I can guess at the probable response to this post, probably something like "tried googling it?" but I figure I'll try it anyway. My local gym has recently been taken over by a trust committee who are looking to improve the gym facilities and are holding a meeting to see who currently uses what, what isn't used and what people would like. Instead of just going along and saying "I want more free weights and fewer machines" I'd like to be able to give reasons and cite references. I'm a little hesitant to point them at forums such as this one and T-Nation, for the simple reason most of the Trust Committee are likely to be older people who just want something to improve their social standing, and so pointing them at a power lifting and strength forum probably wouldn't help, and as one of my lecturers drummed into me, a lot of Internet references are from personal websites that can be accused of being opinion rather than fact. (I really hope no-one takes offence to this, as none is intended). The reason I'm posting here is while I can spend all my free time searching the internet and every spare second possible in the library looking for what I'm after, I won't be able to beat the accumulated knowledge of everyone who reads this forum and posts on here. What I would like to find, if possible, is any type of medical paper or book that says why and how machines can cause long term physical problems (due to locking you into a fixed range of motion) and how lifting with free weights is vastly beneficial. I'm also after such things as knowledge of human anatomy that will help me explain things such as why squatting with a barbell is a lot more beneficial than using a Smith Machine; why Olympic style free weights should be purchased instead of the fixed weight ones they currently have, and any good places to buy the right equipment for the gym. I'm not after someone to give me all the answers, but a few helpful links or books that can help me prove my point to a room full of non-believers and maybe help change the one thing we all hate, a machine-ridden gym that thinks it's the mutt's nuts I'm currently trawling through the lists in the reference library, but any favorites or anything you think will help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance
It really does depend who your gym is aimed at. What it all comes down to i'm afraid is money. A gym is a business. Bodybuilders and heavy weightlifters bring in little income. The true money comes from older people, mums in the afternoon, and office dwellers in the evening. These people see a machine and it is a lot more appealing because you can't really go wrong on them, as you said the path is dictated. They are also of the belief that fitness equipment must be high tech to work. One problem with having a lot of free weights is that it attracts sweaters, grunters and roiders which on the whole are nice enough when you talk to them, but they can be intimidating to the un initiated. None of this is my opinions but it is what I have learned from my years of working in gyms. And believe me you will have a hard time trying to change opinions on people. Get yourself some fitness equipment in your home and use that. You get to pick it, its always on hand, and no waiting around for kit. For about the cost of a years membership you can get an oly set, bench and power rack that will last a lifetime.
I realise that it's probably going to be near impossible, but it wouldn't feel right if I just sat back and didn't do anything about it. I know money's going to be their main concern, but again, I can sit back and complain about the state of my local gym, or I can go along and try and get it changed. As for the getting my own gear, I don't have the room. Also, I find motivation a problem, and find that having to walk to the gym with the music blaring on my mp3 player puts me in the mood for working out, whereas sitting at home with weights 3 foot away doesn't get me in the mood for it .
Your right Combatant, its relatively inexpensive to kit your home out with the equipment you need. Thats the good thing about free weights, you can do so many things with the same barbell/dumbell. On the other hand I enjoy training at a gym, its like an evening at the pub but with weights instead of beer Gets me more motivated training with others. My list would be Dip & pullup bars Squat rack Bench and Bench press bench Olympic barbells Dumbells
.....chuck in a trap bar to that list and thats my gym! Ive recently posted up a pic of my home gym in the garage in the photos section but its a mess.
You will be hard pressed to find studies saying free weights are better then machines. Its not a highly-researched topic and the research that is available goes both ways. But everyone with experience of both will tell you that free weights are better. You are also unlikely to get a good response by citing scientific papers anyway, you'll be better served by giving real life examples of people who have lost weight (thats where the money is) with free weights. As for injury risk (which is the hottest topic favoring machines), that claim is 100% unsubstantiated. Many phd's even think that machines are more likely to cause injury. If I give you alot of nice tidbits about anatomy and the squat and you memorize them or write them down and present them and they ask you questions, you won't be able to answer. EDIT: And also, free weights require you to teach people how to use them, machines do not. That is a BIG factor since most people will be intimidated about needing help to get started and will not start at all.
I don't think you'd struggle to find some authorative information saying free weights are better. Better at least for certain results. Take squats vs leg press for example. Unless all you're bothered about is the appearance of certain leg muscles, then squats will give you far better results, working your whole body. Also working stabiliser muscles which is something machines don't do with their linear motion. But like you say, its easier for gyms to have machines. Easier than teaching people to use free weights and also it sadly comes down to health and safety reasons. Its nearly impossible for them to teach correct form and they must be worried about people being crushed to death under the squat bar or guillotined under the bench press :bang: I went to a gym at Bolton, recently been taken over by Virgin Active so I was expecting great things. And it was good, a really nice place. Until I noticed a distinct lack of squat racks and bench press's!!!! So staying at the leaky old mill for a while longer
emberksw Does your gym offer 2 free personal training sessions to anyone starting out? My first gym did. That can give them a chance to teach form and exercises.
Sort of, but you can only take so much in on your first couple of visits. Without access to good training partners and all the info here I think I'd I've ended up doing lame bodybuilding exercises like 90% of the people at the gym
