30 Seconds Summary
Are free weights better than machines for strength and size?

  • A meta-analysis compared free weights and machines on strength, muscle growth, and jump performance with 13 studies analyzed.
  • Maximal strength gains are modality-specific: better improvements in free-weight exercises with free weights and vice versa for machines.
  • No significant differences in muscle growth between free weights and machine exercises, suggesting both can be effectively used in hypertrophy programs.
  • Isometric strength showed no differences between modalities, indicating general strength improvements are not modality-dependent.
  • Countermovement jump performance slightly favored free weights, with free weights potentially offering better improvements in jump height.
  • The findings support the principle of specificity, suggesting training should match the modality of the desired strength gains.
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