If you lift weights the same amount and with the same effort, whether you use free weights or machines, you’ll grow your muscles just as much—neither one is better than the other for building muscle size.

52

Pro

0

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

52

Community contributions welcome

52

Effect of free-weight vs. machine-based strength training on maximal strength, hypertrophy and jump performance – a systematic review and meta-analysis

Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis

Human

2023 Aug 15

This study found that lifting free weights and using machines lead to about the same amount of muscle growth, as long as you lift the same amount of weight and work just as hard. So, it doesn’t really matter which one you pick if your goal is just to get bigger muscles.

Contradicting (0)

0

Community contributions welcome

No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Effect of free-weight vs. machine-based strength training on maximal strength, hypertrophy and jump performance – a systematic review and meta-analysis

Score: 52

DOI: 10.1186/s13102-023-00713-4

Similar Assertions

Lifting free weights and using weight machines both help you build muscle in about the same way—neither one is clearly better than the other.

33

0

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If you lift weights with machines or with free weights and do the same amount of work at the same effort level, you’ll build muscle just as well with either one — even if you’re already fit.

57

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Lifting free weights and using weight machines both make your muscles grow about the same amount if you're a healthy adult between 18 and 60—even though they feel different when you use them.

52

0

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Even lifting light weights, as long as you push until you can't do another rep, can build muscle just as well as lifting heavy weights in people who already train regularly.

20

0

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Getting stronger from lifting weights doesn’t always mean your muscles are getting bigger—and vice versa. Strength and size don’t go hand in hand.

46

0

80%