Incline Hammer Strength Review - good or bad? With Hypertrophy Coach Joe Bennett

[@UrsKalecinski]

I see me and my ugly face -> I LIKE

[@HypertrophyCoach]

I’m just using you for your pecs. I don’t care about your face 😅😂

[@CrazYR00kie]

🐻

[@Ahmedmogs]

I hope you're friends cause that's mean lol​@@HypertrophyCoach

[@Pedrinho2.10]

Don't be so self-deprecating, Mr. Kalecinski! Your face isn't ugly at all: it was just rendered at the lowest resolution for the smoothest performance! 🤪 Mine, for example, had a codec issue - so much so my avatar is a fcking drawing. 🤦‍♂ Much love from Brazil, Urs! I wish you all the best!

[@SantaDad.]

Don’t worry Urs your a cutie

[@AysBerr]

You deserve millions of subscribers with this kind of content.

[@HypertrophyCoach]

Working on it! Thanks for following, commenting, etc 🙏

[@loganriley2117]

Billions

[@vasilisradisis2121]

hammer strength row next please

[@boodehoop891]

Which one?

[@vasilisradisis2121]

@@boodehoop891 the plate loaded iso lateral

[@adrians5875]

Yes, please the low row one

[@danski6694]

@@adrians5875low row one is awesome. Nothing out there like it for hitting the specific muscles it hits!

[@richbrake9910]

@@vasilisradisis2121 nah, the weight stack does the same thing, and you do not need to carry plates and take them on and off....

[@Epiprometheus]

Loving machine reviews, no one else really does this! Looking forward to more!!

[@RonnieJamesOsbourne]

Thanks, coach, for using one of my names; "Jerry Spinefeld" 😂 Didn't think you'd go for one of the goofy ones, but, here we are! LOVE these full breakdown nerdy videos... (especially these and the recent genetics one) absolutely top-tier. Been following you since the MI40 days... Keep it coming, dude!

[@AntonioMaglifiore]

The most creative and useful video serie ever about bodybuilding,every video should have millions of views

[@HypertrophyCoach]

🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@somericesomechicken]

This is a great idea for a series 🙌🏼

[@cysecgnz]

Definitely need more vids like this. Very much appreciated. Great work, Joe

[@johnmcnally1040]

This is one of the best videos I’ve watched in a long, long time. Thank you

[@stevekissel3822]

I'll be honest, Ive gotten lost in some of your vids talking about insertion, moment arm ect but explaining using a machine is brilliant...cant wait to see all the other vids...Joe, your gonna help alot of people understand training .....BTW..I have that shirt..LOL...Best, Steve USA

[@Alvaro_Athletics]

now at 40 I wish I had had access to your content when I was 16 and I had no clue how to train Joe. It would have been a complete game changer, at least now I can learn from your brain and apply with myself and clients. Thank you for leading the industry.

[@HypertrophyCoach]

👊🙏🙏🙏

[@davidmccright3764]

The arms look like they’re growing coach! The comeback is seriously on!

[@HypertrophyCoach]

Ehh 🤷‍♂️😂 I might go about 5 more lbs. but this is about it. I like to golf and run around with my kids. So likely not going about 210

[@Pedrinho2.10]

Your content is golden, coach! This series is an excellent idea! Thank you!

[@gynat5968]

Thank you for the straightforward, yet in-depth and detailed, explanation. You helped me alleviate some shoulder irritation I was experiencing by adjusting seating and technique. Cheers!

[@boren_fitness]

ive been waiting for someone to a video on this for months, this is why we love joe❤️

[@borboe14]

Thank you so much. Greetings from the Netherlands🙏🏼

[@Fohrenbach]

Thank you for these analyses

[@MindoMuscle]

i been looking for machine reviews. u earned my sub 💪💪

[@MindoMuscle]

can u do the cybex incline plz

[@HumbleDictator]

Quality content. Thanks sir!

[@adrians5875]

Thanks for the video!

[@Sanderino98]

More of these! This is awesome

[@scatdaddy3790]

Amazing stuff Joe

[@natelollar9848]

Great stuff man. I use this but have definitely noticed what you're saying about the moment arm. Appreciate the insight

[@marcot7894]

great work!

[@ameerbarbour]

as always, amazing content. was just talking about this the other day. thank you!

[@BackflipKid16]

Please more videos like this. Specifically with hammer strength & other common brands.

[@nicholasaiello3908]

Instant sub, great content!

[@jaketaymedia]

Thank you

[@احمداللويمي-ي7م]

Yes finally 😍 need reviews about gym equipments. … Keep going

[@kengleonglee]

Thank you so much for the bottom half rep advice. I’ve been doing that past full lockout failure. Now I know it’s golden. Thank you, Joe, for the detailed explanation! 🫡

[@Rookie40K]

This is fantastic content! I really appreciate this kind of video. If possible, a deep dive into flat barbell bench and incline dumbbell with different grip widths/position and elbow would be epic, though you have covered it quite well on previous videos. Thanks for all that you do!

[@zolni3rz]

Great breakdown!

[@continuum_]

Brilliant series. Could you review the Hammer strength setaed dip machine?

[@Masters-Muscle]

Great video! Thanks. More please

[@adrians5875]

The Profile/ROM part is pure gold, had the 'aha!' moment

[@paragorn206]

Accessibility on these is great for a wheelchair user, too.

[@Ambienceprofessional]

thats great i started training in a shortened rom in this machine last week and now i have the proof :D

[@17jnewman]

Great work!

[@darkpier96]

more of this Joe

[@danski6694]

I’ve always looked at this machine as more of a strength training tool - especially for very GENERAL pushing strength, as as you point out, the lockout part of the movement is toughest with this. For that and also on days where Im not sure if I want to train delts or chest lol This machine offers so much versatility too, due to it being an effective upper body push machine, yet it doesn’t tax you with “general fatigue” like a regular barbell incline press would. Can throw Hammer Inclines literally into ANY workout if you’re into that. One great way to train delts is to do some Hammer Inclines and then if you can, do some behind the neck press. You’re covering literally every head of the delt while also triceps and some upper pec. Fantastic

[@turnippatrol4607]

The hammer strength "iso lateral bench press" is built with a much better resistance profile than the HS incline you're showing here. The plates are loaded onto a beam which is horizontal at the bottom resting position, but then moves vertically instead of forward as the weight is pressed forward. This gives a much more even resistance, rather than an increasing resistance as the weight is pushed forward/up

[@HypertrophyCoach]

Yea, hammer strength occasionally has an ok piece by accident. No consistent principles used to design anything though.

[@turnippatrol4607]

@@HypertrophyCoach The irony is that the "iso lateral bench press" is probably their best chest machine, but also the least popular. This is because the design doesn't allow for nearly as much weight to be used, when compared to the incline or decline pieces

[@freshprince512]

This is the machine I have in my gym. No matter how many adjustments I make, it always seems to hit my front delts more than my upper chest. Hoping your tips help. Thx for the video man.

[@ayomaxx8357]

Put the seat lower

[@johnmccullough6085]

I complement this with Bowflex and place bands on this hammer incline for more resistance at the top. Just my fix. An excellent video! BZ!

[@Alb_09]

Hi Joe! Great video, I really enjoyed the detailed explanation! Can you do a video of the rowing machine that is usually shown in all of your back training videos with Terrence or other athletes? I don't know the brand name, but it diverges as you do the row movement. Great content as always!

[@jmartinez19944]

I like this set up 👍🏻

[@31BT]

Can you do one of these for the Hammer Strength decline press please?

[@mikeanthony8699]

Recommendation for future video. How to free weight bench press with out destroying your shoulders or tearing a pec tendon

[@valyae2007]

Excellent!

[@adrians5875]

My gym has just replaced their entire equipment to hammer strength, please keep it coming!

[@savagenyc4320]

I just subbed wow.. I searched this video because I felt pain on my rotator cuff after using this machine I know 100% it’s cause I was locking out my arms

[@bluemagic5829]

Thank you for the review. The Incline Hammer is one of the most overrated machines ever (and indeed, Hammer Strength equipment is generally overrated). The Incline Hammer in particular is particularly stressful on the shoulder joint. Mike Van Wyck recently underscored the "horribleness" of the Incline Hammer.

[@punkandlifting]

Can’t stand how many gyms insist on being primarily stocked with hammer strength. So many better companies making machines out there.

[@bluemagic5829]

@@punkandlifting They stock them because they "look hardcore"

[@ColonelFU]

This is that work,Coach. I like this vid 🔥 (New subscriber)

[@HypertrophyCoach]

Thanks for the feedback and the sub! 🙏

[@Joe-xo3xy]

Thanks Joe, very helpful, honestly. I am a machine guy because I can have better path way, ensuring both arms move in the same direction. I suffer from great inbalances, machines keep my body in check.

[@lostboy2637]

They also have a flat version of this that is parallel to the ground

[@bjjandlift6365]

This was great timing. I just joined a new gym which has this machine. I used it today and couldn’t put my finger on why it felt so useless. In the stretched position I could basically feel no tension or stretch and the movement only got difficult near the top. I won’t be using it again

[@FloatingLeaf1111]

This machine is ALWAYS being used at my gym.

[@tiagoafonso1761]

In my gym we have the Hammer 2in1 incline press/pull down And the only way to make this piece usable is by putting a plate (5-10kg) in the pulldown handle. So by the time your getting to the top (heaviest part), the 10 kg plate on the other side is the furtherest from the axil acting as a counter balace, making the weight through the rep more even. It's far from perfect or close to a Prime incline, but its a slight upgrade

[@calvinlawn3457]

I like doing these first in the workout because we seem to fatigue more quickly in the short position (you’d be a lot weaker if you did it last). Hitting full ROM failure then doing partials is another technique I like to maximize the stimulus. Because it’s not super lengthened, I find it’s a good way to warm up the shoulders before deep presses and you get more triceps at the top (neuromechanical matching). 1-2 sets gets the job done, then I save my volume for more mid-lengthened work. Thanks for sharing!

[@RickDean-mc7qo]

Best chest workout for older men with shoulder issues.

[@ayomaxx8357]

I find that if you put seat to where the handles are to like your shoulders you’ll feel it a lot more in the chest

[@chrisd2430]

Hammer strength iso lateral row please!

[@boodehoop891]

What about the HS side lateral machine and the HS pullover?

[@xisco-fv3ws]

11:53 I would like to learn more about that

[@AK-95x]

Thx for the video, really good content, how about the hammer horizontal press resistance profile ?

[@asdcaliforniagym5520]

Hi man, I'm writing from Italy FANTASTIC this video i see more! What do you think about the nautilus machines, are they even more valid than the hammerstrenght ones? Thank you. sorry for my english!

[@PaintDryLifting]

I'm on my second unit of this machine and the resistance profile is just crappy even on the parallel handles version. Since it's in my home gym I'm debating having a welder add some angled weight horns onto the machine to approximate the Prime units customizable resistance curve as I love the movement, just not the way the resistance becomes ridiculous at lockout

[@УрошЛукић-н3у]

i THINK you can also put some plates on the handle and that way, you make it more lenghtened/mid bias

[@loganriley2117]

Love ya papa joe

[@JustinHSV17]

Are u sure about the arch being always beneficial? Did arch for 10 years and started flattening a few months ago and even though i'm weaker I feel a way greater stretch and my chest grew. My muscle mind also increased. But i started to incorporate both (one arched, heavy session and one flat light session) Guess it is a different stimulus.

[@HypertrophyCoach]

For some people (large ribcage), too much arch could potentially take away from upper chest involvement a bit.

[@user-jc3wy3zp8w]

I love it. Great machine. Almost indestructible so gym owners like them too!

[@HypertrophyCoach]

Very true! They are very durable.

[@punkandlifting]

The lack of a unrack function also makes these machines blow. You need to stick a wood block or barbell collar under the arm just to be able to unrack your first rep

[@s1bhtk]

Hammer low row would be awesome

[@metamodernbarbell]

Funnily enough I just got temporary access to one if these and it is very popular. I tried going quite heavy doing full ROM and yeah not good. Doing 12-20 somewhat partial ROM as an accessory was mich better.

[@Behindjoonao]

I wish someone told me to let my scapula naturally move 10 years ago. Wouldnt have this jank ass scap/humeral rhythm i do now and years of shoulder issues.

[@adammiller9179]

Hammer Strength needs to update this machine. Either change the bench angle or the angle, shape, and weight placement of the arms. Plenty of other companies can make these with proper (at least better) force curves.

[@SussNit]

Partial reps out of the bottom work well when you can't complete your last full rep.

[@HypertrophyCoach]

Yup! Thats why is discuss that in the video 👊

[@EvanZamir]

We have one of these at my gym but I prefer to use the Nautilus Leverage incline machine.

[@ollie2029]

Any chance you could cover the Atlantis plate loaded incline press

[@berryvolcano3787]

Wow great content. Like the other comments please do a lot more of these XD. Can I get your traffic light colour for the Flat DB Press? About to add it in next workout

[@mrronk2073]

Great video! What about the same incline press just with stack added(I don’t know how to call it),there is any difference with the resistance profile? I’m talking about hammer strength *

[@raygengamer8440]

I've done a lot to the point where I need to go regular bench or dumbbell bench

[@rpgrullz]

Can you check the hammer strength flat chest press? It's better than the incline.

[@Calxwar2722]

Hammer Strength low and high row! Thanks

[@rafael2080]

Couldn't the resistance profile be improved by tilting the machine back using plates underneath the front legs of the machine?

[@HypertrophyCoach]

Possibly. Likely not enough to get the lever arm to parallel to start. And then you have to worry about the machine tipping as well.

[@sorenlindberg8816]

This makes it a quite complicated machine, if you work out with a partner. The adjustments on hammer strength is "fluid" and not position 1,2,3 etc. getting the exact same position every time is not that easy. (not the end of the world, but why machines could benefit from numbered incremental adjustments).

[@freelancer-st4yc]

Fantastic content, what about gullotine press? Old school guys and some modern nerds say it should target upper chest.. When in theory going wide aligns with sternal fibers right?

[@shane_rm1025]

Prime is goated, wish it was more common

[@jongilman25]

Amazing stuff, Coach! What chest exercise would you recommend instead?

[@HypertrophyCoach]

For converging machines, prime and nautilus make better pieces. Plenty of great free weight options as well

[@KickingwithKara]

This is really outstanding. I had to watch the lever diagram a couple times. Physics was never my strongest course in college 😂. Question…as a general rule then for all machines would you say the ideal is that they need to be heaviest in stretch position to be most effective? Also would love review on hammer OHP- been using a lot to do drop sets and it feels better on my shoulder the way the seat is at an incline.

[@Nhintaolamgi.]

11:52 PLEASE MAKE A VIDEO ABOUT THAT

[@edgar4970]

Could you counter balance the fact its lighter at the bottom by using a band to maker it harder at the bottom?

[@adelfaks2826]

Awesome video Joe, liked and subscribed. Need more content like this. For this machine specifically I’ve always wondered why the resistance profile is so ascending for whatever reason. Is there any way to change the resistance profile on this machine? Ie; counter weight? Since banding would make it even more ascending?

[@carsonnik]

I've read there is a way to sort of "hack" this machine to improve it's resistance profile to more lengthened/mid range bias. Are you familiar with how that could be done?

[@titiofoz]

Good stuff coach, from what i gather, the pin loaded version of this same machine would be considered a better choice since it would probably have a more consistent profile. Would that be correct in your view?

[@froxiiwnl3909]

Theoretically you could lift and angle the resistance profile :)

[@tomsettles6873]

All good but I miss the single pulley cable plate racks that allow you to do tricep pushdowns with a V-bar. These build your tris better than anything else. 99% of gyms I see nowadays have cable plate racks with 4-6 pulley wheels on them, which reduces the effectiveness big-time.

[@Wetterwet]

Have you ever used any Fettle Fitness pieces? I think they are a hammer strength knock off. Sometimes knock offs can be slightly better from my experience

[@PaintDryLifting]

close to a 1 to 1 copy, I got a used 'fettle' (its from the same chinese factory as fettle) pulldown and its identical to the hammer pulldown with the same problems all hammer machines have with the end part of the ROM being a bit too hard vs other plate loaded lines like Matrix

[@Wetterwet]

@@PaintDryLiftinggood to know. I was looking at their chest supported t bar row to add to the garage gym.

[@srilanka739]

what are some good ones to use instead? prime fitness seated chest press (the pin loaded one) ?

[@boogle103]

THIS EXERCISE COULD REPLACES A BARBELL BENCH PRESS OR AN INCLINE BENCH PRESS?

[@ykrushireddy6032]

Hi coach. I don’t understand why the line of force is vertical when the machine path is like an arc? Am I missing something?