Originally Posted by
Phrank
Weight room opened yesterday! Yeaaaa!!!! Still a car sized hole in it, and much rearranging, but open at last!
Been very interesting, my PT and several buds at the gym, once told me that free weights build muscle and strengthen, whereas machines will only tone and strengthen.
So the last three weeks I've been taking the opportunity to really change things up. 20 minutes hardcore on the elliptical, then various "weight" machines in the front, then long warm down walking the track, which aside from various aerobic classes, was somewhat boring.
Hit the weights yesterday, Biceps and triceps, and wow, felt great, and I could feel that I had lost some strength in the last drop-sets. Really missed the free weights.
Afterwards, I could feel the intensity of the free weight workout far more than what I had been doing, now next day, I feel a little stiff, which on the whole I didn't experience much anymore. Glad to be back at it, Chest and shoulders tomorrow.
Any thought on free weights vs machines? Do free weights in fact actually increase muscle mass, build muscle, as opposed to machines?