Hammer Strength machines

T

thecoffeeguy

New Member
Hello everyone. Back from a recent layoff, but im back.

I just moved into a new house here in So. Cal. One of the benefits of my new place is that a new gym just opened up 5 minutes from my house (LA Fitness). It costs me a whopping $15/month. Pretty darn good.

So i've been there a few times and really like it. However, there are a few drawbacks that bother me, but I think I can work around it.

WIth a new gym comes lots of new opportunities to use machines and dumbells (compared to the old garage). So im excited about that.

One of the excersises I used to like a lot was standing military presses. Unforutnately, I cannot do them in the new gym (oh well) but it was suggested to me that I try the Hammer Strength machines.

Well, I gave it a shot and was surprised at how well it isolated my shoulders. Gave me quite a burn.

My question is, are these worth working into my routine? If so, they have a couple others i'd like to try and incorporate into my routine, specifically the back/lat machines.

Anyone care to comment?

Here is my current routine that I will be implementing after I find my 15/10/5 RM's and do the SD:

-Squats (king of them all)
-Flat bench (might try the hammer strength one)
-Hammer strength Rows/Upper/lower (3 different machines)
-T-Bar rows
-Hammer strength ISO Shoulder Press
-Barbell curls
-tri extensions
-ab crunches
-calves

Might remove one of the back excersises (Back is my fav body part to work.

Anyone just trying to get some feedback from guys here at HST on Hammer strength machines.

Thanx

coffeeguy
 
Hi mate. I use hammer strengh machines for alot of my excercises. Heres my routine

Incline Bench = hammer strength
Dips = is also a hammer strength machine and you just add weights to the sides
Lap pulldowns
Rows = hammer strength
shoulder press = hammer strength
Shrugs = is also a hammer strength machine
Biceps = I use a hammer strength machine for my biceps also. They call it preacher curl in my gym
Tri pushdowns
leg curl
calf raises = which I think is a hammer strength machine also

I find with hammer strength machines I can use more weights on them than I would using free weights. I also train on my own so using hammer strengh machines feels safer as I don't need to be spotted.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Bren86 @ Feb. 15 2006,5:54)]Hi mate. I use hammer strengh machines for alot of my excercises. Heres my routine
Incline Bench = hammer strength
Dips = is also a hammer strength machine and you just add weights to the sides
Lap pulldowns
Rows = hammer strength
shoulder press = hammer strength
Shrugs = is also a hammer strength machine
Biceps = I use a hammer strength machine for my biceps also. They call it preacher curl in my gym
Tri pushdowns
leg curl
calf raises = which I think is a hammer strength machine also
I find with hammer strength machines I can use more weights on them than I would using free weights. I also train on my own so using hammer strengh machines feels safer as I don't need to be spotted.
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Thanks for the input. I appreciate it

I have to admit, I do like there machines. I did see that my gym has a lot of hammer strength machines, including the dips, shrugs, abs, few back and chest ones as well as leg presses.

Just want to make sure they will stimulate my muscles to induce growth and strenth.

Much appreciated.
 
I don't see why they wouldnt stimulate muscle and induce growth and strengh but I suppose people would argue of what works best. ie machine bench or normal bench press.

I am lucky enough to have oppotunity to use anytype of excersice per body part in my gym weather its machines or free weights. But I have tried alot of different type of excercise's per body part before and do prefer machines over free weights. The main reason is the fact that I train on my own so I aint worried about any major accident lol.

I do like incline curls with dumbells though.
 
Hammer Strength machines were originated by Gary Jones, the son of Nautilus inventor Arthur Jones. They are very well made and offer a very nice full range resistance. You could easily design a full routine using them and do just fine. Of course you could grow from lifting bags of rocks if you did things properly, but Hammer is a great line of machines to use. Go for it!
 
I'm a huge fan of Hammer Strength, particularly the chest press' and row/pull machines. They just feel right and the lever arms travel in just the right arch. They also allow me to use a lot of weight which I otherwise might avoid for fear of injury...sort of like loading up a leg press but for chest.
 
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I agree. I've incorporated the Hammer Strength chest press machine into my workout and it is an awesome movement to alternate with flat bench, and like Bryan said, it allows me to add a lot more weight without fearing injury. I like the Hammer Strength rowing machine a lot as well, it's great to do on deadlift days when I want to work my back more without putting the stress on my lower back that bentover rows do.
 
I just started going to a gym rather than working out at home on most days. I prefer my free weights at home but that isn't an option right now other than on Saturdays. The gym has this Hammer Strength machine for chest press and lat pull down. The machine specs say "Starting Resistance - 7 lbs". I'm assuming since it is a lever machine that you don't push 100% of the weight that is loaded. Does anyone know what percentage of the loaded weight you push/pull with this machine? I would like to know to figure percentage increases (since you are not pushing/pulling 100% like with free weights).
 
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I have been using the Hammer Strength machine I mentioned in my last post for both chest press and lat pull downs for a couple of weeks now. I have to say I really, really like it a lot. It is very smooth and the arc motion just feels right. I don't like that you start in the fully stretched down position on the chest press, but I still like it a lot. As for my question regarding the percentage of weight you are actually lifting...I don't think it really matters all that much.
 
I don't think it matters either as long as you progress on it.

I really wish the chest machines had a racked position at least halfway up or something.
 
I have been trying hammer strength and Atlantis machines, and others. The strength training machines are amazing nowadays, and speed up the workout since machines are so quick to change loads. Also, very safe generally.

I am at the point of doing mostly machine workout, since my gym has so many awesome choices.
 
They gym I'm going to does not have a squat rack, only a Smith Machine, so I'm not squating there. I wish I could but it's not going to happen. They do have another location with more equipment including a squat rack but it is all the way on the other side of town so I don't go there. Anyhow, I was using a Life Fitness leg press machine but it was out of order this morning so I used the Hammer Strength Iso Leg Press machine. Not sure why I didn't try it sooner. For a leg press it is very natural and smooth. I also feel it much more in my quads where the the other machine hit more of the hams and glutes.
 
Bulldog said:
They gym I'm going to does not have a squat rack, only a Smith Machine, so I'm not squating there. I wish I could but it's not going to happen. They do have another location with more equipment including a squat rack but it is all the way on the other side of town so I don't go there. Anyhow, I was using a Life Fitness leg press machine but it was out of order this morning so I used the Hammer Strength Iso Leg Press machine. Not sure why I didn't try it sooner. For a leg press it is very natural and smooth. I also feel it much more in my quads where the the other machine hit more of the hams and glutes.
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Would you say you prefer the movement to barbell squats?

I'm sick of waiting for the squat rack and have considered using this machine but just haven't yet.
 
Totentanz said:
Would you say you prefer the movement to barbell squats?

I'm sick of waiting for the squat rack and have considered using this machine but just haven't yet.
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I would much rather do back squats, but there is no equipment or space at this gym to do them. If they had a squat rack I would probably be the only one to use it.

You should give the Iso Leg Press a try. Although at your size/strength you might not be able to put enough weight on it. I'm just a little dude so it works fine for me as far as load goes.
 
Tot, did you try that iso leg press machine yet? I'm curious what you though of it and if you could load enough weight on it.
 
Not yet, haven't been to the gym since I asked because of a hectic work schedule. But if I can't go tomorrow, then I will on Sunday and I'll let you know.
 
The gym I go to has an array of them. I like a most of them, but my only complaint is that the chest press machines all start in a deep stretch position. Breaking free the weight on that first rep in the heavy 5's is a bear, but after that it's great.
 
lako62 said:
The gym I go to has an array of them. I like a most of them, but my only complaint is that the chest press machines all start in a deep stretch position. Breaking free the weight on that first rep in the heavy 5's is a bear, but after that it's great.
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That is the only complaint that I have so far as well. But the incline chest press machine I have been using has been very easy on my shoulders, which sometimes give my problems.

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I just looked at some pictures on the Life Fitness web site http://www.lifefitness.com/commerci...loaded/lowerbodytorso/isolaterallegpress.html and see that the machine that they show there is different than the one in my gym. It has two posts for loading weight on each side and the one in my gym only has one post on each side (they point toward the middle of the machine, not outward ). If I think about it I'll get a picture on Monday. So it looks like the newer version of this machine will allow twice as much weight to be loaded. I'm curious if the same amount of weight would offer different resistance depending on which post it is loaded on (if only loading one post) since the lever length would be different.

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