Heya,

I know what you mean about machines and feeling the burn more. That's what machines excel at, they allow you to concentrate on your muscles so your brain can create a better connection to those muscles.

I am glad however that you mentioned dumbbells, because machines are great for hypertrophy and strengthening specific parts, but they leave out your stabilisers and can easily create imbalances.

So it's always good to mix free weights with machines. I am a fan of cables though, they are probably my favourite type of machine equipment, because they allow for compound movements and don't constrict movement patterns.

If you'd like a program to make the most of your FT2 I am happy to help. I offer a 7 day trial if you are interested in a trainer.

.