Free weights vs. Machine

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Regular, challenge and chinkuchi pushups, differences are striking like lifting free weights or using machine weights.

You already know with machine weights you don’t have to control the weights other than up and down like bench pressing heavy weights. Free style there are lots more muscles involved that strengthen the entire muscle while machine bench presses allow a muscle to move greater weight because of the freedom removed from the work of stabilizing free weights.

Now, in regard to how one does pushups that idea and method of actual performance of the pushup depends on how that is done, i.e., feet together, knees on or off the floor, the structure of body and head, positioning of the hands as to placement and position in relation to the floor and body, the depth of the pushup as well as any enhancing equipment such as the challenge and proverbial chinkuchi pushup bars. 

The chinkuchi bar has two points or legs that come in contact with the ground while the challenge pushup bar has only one. It would logically translate to one being more challenging than the other and both more challenging than hands on the ground regular or modified pushup. 

Note at this point that regardless of the what, how and why of pushups, pushups are one of the best exercises to condition, strengthen and develop the upper body. 

Many began to hone in on machine weights to get to things, first is a focus on muscles with a particular intent of size and strength sacrificing stabilizing ability, somewhat and second is a focus on the ability to lay claim to lifting or pushing much higher weight. In reality with a need to develop all round muscular ability free weights appear to me as a superior way to develop the body for martial arts and self-protection much like using the challenge pushup bars over chinkuchi pushup bars. 

As your imagination being triggered may be telling you at this point, why not use both? Well, as long as the individual assesses the overall need and intent of the exercises with an understanding that there is a balance point to consider like quick twitch muscles vs. slow twitch muscles then there is no issue other than the what, how and why of using both. 

Like free vs. machine weight lifting, both have benefits and both have drawbacks so deciding how to blend a proper mixture to attain the level of fitness, strength, stability and other factors must be considered so one can choose wisely BECAUSE in the end overdoing one or the other will have both adverse and beneficial effects so that whatever intent one chooses the other choices will matter to achieve maximum effective and proficient application of methodologies to get-r-done. 

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