience comes with a hefty price tag, however, and one of the biggest knocks on machines is their price. No shit. These moving parts can cost upwards of $10,000 in some instances, and even at a modest $1500 buck a piece, machines are usually out of the budget of the working schlep. Either I can eat and have a/c, or I could plunk down for a nice Free-Motion. Choice isn’t rocket surgery.

Like I said before, machines typically only have a handful of functions, whereas free weights are pretty versatile.

Machines also tend to come with very few size adjustments, meaning that freakishly tall chaps or shorties below the “must be this tall to ride line” are left out. If you’re in either of the aforementioned categories, best to stick with the barbell/kettlebell program.

For everybody else in between, we probably will be best served looking for our answers right where our hight range falls…somewhere in the middle. Meaning the best conditioning programs will generally include a little dose of both of these methods of strength training. Some free-weight movements and some machines to round out the specific areas tends to work for most of my clients and anyone who doesn’t have a specific condition preventing one or the other.

Of course, we always like to sprinkle in a healthy serving of resistance bands and body-weight exerciseses, too…but that’s for another podcast!

 

Healthy Boozin’

 

Let’s belly up the bar and talk a little healthy boozin’. Listen, I know there will be those out there who would say that the healthiest option is no drink at all, but let’s be real, if you have that attitude—then chances are that you’re not listening to this podcast anyway. For the rest of us, and in light of the holiday party season being on the horizon, we need to find some libation options what don’t break the weight watchers bank.

With about 100 calories per serving, it’s not so much the hard liquor as the mixers and juices with which many bar drinks are made that run this total up higher than a sex addict’s order at Frederick’s. That Long Island Tea? Try around 280 calories a pop without the fruit. A coupla’ delicious and decadent chocolate martini’s with the gals after work? How about just shy of 1000 calories? Seriously, you don’t have to be a raging alcoholic to come away with as many liquid calories as food calories on this one. Shit. Just imagine being an unrepentant mudslide addict? One could amass an astronomical amount of calories just guzzling down a night cap.

But, again, I mention that alcohol itself has about 95 calories for a 1.5 oz. shot. Which is a convenient and handy way to get one’s liquor, if I may say so myself. Quick too. And y’all know that I like to get my fun nice and quickly. Since most respectable gin mills frown on direct injection of sprirts, and rightly so, maybe order a coupla’ fingers of your favorite hooch neat or on the rocks. Research shows that people tend to drink liquor ordered neat or with ice much slower than a tasty umbrella drink. (Ditch the straw, too, for that matter. They can lead to faster consumption).

If you’re a little soft and just can’t see yourself sippin’ on gin no juice, then try this suggestion from Alex down in my old stompin’ grounds of Boca Raton. He and wife Courtney are big fans of mixing up some instant Crystal Light in a few ounces of water and then throwing in a shot or two of some top shelf Vodka to avoid a little hangover action. There’s a pretty endless selection of Crystal Light flavors, too, so one doesn’t get too bored.

Another one of my clients likes a little gin or some vodka with a nice Dasani flavored sparkling water and a little lime or lemon. The total calorie count is just about 100 calories. Supa’ smaaat that one!!

Ok…but what if you’re in a respectable setting and ain’t trying to drink the hard liquor ‘lest you end up unclothed and in the hotel fountain after dinner. Well, most wines lean towards 20 calories/ounce, or about 100 calories for a 5 ounce glass. Again, portion control is critical here. If your wine glass is simply a decoration for the bottle, then you’re gonna chug a few more calories than you might should. But, with a few glasses after work to unwind or celebratory toast of champagne, then the average person isn’t gonna’ get too many calories in one sitting.

Beer is where things can get a little murky once again, since so there are so many brands and varieties. Ales, stouts and lagers all have different calorie counts, and those can vary based upon any number of ingredients included. Generally, light beers contain around 100 calories for the standard 12 oz. can. Dem 40’s of OE got few more than that. Regular varities of the light favorites run anywhere from 130 calories on to 180 or so. Boston’s own Samuel Adams Triple Bock packs more caloric punch than an angry Irish Southie. Around 340 big ones. Go sox, ah?

Basically, short of non-alcoholic beer, which checks in around 70 calories, light beers are going to to be the brew of choice for calorie counters. Try the Mich Ultra line of drafts, as they come in four delicious flavors, including cactus and lime. Bud Light, Coors Light and Miller Lite will all fill the bill of a regular flavored beer. Once again, I am going to assume portion control is not an issue here, since calorie count is pretty meaningless if a whole case finds its way into your gullet.

Anyway, it seems that a regular serving of either beer, wine or straight liquor is going to have around 100 calories. It’s pretty well a toss-up and according to one’s own taste as to which booze is gonna’ do the trick for the time. At least y’all can go into the Holiday party season just a little more educated on your libations and diet…and that’s all we can really ask here, now isn’t it?

Of course if you really wanna’ maximize your drinking time minus the calories, try giving a few pints of blood and stepping out to your next cocktail hour. Not only will you be contributing to the greater good of much needed blood stores, but it just doesn’t seem to take as many to get me there. Huh.