Whether you lift weights the old-fashioned way or use machines, both ways will help you get stronger, build muscle, and jump higher — so you can pick whichever you like better.

Whether you lift weights the old-fashioned way or use machines, you’ll gain the same amount of strength and muscle size—if you’re doing the same exercises and you’re a healthy adult between 18 and 60.

If you lift weights with your own body and free weights, you'll get stronger at doing just that — not necessarily at using machines. And if you train mostly on machines, you'll get better at those machines. Your body learns the exact movement you practice.

Using weight machines for upper-body workouts might help you get stronger faster than using free weights, but for legs, both methods work about the same—maybe because machines make it easier to focus on the muscles without worrying about balance.

When it comes to building upper-body strength, machines might give you a little more gain than free weights, but for your legs, both work about the same.

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.