avatarZachary Walston, PT, DPT, OCS

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Bands, Free Weights, Machines, or Calisthenics — Which is Best for Muscle Growth?

Each comes with a set of pros and cons

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If you want to build muscle, get strong, and improve your overall health, it’s hard to beat resistance training. But with so many different types of resistance training, it can be overwhelming to choose which one to focus on.

So, let’s break it down and compare and contrast the most popular types using the latest research: free weights, machines, bands, and calisthenics.

Option 1: Free weights

Free weights, or good old-fashioned dumbbells and barbells, are the OGs of resistance training. They offer a wide range of exercises and allow for a greater range of motion than other types of equipment. Plus, they require more stabilization and activation of secondary muscles to control the weight, leading to more overall muscle activation.

Does this mean you get bigger and stronger using free weights?

Not necessarily.

To induce muscle growth, muscles need to be pushed beyond their current capacity, referred to as overload. The goal is to progressively increase the total mechanical tension the muscle experiences. This is traditionally driven by lifting either more weight or lifting the same weight more times.

How much volume and how difficult should the exercise be?

You want each lift to be challenging, with only a couple of reps left in the tank. If you can do 30 pushups in a row and you perform 5 sets of 10, you aren't stimulating muscle growth. Five sets of 25 is a different story.

This brings us back to the potential limitation of free weights: they require skill and confidence. This is particularly true for complex movements, such as kettlebell exercises. I love kettlebells and frequently integrate them into my routine but you will need to progress the intensity gradually as you become comfortable and confident with the movements.

If you want to integrate kettlebells into your routine, start with basic movements such as squats and deadlifts. Limit swinging movements to hip level. Over time, you can start using CrossFit-style swings by bringing the weight overhead. If you are looking for a few great kettlebells to add to a home gym, these are great options. For more variety and resistance options, I use this power block.

If you are looking for high-quality equipment and a variety of options, check out Rogue. I get a lot of equipment from them and recommend them to my patients and clients. You will find free weights, bands, and calisthenics equipment I mention later in the article.

Free weights can be intimidating for beginners and they require more skill to control. If spend all of your efforts controlling the bar path, you are limiting how much weight you can move, creating a lower muscle development stimulus.

Enter machines.

Option 2: Machines

These wonderful toys often get a bad wrap but they deserve more love. Machines are designed to guide your movements and provide more stability, making them great for beginners or those recovering from injury. You don’t need to focus on your form. Simply push or pull as hard as you can as often as you can. They are my primary recommendation for patients starting a home exercise program.

They come in a variety of options, allowing you to isolate specific muscle groups, making them a great tool for bodybuilders or those with specific training goals. Yes, free-weight movements can be isolated as well and will always provide more options, but you won’t become bored or miss any muscles going the machine route.

This study provides a thorough analysis of the effectiveness of machine-based exercises compared to free-weight exercises in improving muscle size, strength, and power. The authors conducted a meta-analysis of 31 randomized controlled trials, including a total of 1,209 participants, to compare the effects of these two types of resistance training.

The results of the meta-analysis indicate that both machine-based exercises and free-weight exercises are effective in improving muscle size, strength, and power. However, the authors found that free-weight exercises were more effective than machine-based exercises in improving muscle strength and power. The authors speculate that this may be due to the additional stabilizing muscles required during free-weight exercises, resulting in greater overall muscle activation.

What are the negatives of machines? They limit your range of motion and may not activate as many secondary muscles as free weights. While you can build muscle in a limited range of motion, it needs to be the lengthened portion (e.g., the bottom of a bench press for the pectorals). In general, full range of motion is superior for muscle growth (and improving flexibility).

Machines also require gym membership fees, making them less accessible than other types of resistance training.

But fear not, for there is another option: resistance bands.

Option 3: Resistance bands

As a physical therapist, I am very familiar with the pros and cons of resistance bands. They come with their own set of pros and cons for resistance training. They are portable, easy to use, and offer a variety of exercise options.

The Therabands you find in physical therapy clinics are low resistance, ranging from 1–40 pounds of resistance. In a clinical setting, that is useful, particularly for patients who are conditioned, suffering from severe pain, or in the acute post-operative stage. For everyone else, that amount of resistance is woefully inadequate.

Fortunately, many bands on the market provide far more resistance, some offering a couple of hundred pounds worth. They also offer a different type of resistance than traditional weights, as the tension increases the further the band is stretched.

This study provides a thorough analysis of the effectiveness of elastic resistance training compared to conventional resistance training in improving muscular strength. The authors conducted a meta-analysis of 24 randomized controlled trials with a total of 916 participants to compare the effects of these two types of resistance training.

The results of the meta-analysis indicate that both elastic resistance training and conventional resistance training are effective in improving muscular strength. However, the authors found that elastic resistance training was more effective than conventional resistance training in improving muscular strength in the upper body.

The authors speculate that this may be due to the variable resistance provided by elastic resistance training, resulting in greater muscle activation throughout the range of motion. The key is how much range of motion is facilitated in the movement, as all elastic band exercises are not created equal, bringing us to the negatives of bands.

Bands have less tension at the beginning of an exercise and more at the end. Muscle growth is greatest when training at the lengthened position of a muscle. Therefore, the band is providing the lowest amount of resistance when it matters most. Even still, you can use bands that offer substantial resistance.

I use purple and blue bands for some of my exercises, which supply 35–85 and 65–175 pounds of resistance, respectively. For leg extensions and leg curls, I anchor the heavy bands to my squat rack but you can use any firm anchor or a door.

Keep in mind, bands offer fewer exercise options than free weights and can be difficult to set up, as you require anchors to control the band and movement. However, they can also be used to add tension to the end of a barbell movement, such as banded squats or deadlifts. Those techniques are often reserved for advanced lifters and aren’t necessary to become big and strong.

What if you don’t worry about using any equipment?

Option 4: Calisthenics

Last but not least, we have calisthenics or bodyweight exercises. These are exercises that use your own body weight as resistance, such as push-ups, pull-ups, and squats. They require no equipment and can be done anywhere, making them the most accessible form of resistance training. Plus, they mimic everyday movements and can improve functional strength.

On the negative side, they may not provide enough resistance for advanced lifters and can be difficult to progress without adding weight or changing the exercise. There are many advanced techniques — planche pushups, pistol squats, handstand pushups, archer pullups, weighted dips — but these are more challenging with respect to technique than free weights, bringing us back to the wasted effort discussion. You can build muscle with calisthenics, but it’s not a common choice for advanced lifters. Also, unless you have a bar or rings, it is challenging to work your back muscles.

I integrate parallette bars and rings into my training to add additional demand to my pushups, dips, and pull-ups. I also have goals of performing planche pushups and front levers.

So, which type of resistance training is the best? It ultimately depends on your individual goals and preferences. Machines or resistance bands may be a good starting point if you're a beginner. If you’re looking to build overall strength and muscle mass, free weights may be your best bet. And if you’re looking for a no-fuss, low-cost option, calisthenics may be the way to go.

But regardless of which type of resistance training you choose, make sure to use proper form, vary your exercises, and give your muscles time to rest and recover between workouts. And always remember: the most important type of resistance training is the one that you actually enjoy and will stick to.

Machines vs. Free Weights

This study provides a thorough analysis of the effectiveness of machine-based exercises compared to free-weight exercises in improving muscle size, strength, and power. The authors conducted a meta-analysis of 31 randomized controlled trials, including a total of 1,209 participants, to compare the effects of these two types of resistance training.

The results of the meta-analysis indicate that both machine-based exercises and free-weight exercises are effective in improving muscle size, strength, and power. However, the authors found that free-weight exercises were more effective than machine-based exercises in improving muscle strength and power. The authors speculate that this may be due to the additional stabilizing muscles required during free-weight exercises, resulting in greater overall muscle activation.

One limitation of the study is that the authors did not investigate other variables that may impact the effectiveness of these two types of resistance training, such as exercise frequency, volume, or intensity. Additionally, the authors did not investigate the long-term effects of these two types of resistance training.

The article provides valuable information for individuals looking to improve their muscle size, strength, and power. The authors highlight the benefits of both machine-based exercises and free-weight exercises and provide evidence to support their effectiveness. Additionally, the article provides insights into the potential mechanisms underlying the benefits of these two types of resistance training, such as muscle activation and overall fitness. However, future studies are needed to investigate the long-term effects of these two types of resistance training and their effectiveness in specific populations, such as older adults or individuals with injuries or disabilities.

So, Which Is Best?

My final thoughts surround the type of exercise. You can build muscle effectively with free weights, calisthenics, bands, and machines. The key remains the same: overload.

You still need to consider total volume and intensity, regardless of the exercise type. One isn’t inherently superior to another.

If you are a novice, machines may be superior as they help control the motion. If you travel often, bands or calisthenics may be your preferred option. If you want to compete in powerlifting or CrossFit, you have to practice your free weight lifts.

Choose the exercise type that you are most likely to stick with. Consistency is key. I like free weights for the gamification side (setting new records) and calisthenics for the challenging movements (still working on my front lever).

There is no universal “best” exercise. You have many options at your disposal and they can all help you achieve your health and fitness goals.

For more health and fitness content, check out the Clinical Gap Podcast. I release episodes weekly. For short health and fitness research summaries, subscribe here.

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