[omnimus]

I am not sure if you minimize risk of injury that much. You might get injured on machine or dumbbell if you go heavy.

Anyway with most machines you won't be able to load it heavy enough quite soon.

I think there is also happy middle ground where you train for strength but not into extremes - you progress at slower pace and prioritize form. I would say bodybuilders can also be strong and healthy but they can't use that strength properly (because of the type of training they do) and destroy their health with drugs.

[RankingMember]

> I am not sure if you minimize risk of injury that much. You might get injured on machine or dumbbell if you go heavy.

The thing machines have that free weights don't are in-built safeties, either by design or as a discrete component (e.g. smith machine). The only machine I can think of that you can get seriously injured on is a leg press machine, whereas there are a multitude of ways to hurt yourself with free weights, especially any exercise where you're under the bar. I say this as someone who has historically trained with a ton of emphasis on the Big 5/Golden 5 compound movements (i.e. not machines). The safety aspect is a big reason casual fitness clubs (e.g. Planet Fitness) have no barbells on the premises.

[omnimus]

You are right. I meant it if you do excercises “properly” it shouldnt be big difference. But of course that already means freeweights are more dangerous.

[Broken_Hippo]

and destroy their health with drugs.

I mean, if they are the type that are using steroids and such things, sure. The other sort that are into drugs just gets stoned and lift weights. The risks just aren't the same: Sure, you are going to do some damage with pot, but not the same sort and you'll certainly not be so much worse than the person that gets stoned and plays games a lot of the day or gets stoned and works at a gas station.

(I worked with an ex-professional body builder: He was the second type and couldn't compete with the steroid crowd. He was OK with that)