Starting out

Training with free weights (dumbbell, barbell or medicine ball) requires skill and coordination to control the range and direction of movement. It's not ideal for beginners without expert supervision.
2 stars

Fixed weights move only in the plane and range dictated by the machine, so it's difficult to do anything wrong. Newcomers tend to find machines less intimidating than the free weights area, too.
5 stars

Calorie-burning

Uses more calories than machine workouts because more muscles are recruited to carry out the movement. Lifting and carrying weights around also boosts energy expenditure.
4 stars

Weight-training apparatus supports your body, so requires only one specific muscle or muscle group to work, and as a result this reduces overall energy demand.
2 stars

Functionality

Free weights are more functional than fixed because they mimic the complex actions we perform in daily life, such as lifting and carrying objects while bending or reaching overhead.
5 stars

Machines isolate and guide muscles and joints, so the movements they create aren't very functional. Most exercises take place sitting down, so posture and core stability are easily neglected, too.
1 stars

Building strength

Enable you to target a specific muscle or muscle group from many different angles using a variety of exercises, so the potential strength benefits are greater, provided you make the effort.
4 stars

Perform just as well as free weights in terms of strengthening major muscle groups, according to research in the journal Medicine & Science in Sport & Exercise.
4 stars

Sport-friendly

Produce superior results compared with machines, according to research at the University of Edinburgh. In general, movements involved in different sports can be more closely replicated using free weights.
5 stars

Machines are a good bet for athletes with specific weaknesses, because a specific muscle or muscle group can be isolated and strengthened. Movement speed, direction and range can also be easily controlled.
3 stars