I have always been a dumbell and barbell guy but the new gym I'm at has quite a few hammer strength machines. Used the Low row for back last night and was very impressed. It really hit my lats bloody hard and I could really feel it hit the spot.

If you had asked me two weeks ago, I would have told you that my routine is 90% free weights but I can really see me moving a couple of exercises over to these machines for some precise work.

DO you's rate them?

I do, i dont like overcomplicated shite like some of technogyms crap, but Hammer Strength do some great, simple bits of kit. In particular their hack squat, iso chest and shoulder press and calf raise machines are things i miss from Next Generation.

I like them Rab. Great for back and shoulders. The Iso chest press and incline is worth using after free weights when you are fatigued, or for when you want to do some rest/pause and don't have a partner.

We dont have a decent decline bench at this new gym but one of those hammer st chest press machines. You are sat upright but the levers move out, up and inward...if you follow that. Think i will try this along with my dumbell and barbell work. A wee finisher

Rab wrote:We dont have a decent decline bench at this new gym but one of those hammer st chest press machines. You are sat upright but the levers move out, up and inward...if you follow that. Think i will try this along with my dumbell and barbell work. A wee finisher

Alex and I do a widow maker after very heavy DB session and go up to 200kg's! It works very well!

out of all the machines Hammer is the best. Youve got some cracking stuff. I used the cybex incline machine last night and my pecs are sore as hell so id say they are worth a pop

Don't forget that any new exercise you do will likely cause soreness... which doesn't necessarily mean it;'s better than free weights.

However, plate loaded Hammer machines are very good.

Cybex machines ! argh! I wish..

My current gym has none at all so I'm thinking about relocating to my old gym.

Hammer good - smith good - but ideally mix and match - but they both definately build ya up

Like is said in another thread. Nothing works for ever so keep on changing. Worst machines i have used were Technogym

My new gym is all technogym, i dont really use machines but the ones ive tried have been fucking awful!

A leg curl machine with such a small rom that even someone as inflexible as me was smashing the plates to the top and bottom of the stack.
A pulldown with handles that travel away from your body as you pull down so the bottom of it is almost a decline chest press as you push it away from yourself.

Depending on how things pan out in the next month, id seriously consider going back to Next Generation despite the £840 a year price tag just to get back to a good rack, plenty of plates and the hammer strength gear.

My gym (DG1) is full of Hammer Strength stuff but i was hoping to do less machines and more free weights the problem is that they filled the gym to like 95% with machines and the one machine I really wanted for calf raising they don't have (or I have missed it will have to ask the next time....)

How ever some machines do feel pretty good much better than some of the machines I used 16-17 years ago thats for sure

I've always been a free weight man myself but just the past month I've forced myself to do exercises I don't really like. Which includes the hammer strength machines and I must say I've grown to like the shoulder press and incline press hammer machines and will use them more often from now on

Rab wrote:I have always been a dumbell and barbell guy but the new gym I'm at has quite a few hammer strength machines. Used the Low row for back last night and was very impressed. It really hit my lats bloody hard and I could really feel it hit the spot.

If you had asked me two weeks ago, I would have told you that my routine is 90% free weights but I can really see me moving a couple of exercises over to these machines for some precise work.

DO you's rate them?

I've used the hammer strength bench machines & they are far superior to your traditional bench press.much better ROM.

nrage04 wrote:

Rab wrote:I have always been a dumbell and barbell guy but the new gym I'm at has quite a few hammer strength machines. Used the Low row for back last night and was very impressed. It really hit my lats bloody hard and I could really feel it hit the spot.

If you had asked me two weeks ago, I would have told you that my routine is 90% free weights but I can really see me moving a couple of exercises over to these machines for some precise work.

DO you's rate them?

I've used the hammer strength bench machines & they are far superior to your traditional bench press.much better ROM.

Not quite sure they are as good as free weights, but very good.

btw, I thought you'd be at the Olympia - what's happened?

simon m wrote:

nrage04 wrote:

Rab wrote:I have always been a dumbell and barbell guy but the new gym I'm at has quite a few hammer strength machines. Used the Low row for back last night and was very impressed. It really hit my lats bloody hard and I could really feel it hit the spot.

If you had asked me two weeks ago, I would have told you that my routine is 90% free weights but I can really see me moving a couple of exercises over to these machines for some precise work.

DO you's rate them?

I've used the hammer strength bench machines & they are far superior to your traditional bench press.much better ROM.

Not quite sure they are as good as free weights, but very good.

btw, I thought you'd be at the Olympia - what's happened?

In terms of working the chest hammer strength flat bench is far better.more isolation, better rom = better pumps & more growth. At least for me it is..to me flat bb bench is over rated.

I'd luv to be there again this year but didnt have the funds!

Flat BB Bench is the most over rated exercise of all time.... ever.... and ever!

DB Bench on the other hand is spanking, pectoral, sexual goodness

Bison wrote:Flat BB Bench is the most over rated exercise of all time.... ever.... and ever!

DB Bench on the other hand is spanking, pectoral, sexual goodness

100% agree

flat barbell bench does nothing for me apart from hurt my shouders so i dont bother anymore. Incline is where its at