@jyl
I am glad you liked it =)

Free weights are better since they strengthen ALL the muscles around a particular motion in a balanced way. Machines tend to isolate muscles so some get stronger while others not - never a good thing. That is why Back (barbell) squat is a fundamental leg exercise. The drawback of doing free weights is that execution is important or you might get injured if you do something wrong.

Also keep in mind that your ligaments and tendons recover at a slower rate than your muscles so start introducing weight workouts gradually into your schedule.

Good luck!