Are machines better than FREE WEIGHTS for building muscles?
No, not exactly. Both approaches are effective for muscle building and each of the two approaches have unique advantages that are mutually exclusive. Lifting weights through machine usage works both FLEXOR and EXTENSOR muscle groups. Free weights, however, not only work those two groups but also challenge the NEUTRALIZERS and STABILIZERS. Strength gains may, as a result, be faster with free weights. Free weights, however, cannot accommodate the STRENGTH CURVE of each muscle group the way machines do. Machines, if designed properly, provide VARIABLE RESISTANCE throughout the range of motion. So therefore, for optimal results, use both methods of weight training.
