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Step 1
Choose weight machines if you don't have a training partner. Some exercises on free weights can be dangerous without a partner. For instance, if you are using a barbell and become too fatigued to complete the last repetition, you will need help returning the barbell to the rack so you don't get trapped under it.
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Step 2
Use weight machines if you're unsure how to do an exercise. The machines are designed to position your body correctly to prevent injury, and there are often diagrams to show you what to do.
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Step 3
Focus your workout on specific muscles by using weight machines. For instance, leg extensions and leg curls are best done on weight machines; there is no easy way to do these exercises with free weights.
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Step 4
Move from one exercise to another by using weight machines at a gym or health club, which arranges the machines for efficiency.
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Step 5
Keep you muscles balanced by using weight machines which work both sides of your body equally.
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Step 1
Choose free weights if you have a training partner. Training with a partner provides extra motivation to work out because you can't skip a session without also denying your partner a chance to train.
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Step 2
Buy free weights for home use. Weight machines used by gyms and health clubs are prohibitively expensive and require a lot of space. Machines designed for home use often require frequent, complicated reconfiguration.
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Step 3
Use free weights to work more muscles. A slight variation in the way you hold a dumbbell or barbell will work muscles that can never be properly exercised on a machine, and free weights will allow you to work your entire range of motion.
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Step 4
Learn to use free weights if you anticipate working out at different facilities. Weight machines are often different, and you will have to take time out of your training session to learn to use them.
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Step 5
Opt for free weights if you're very small or very large. Weight machines can only accommodate individuals of certain height and weight ranges.
