Stronglifts with machines

Overall I think that doing Stronglifts 5x5 with machines is missing the point of the program. The only justifications I can think of to do it with machines is lack of technique or medical record. For the first, just have faith and put in the work to learn the lifts. For the second, if your age or medical record does not allow for lifting free weights than stay away from it. You probably need professional advise on your program anyway and I'd doubt that it is a good idea to download something from the internet and just go with it...

What is Stronglifts ?

Stronglifts 5x5 is a lifting program for beginners which lets you train three times a week using the barbell row, bench press, squat, deadlift and overhead press. It has been made popular as a lifting program by Mehdi who promotes it on his website as the simplest workout to get stronger and explains the underlying principles. If you wanted to read a review on the topic, please refer to my extensive 10 month review on this blog.

What are machines ?

Machines are a great many things. Harvesters, terminators, computers and robots. Here is a definition for you to educate and (hopefully) entertain:

"An apparatus using mechanical power and having several parts, each with a definite function and together performing a particular task."

Wandering a bit off topic I'd like to show you the Charlie Chaplin speech from the great dictator, in which he talks about machine men, which I think is a very good one to know and to motivate yourself:

I really like this one a lot, but back to the topic at hand.

Machines in the gym are usually what you find in a commercial gym. The smith machine, bicep curl machines or others to define and tone your muscles. The general definition which we have introduced in this article actually applies quite well for them, as these machines are in general designed to isolate and stimulate one particular muscle group in the body. For more details you can visit the website of gym80 which has all kinds of machines on offer to get a general overview of what is out there.

Where will you train ?

The question of whether or not to do Stronglifts with machines is usually tied to what is available to you in your local gym. The decision on where you will train depends on how far you have travel to your gym, what your personal goals are and how you intent to achieve them. If you do your research and goal finding correct and assuming you live in an urban area I would say you can already answer the posed question just by picking the right gym for your goals. If you are leaning more towards bodybuilding, machines might be the way to go. If you are looking to build functional strength, free weights are usually the better bet. Of course this is working with a very broad brush here.

How well / strong are you ?

Another thing to consider is your health status and whether you are allowed to use free weights. Age, medical record and other factors might impede your ability to work with free weights which Stronglifts 5x5 prescribes and the program therefore might not be an ideal option for you. If you are too young to be allowed to use free weights theprograms of Frank Medrano are a cool alternative to strength training with weights. Herniated discs and torn tendons might call for a professional physiotherapist and not for Stronglifts 5x5. The weaker you are, the less likely it will be that Stronglifts is a viable option for you. To do Stronglifts you should be well able to handle a 20kg plate with ease, as this is the starting point utilising the barbell in the free weight area.

Conclusion

Stronglifts 5x5 has been designed to create real world strength in an easy manner, which it does. Free weights are an ideal way to adress this goal as you have to balance the weight without any help from pulleys, straps and set ups in machines. I pesonally fee like that doing Stronglifts 5x5 with machines completely misses the point and is done because you are afraid to hurt yourself using free weights or you are not strong enough yet. For former, work on technique and know how to set up a power rack properly to minimise injury risk. For the latter, well, simply don't do Stronglifts yet.