There are a few reasons why free weights feel heavier than machines. First of all, with free weights, you are lifting the weight unassisted, which means that your muscles have to work harder. Additionally, free weights are often less stable than machines, which requires your muscles to work even harder to keep the weight balanced.nnFinally, because free weights have a wider weight distribution, they tend to feel heavier than machines, even if they don’t actually weigh more. All of these factors combine to make free weights feel much heavier than they may actually be.