Hammer strength vs traditional bench

Cerberus777 · Apr 17, 2014

I work out to failure, I like HS for the first exercise since its the heaviest. I can go to failure without worrying about injury. Than I can do BB&DB work with a lighter weight. Using all your tools makes a better workout.

tomuchgear · Apr 17, 2014

Awesome responses yeah age is a factor I am noticing. At twenty five felt like I could bench press a buick...now at thirty one I get off work, and want to take a nap then drive a buick. I am going to give the hammers a go for a while, and see where they take me. I have the size, just need the polishing at this point. From what I am reading they seem to be a good way to go all around. Also actually being able to sleep on my side after chest/back day is an added bonus. No more sore shoulders.

Bleed · Apr 17, 2014

I love the decline hammer strength. I am not a fan of flat bench. It just never felt right. It doesn't help that I have long arms and my triceps are not genetically ape-like. I do the wide-grip flat smith presses sometime but even those can torque your shoulders.

Overall, hammer strength, flyes, dumbells, and dips FTW.

AshopRep · Apr 19, 2014

Combo works for me.

MooseKnuckles · Apr 19, 2014

I stay away from flat bench also, I would rather use machines or dumbbells it seems a little easier on the joints IMO.

AshopRep · Apr 19, 2014

MooseKnuckles said:
I stay away from flat bench also, I would rather use machines or dumbbells it seems a little easier on the joints IMO.

Barbell bench is the devil.

BKCE87 · Apr 21, 2014

AshopRep said:
Barbell bench is the devil.

Haha your post made me smile Ashop. I agree, although at one point I thought it was king! I think some people's anatomical structure just doesn't mesh well with the movement, especially people with type 2 and type 3 AC joints. As a pec builder I place it pretty low on the list as well. My chest has grown way more since implementing different hammer strength chest presses vs barbell benching, and my shoulders and elbows don't feel like crap anymore. As an added bonus to hammer strength machines sometimes I will loop bands around them for added resistance!

AshopRep · Apr 22, 2014

BKCE87 said:
Haha your post made me smile Ashop. I agree, although at one point I thought it was king! I think some people's anatomical structure just doesn't mesh well with the movement, especially people with type 2 and type 3 AC joints. As a pec builder I place it pretty low on the list as well. My chest has grown way more since implementing different hammer strength chest presses vs barbell benching, and my shoulders and elbows don't feel like crap anymore. As an added bonus to hammer strength machines sometimes I will loop bands around them for added resistance!

Its just now worth the risk.

gunsxl · Apr 23, 2014

hammer is great for oldtimers like me. better on the shoulders

Big Pizzaoli · Apr 23, 2014

I like to mix it up and alternate between free weights and hammer smith.
Though I feel that the Hammer Smith Machines Isolate the muscle perfectly.

Coldblooded · Apr 27, 2014

Seems to me like everyone is agreeing. Traditional is a killer on ur joints. At 35 I'm favoring the machines. I remember in my early 20's I wouldn't even look at Em

iceman74 · Apr 27, 2014

Coldblooded said:
Seems to me like everyone is agreeing. Traditional is a killer on ur joints. At 35 I'm favoring the machines. I remember in my early 20's I wouldn't even look at Em

The older I get and the less I worry about ego-lifting, the more I see machines as a very helpful tool in my physique goals. I can really feel muscles being isolated and worked like I want. Of course, free-weights are always going to be needed for work on stabilizer muscles.

BKCE87 · Apr 27, 2014

Wise words iceman. Once I removed my ego from lifting, and stopped worrying about the weights I was using my physique completely changed for the better.

baylin · Apr 29, 2014

AshopRep said:
Barbell bench is the devil.

100% agree. Not worth it. Rather make smaller gains that always get those damn shoulder injuries and be stuck at home not able to lift.

tomuchgear · May 1, 2014

There are upsides to getting older. Ego does tend to go away, and the worry of what that guy is doing mentality fades it seems. When I was younger lifting seemed more like a job, the diet all that. Now its like yup gotta eat clean to stay healthy, work out to stay strong, and not feel like crap.