A weight-lifting exercise machine enables an athlete to lift a mass from an initial resting position. After the athlete releases the mass, the machine cushions the fall of the mass, such that the mass returns to its resting position without assistance from the athlete. The movements of the athlete and the mass can be tracked, preferably by wireless accelerometers attached respectively to the athlete and the mass, and data on such movements can be stored and analyzed. The machine provides a monitor to enable the athlete to track the progress of the exercise, and to determine whether the exercise is being performed correctly.