Hammer Strength vs. Dumbbells

Hammer Strength is a brand of exercise equipment. The machines are often favored over regular weight-training machines by bodybuilders and athletes since they more closely replicate the movement of free weights. While both Hammer Strength machines and dumbbells can have a place in your program, there are certain scenarios where one is better than the other.

  1. Lifting Big

    • When going heavy and training for strength, the Hammer Strength equipment may be your best choice. This is particularly the case when it comes to squats and deadlifts. The Hammer Strength squat and deadlift machines have very similar movement patterns to barbell squats and deadlifts, notes strength coach and exercise researcher Bret Contreras. Additionally, trying to hold heavy dumbbells for squats and deadlifts can be cumbersome and awkward.

    The Convenience and Cost Factors

    • While many resistance machines have the edge over free weights in terms of convenience, as all you need to do is change the setting using a pin, this isn't the case for Hammer Strength machines. Most of these machines are plate loaded, so you have to take plates from the rack and add them to the machine handles. With dumbbells however, you simply pick up whatever pair you need next, making for a much smoother changeover. Add to that the fact that most Hammer Strength machines cost several thousands of dollars and dumbbells win this round.

    Weighty Matters

    • If you're training for strength and want an ego boost, opt for Hammer Strength equipment. A study published in a 2010 edition of the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research" found that subjects' single-repetition maximum lifts were much higher on Hammer Strength machines than on the free-weight equivalent. This does have a downside however, as the researchers issued a warning not to be too eager when switching back to dumbbell or free-weight training, as trying to lift the same amount could lead to injury.

    Learn to Stabilize

    • Hammer Strength equipment moves in a fixed path of motion, which is good news when trying to isolate specific muscle groups, but not so much when you're training for function. Dumbbells recruit additional motor units and stabilizing muscles to help you balance and are therefore a better choice for athletes and those looking to increase functional strength.

    The Decision

    • Don't rely too much on either mode of training. Perform a dumbbell exercise and its Hammer Strength counterpart and find which works best for you. You'll probably feel a bigger stretch and contraction in your pecs on a dumbbell chest press than on a machine for instance, but according to strength coach Nick Tumminello, some Hammer Strength machines -- the high row, for instance -- hit your muscles in a way no free-weight move can. When you have the choice between Hammer Strength and other types of machine, pick Hammer Strength, advises trainer Greg Merritt, because they provide a much more free range of motion.