Hammer Strength Gripper Comparison

[Guest wells]

Early this morning I tried my first Hammer Strength Gripper machine. Loaded up four 45 pound plates and squeezed away three sets of 12 plus reps each. I think a gripper of an equalivent poundage in resistance is much harder to close, especially for reps. I think my COC #2 is by far much harder to close than this machine.

Anyone have any experience or comments?

[Bearcat 74]

I messed with one up school and found that it is very good for training, but not for closing grippers especially. I did reps on it for about 3 weeks and liked the feel of it.

[John Wood]

Just about everyone I've ever seen use this gripper does one or all of these things:

Method 1

1.They load up the gripper to 135+

2.They dig their feet in in front of their hips to pull the weight up and keep them there.

3. They do a push with their feet and pull with strait arms to make a shrugging motion as they are "gripping".

4. They only open their hands about a half inch at best.

5. During the shrugging motion they bang the handles together for each "rep."

This will not lead to much in the way of grip progress.

In order to get the very most out of this machine, here's the best ways I found

Method 2

1. You need to put your feet in front of your hips in order to push to get the handles together to start the lift but don't keep them there. You will instinctually push with them and they can aid in the movement.

2. I like to cross my feet under the machine as well as keeping my feet off the floor so that I have zero leverage from them and they don't aid in the movement.

3. I bend my elbows so that I cannot use the lats or traps to turn the movement into a shrug

4. I let the handle out as far as possible. For me that equals about two inches between the handles on each rep

5. I do a steel to steel overcrush on every rep.

I like to do one set of high reps on this machine for my workout but you can use whichever rep scheme you want. It can be used for many different exercises. This machine has worked extremely well for me. I think highly of this machine for no other reason than I have gotten my best results using it. I have a rotating routine of grip movements but I use this machine in each and every workout.

Wells, I have no way of knowing how you used this machine. I would imagine that you, not knowing any better, used a few of the methods that most people do when they first try this machine. Four 45s on this machine can be used very easily in the first method, someone who could do that much weight for that many reps in the second method would have a grip that could make a gorilla scream and should be able to click the 3 like a castinet.

Poundage used will not not necessarily correlate to gripper closing poundages, all that matters is that you get stronger each time you use it.

[Roark]

Another way to avoid using the feet is to bring the feet back to the hip line and place your feet in a vertical position (tip toes).

This will reduce the amount of weight by half compared to the errors John outlined.

Also use the undergrip and the inside grip (stick hands back to back thru the

handle space). Wonderful machine.

[Tom of Iowa2]

I think its a great machine for HEAVY-finger tip holds.Someone once indicated that they thought that the reason Josh closed the #3 first touch was because he did these so heavy???I don't think so...but it couldn't hurt.With the extension Jerry manufactures you can load it up to 13 plates.

The machine CAN handle the weight....but don't get off of it before unloading the plates...it will tip foreward without your body weight on it.You'll need a lift off -of course.

I like doing a heavy close on it with TWO hands...release one hand....and hold the weight closed with the other...holding on til the machine slowly forces my one hand open.

Edited November 6, 2003 by Tom of Iowa2

[Roark]

13 plates! What's the most anyone has loaded, even for a

negative rep?

[Tom of Iowa2]

edited for 113 plates?

Ok this should be 12 plates???

this was when he first got started- he's held back over 700lbs since photos taken...and when interested in grip he thought 800 or 900 would be 'doable'.

Thats who Jerry built the 300# dumbells for. His priorities have changed but if there is some money to be made he'll dabble in grip.

Edited the link....this should do it,

Edited November 6, 2003 by Tom of Iowa2

[Tom of Iowa2]

Links to 13 plates/12 plates edited for those who were taken to wrong area of the gallery.

[John Wood]

This is an incredible feat. How much do you think Josh could do without his feet "braced."

[Tom of Iowa2]

It would tip over(foreward) if his feet weren't braced.

He never really used it in a conventional way.He did some single handed closes-for reps- with a lot of weight-it bored him...don't rmember how much.

i am 'proficient' with a gripper and holding back 8?or 9? plates is painful...and short lived for me.Those plates are all over 45lbs.

he did that after a few weeks of training.

Edited November 6, 2003 by Tom of Iowa2

[OldGuy]

I much prefer the Sorinex G-Rex to the Hammer grip machine. I had the opportunity to try the G-Rex recently, and I liked it a lot. It is perfectly stable and you can use your bodyweight as well as adding plates. Very versatile.

[Tom of Iowa2]

I think we 'extended' the extension...then added more plates and somebody balanced another plate on top.The weight is way out in front and the machine wants to tip frotwards.........It was well over 700 though.

Perhaps unbraced he would do less...

You gotta figure that with his hands beeing so MUCH shorter than Pfisters,haugens,Wades,Schoonvelds,etc.etc.that his fingers must be pretty damn strong for him to 'hold on'to the handle of that Rolling Thunder.He has less leverage.his hands don't come close to encircling the Rolling Thunder.He crushes the handle.He does not really have stereo typical 'thick bar'hands?He has the smallest hands, is the shortest and weighs less than any of those in that PRO Nationals competition.

Obviously his wrist strength is an asset in that event.

Edited November 6, 2003 by Tom of Iowa2

[Jonathan McMillan]

When I use to go to the local Nautilis they had one of these machines, I found working with one hand at a time made the machine more effective.

Jon@han

[Sybersnott]

I last used a Hammer Strength Gripper Machine when I certified. I didn't think too much about it; I looked all over trying to buy a used one without much luck.

[Guest wells]

John:

I had my feet crossed under the machine as you suggested. I had immediately figured that one out when pulling the handles together to start the exercise. I fully extended my fingers and held each rep. However... thinking back, I could have been shrugging a bit in the movement like you said. I'll try again on Saturday with no shrugging and my elbows more bent. Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.

[tomricci]

I have both the Hammer Strength machine and the Sorinex G-Rex. I think the

G-rex is better for training for grippers and pinch strength and the Hammer unit

I like to use as a warmup and also for doing holds. Once in place on the machine

I like to get my feet as far back (tiptoes is correct) to eliminate any cheating.

This leans me forward and puts weight onto my palms which takes out any

muscles that could assist. I would like to get one of those extensions, can someone

tell me where? I have used all the 45's I can on the pin and would like to add more

I could make one if I had the specs but if someone is already doing this I will be

happy to buy one. My machine is a little too sloppy for effective one hand work

but for getting a great pump, heavy 2 hand holds on this are great. The G-Rex is

still the hardest to use which I believe makes it the most effective. One thing I do

is the pinch flanges with my thumb under instead of on top. This really intensifies

the pinch effort.

[Tom of Iowa2]

Tom ricci,

Jerry's website isn't up but he does have the HAMMER STRENGTH solid,cold rolled steel extensions in stock.

A single is 26.99

A pair is 51.99

Air tight fit,machined,perfect.3.25lbs for one.& 6.5lbs for a pair.

E-mail me and I'll tell you where to mail the check or money order.Or Jerry can run a credit card for you.They can be shipped out immediately.just click on my name and e-mail me through the Grip Pages system and I'll get it,

[Tom of Iowa2]

BTW,Tomricci

Of course the extensions fit ALL the HAMMER STRENGTH machines.We've loaded up a HAMMER STRENGTH Iso Row to 15 plate-per side.DY row to 11 plates a side.ETC.ETC.Jerry had people get some ugly reps with that weight and the machines held up....and of course the extensions are(literally)'bulletproof'.Turns the Ground Base High pull into an awesome shrugger.The angle hits the rear aspect of your traps in a very unique angle and I think its been taken up to about 1150#lbs.?with the extensions.

[Guest wells]

I like to use as a warmup and also for doing holds.

Tom: I think you may be right about it (Hammer Strength Gripper) being better for holds. I'll try John's suggestion about avoiding a shrug technique but I think I'll end up using it for 'timed' holds as you have.

[tomricci]

Wells,

I do the timed holds at the end of the workout for a major pump and

I do think it adds strength just by the activation of so many fibers at

one time. It has helped. As I add weight each set I will put a block or a

brick under both rubber "feet" at the front so I am working more of the

crush. There is no way I can use the entire range of motion on this machine,

I don't know if anyone who isn't a basketball player can. On the holds, I have

my son lever up the weight using a steel bar placed between the pads and once

it's in place and I have my hold going he will time me with a stopwatch.

[JoeD]

This machine is in the gym where I train so I use it quite a bit. I'm going to be using some of the tips listed to make sure I'm not cheating from now on. Thanks to those who offered technique ideas.