So I was watching Blood and Guts and saw Dorian using this HS (plate-loaded) machine. I found out today that my gym, tucked away in a corner hidden by giant plants, has one. I started fooling around with it, using a underhand grip, and damn, I can’t wait to get crackin’ on these. I felt a huge stretch in my lats at the top, but it also seems quite effective as a overall back thickness exercise. Underhand grip seems to work much better than overhand.
Anyone have any luck with these? I’m sure there’s a bunch.
Just started using it, myself. I also go supinated and have been liking the way it targets my lats.
HS makes great gym equipment, and I really like the way they hit my muscles when I use them. The only problem I have so far is with a standing/seated shrug machine that only holds 6 plates per side (I know several members have posted about running out of room for plates with some HS machines, but this is the only one I have to worry about so far).
Yeah I everything my gym has HS-wise… except one of them. Maybe it’s my arms lengths, maybe it’s the machine, but I can’t get a full stretch in my lats which is imperative imo, because it always hits the little stopping block before my lat stretches. :\ If I had short arms then I would rock that fucking machine.
Hammer makes some damn good stuff, which is rare when you look at the enormous load of junk machines that occupy most gyms’ floors. A gym I used to frequent a few years back had that machine, and yes, it hits everything just right, awesome stretch, great contraction, and the ROM is just perfect once you’ve adjusted the seat to the proper height. Wish my current gym had one, but its certainly not the end all be all of back training
Why do you feel it’s good for thickness though? I only feel it in my lats.[/quote]
Warning Notice: The post above makes no sense. Proceed with caution.[/quote]
Yeah, unclear statement.
When I refer to ‘thickness’ I mean exercises that hid the mid-back more, and ‘width’ exercises that mainly hit the lats. It’s an over-simplification from DC that makes it easy to classify back exercises althugh, strictly speaking of course, any exercise that makes a muscle larger obviously makes it thicker.
Why do you feel it’s good for thickness though? I only feel it in my lats.[/quote]
Warning Notice: The post above makes no sense. Proceed with caution.[/quote]
Yeah, unclear statement.
When I refer to ‘thickness’ I mean exercises that hid the mid-back more, and ‘width’ exercises that mainly hit the lats. It’s an over-simplification from DC that makes it easy to classify back exercises althugh, strictly speaking of course, any exercise that makes a muscle larger obviously makes it thicker.
[/quote]
If you are looking to train your mid back, they have a seated front row for Hammer Strength machines. I do almost all of back training on them right now…but I go pretty heavy.
The one shown in the op isn’t even the best for lats in my opinion. The HIGH row is…but either way, HS machines must be the best in the business because I haven’t used any other that mimics free weight movements like that.
Oops, the Professor’s post prompted a Google search and the one I’m using is actually the high row. I didn’t pay too much attention to the handle setup in the original pic.
Good stuff. Iso-lateral machines are a great invention.
[quote]PB Andy wrote:
Yeah I everything my gym has HS-wise… except one of them. Maybe it’s my arms lengths, maybe it’s the machine, but I can’t get a full stretch in my lats which is imperative imo, because it always hits the little stopping block before my lat stretches. :\ If I had short arms then I would rock that fucking machine.[/quote]
[quote]PB Andy wrote:
So I was watching Blood and Guts and saw Dorian using this HS (plate-loaded) machine. I found out today that my gym, tucked away in a corner hidden by giant plants, has one. I started fooling around with it, using a underhand grip, and damn, I can’t wait to get crackin’ on these. I felt a huge stretch in my lats at the top, but it also seems quite effective as a overall back thickness exercise. Underhand grip seems to work much better than overhand.
Anyone have any luck with these? I’m sure there’s a bunch.[/quote]
I bought a similar one for my home-gym.
Way better than any pulldown or pullup variant I’ve ever done… Only things that come close or beat it in terms of backwidth focus are DC-style rack chins with a pronated grip and Droop rows.
Why do you feel it’s good for thickness though? I only feel it in my lats.[/quote]
Warning Notice: The post above makes no sense. Proceed with caution.[/quote]
Yeah, unclear statement.
When I refer to ‘thickness’ I mean exercises that hid the mid-back more, and ‘width’ exercises that mainly hit the lats. It’s an over-simplification from DC that makes it easy to classify back exercises althugh, strictly speaking of course, any exercise that makes a muscle larger obviously makes it thicker.
[/quote]
If you are looking to train your mid back, they have a seated front row for Hammer Strength machines. I do almost all of back training on them right now…but I go pretty heavy.
The one shown in the op isn’t even the best for lats in my opinion. The HIGH row is[/quote] I get a little more lat-involvement from the one shown in the OP, but the high row works really well for me, too… I guess it’s just a difference in structure or attachments between us [quote]…but either way, HS machines must be the best in the business because I haven’t used any other that mimics free weight movements like that.[/quote] Yeah. I actually prefer them to most free-weight movements… Wish I’d had them available from the start…
If you are looking to train your mid back, they have a seated front row for Hammer Strength machines. I do almost all of back training on them right now…but I go pretty heavy.
The one shown in the op isn’t even the best for lats in my opinion. The HIGH row is…but either way, HS machines must be the best in the business because I haven’t used any other that mimics free weight movements like that.[/quote]
Are you talking this badboy here or the low-row? I like both of them, the only problem is the one at my gym only can hold 5 plates/side.
If you are looking to train your mid back, they have a seated front row for Hammer Strength machines. I do almost all of back training on them right now…but I go pretty heavy.
The one shown in the op isn’t even the best for lats in my opinion. The HIGH row is…but either way, HS machines must be the best in the business because I haven’t used any other that mimics free weight movements like that.[/quote]
Are you talking this badboy here or the low-row? I like both of them, the only problem is the one at my gym only can hold 5 plates/side.[/quote]
That is the same design as the one I use only mine holds 6 plates a side. I have to put a towel between my legs to keep my nuts safe though when I go that heavy.
ucallthatbass - Thanks, I’ll try that out tomorrow.
CC - For the droop rows, how much load can you actually use? Won’t it pull you forward after you get to a certain amount of weight? Or are you using droop rows for lat-widowmaker type deal…
Also I forgot to mention, on the HS front lat pulldown (pic that I posted in OP) I like to use both hands at the same time instead of one… just feels better.
That is the same design as the one I use only mine holds 6 plates a side. I have to put a towel between my legs to keep my nuts safe though when I go that heavy.[/quote]
I use the pussy pad to protect my junk when using any of the 3 hammer strength back machines at my gym.
[quote]PB Andy wrote:
So I was watching Blood and Guts and saw Dorian using this HS (plate-loaded) machine. I found out today that my gym, tucked away in a corner hidden by giant plants, has one. I started fooling around with it, using a underhand grip, and damn, I can’t wait to get crackin’ on these. I felt a huge stretch in my lats at the top, but it also seems quite effective as a overall back thickness exercise. Underhand grip seems to work much better than overhand.
Anyone have any luck with these? I’m sure there’s a bunch.[/quote]
I bought a similar one for my home-gym.
Way better than any pulldown or pullup variant I’ve ever done… Only things that come close or beat it in terms of backwidth focus are DC-style rack chins with a pronated grip and Droop rows.
My favorite back exercise ever, the HS iso lateral high row.
I don’t hold on to the black handles when i do it, rather i will hold on to the side where the handles connect allowing me to have a neutral grip. I’m unable to use as much weight but i get a better stretch and it targets my lats way more effectively.
[quote]PB Andy wrote:
ucallthatbass - Thanks, I’ll try that out tomorrow.
CC - For the droop rows, how much load can you actually use? Won’t it pull you forward after you get to a certain amount of weight? Or are you using droop rows for lat-widowmaker type deal…
Also I forgot to mention, on the HS front lat pulldown (pic that I posted in OP) I like to use both hands at the same time instead of one… just feels better.[/quote]
If you do the droop rows right, you shouldn’t be able to use much weight at all… They’re a specialty exercise, not a main thing.
Anyway, hard to give you numbers as the stacks/resistance vary so much from cable-station to cable-station.
That is the same design as the one I use only mine holds 6 plates a side. I have to put a towel between my legs to keep my nuts safe though when I go that heavy.[/quote]
