Compare the Hammer Strength Plate-Loaded Pendulum-X to traditional pendulum squat machines. View the comparison chart to discover how patent-pending resistance and full-body extension deliver next-level leg power and athletic performance.
The Most Important Lift Isn’t for Sport — It’s for Longevity
For decades, Hammer Strength Plate Loaded machines have been synonymous with elite performance; built for athletes, trusted by coaches, and foundational in weight rooms around the world. But that origin story, while accurate, is incomplete.
In this piece, Luke Carlson challenges the long-held assumption that plate loaded strength training belongs only to athletes. Drawing on decades of coaching experience, research, and firsthand insight from Hammer Strength co-founder Gary Jones, he makes a compelling case: the most important impact of Hammer Strength machines may not be in developing peak performance, but in extending quality of life.
The first time I trained on a Hamer Strength machine was 1997, in the Minnesota Vikings weight room. I was put through a 1-on-1 workout by Vikings Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Steve Wetzel in which we performed 1 set to muscle failure of about 16 total exercises. Like many athletes, I was accustomed to a barbell and dumbbell focused training approach. In that workout, I was exposed to the Hammer Strength Iso Leg Extension, Iso Leg Curl, Leg Press, Lateral Raise, Rear Deltoid, Incline Press, Decline Press, Chest Press, Dip, High Row, Front Pulldown, Biceps Curl, and 4-Way Neck. Over the course of the next few weeks of training, I was exposed to a total of about 30 different Hammer Strength machines. I was immediately struck by the low friction feel, precise biomechanics, and most importantly, the ability to train a muscle group to failure safely and comfortably from a joint perspective. I became enamored with thoughtfully designed strength training machines, and Hammer was leading this movement. Part of the excitement of Hammer Strength was that every few months, a new machine would be released; so as both a trainee and a practitioner, I was always eagerly anticipating the release of a new iteration of a machine.
My first exposure to Hammer Strength machines was the training of professional football players but I was soon utilizing Hammer Strength in one of the country’s first 1-on-1 personal training studios, training clients from 10 years to 80 years of age with diversity of goals. Although generally marketed to athletes, Hammer Strength machines are incredibly effective for a far more diverse population. Over the past 20 years, the team at Discover Strength has coached tens of thousands of training sessions using Hammer Strength machines, inclusive of everyone from 25-year-old elite marathon runners to 92-year-old retirees.
From personal experience, the low friction, precise biomechanics, and small weight increments (as low as 2.5 pounds) make Hammer Strength machines particularly well suited for individuals in their 70s, 80s, and 90s.
The longevity research is clear: if we want to age well, we must engage in serious strength training. And the greatest benefits of strength training aren’t tied to athletic performance.
We’ve mistakenly branded strength training as “athletics.”
In reality, strength training, especially on Hammer Strength machines, can serve as a fountain of youth for older adults. The benefits are profound: enhanced cognitive function, improved bone mineral density, reduced cardiovascular disease risk, lower blood pressure, fall mitigation, and a reduction in all-cause mortality, to name just a few.
In a recent conversation with Gary Jones, co-founder of Hammer Strength, he reinforced this belief and shared his ongoing passion for designing machines that compel non-exercisers to engage in serious strength training. Paraphrasing Gary, “I’m trying to design machines that someone can train on, have a great experience, and want to come back and train on again.”
Make no mistake, athletes love Hammer Strength machines. So do I.
But the most important use of a Hammer Strength machine may be in delivering effective resistance training to our aging general population.
Hammer Strength was born in the athletic weight room. But the brand’s impact extends far beyond it. As our population ages and the need for accessible, effective strength training becomes more urgent, plate loaded machines represent not just performance tools, but public health solutions. The future of strength training isn’t about choosing between athletes and everyone else. It’s about recognizing that strength, when properly applied, belongs to every body, at every stage of life.
When I think about training an array of clients, inclusive of every conceivable age, goal, training experience, injury, or chronic disease, my five favorite Hammer Strength machines include:
In this piece, Luke Carlson challenges the long-held assumption that plate loaded strength training belongs only to athletes. Drawing on decades of coaching experience, research, and firsthand insight from Hammer Strength co-founder Gary Jones, he makes a compelling case: the most important impact of Hammer Strength machines may not be in developing peak performance, but in extending quality of life.
The first time I trained on a Hamer Strength machine was 1997, in the Minnesota Vikings weight room. I was put through a 1-on-1 workout by Vikings Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Steve Wetzel in which we performed 1 set to muscle failure of about 16 total exercises. Like many athletes, I was accustomed to a barbell and dumbbell focused training approach. In that workout, I was exposed to the Hammer Strength Iso Leg Extension, Iso Leg Curl, Leg Press, Lateral Raise, Rear Deltoid, Incline Press, Decline Press, Chest Press, Dip, High Row, Front Pulldown, Biceps Curl, and 4-Way Neck. Over the course of the next few weeks of training, I was exposed to a total of about 30 different Hammer Strength machines. I was immediately struck by the low friction feel, precise biomechanics, and most importantly, the ability to train a muscle group to failure safely and comfortably from a joint perspective. I became enamored with thoughtfully designed strength training machines, and Hammer was leading this movement. Part of the excitement of Hammer Strength was that every few months, a new machine would be released; so as both a trainee and a practitioner, I was always eagerly anticipating the release of a new iteration of a machine.
My first exposure to Hammer Strength machines was the training of professional football players but I was soon utilizing Hammer Strength in one of the country’s first 1-on-1 personal training studios, training clients from 10 years to 80 years of age with diversity of goals. Although generally marketed to athletes, Hammer Strength machines are incredibly effective for a far more diverse population. Over the past 20 years, the team at Discover Strength has coached tens of thousands of training sessions using Hammer Strength machines, inclusive of everyone from 25-year-old elite marathon runners to 92-year-old retirees.
From personal experience, the low friction, precise biomechanics, and small weight increments (as low as 2.5 pounds) make Hammer Strength machines particularly well suited for individuals in their 70s, 80s, and 90s.
The longevity research is clear: if we want to age well, we must engage in serious strength training. And the greatest benefits of strength training aren’t tied to athletic performance.
We’ve mistakenly branded strength training as “athletics.”
In reality, strength training, especially on Hammer Strength machines, can serve as a fountain of youth for older adults. The benefits are profound: enhanced cognitive function, improved bone mineral density, reduced cardiovascular disease risk, lower blood pressure, fall mitigation, and a reduction in all-cause mortality, to name just a few.
In a recent conversation with Gary Jones, co-founder of Hammer Strength, he reinforced this belief and shared his ongoing passion for designing machines that compel non-exercisers to engage in serious strength training. Paraphrasing Gary, “I’m trying to design machines that someone can train on, have a great experience, and want to come back and train on again.”
Make no mistake, athletes love Hammer Strength machines. So do I.
But the most important use of a Hammer Strength machine may be in delivering effective resistance training to our aging general population.
Hammer Strength was born in the athletic weight room. But the brand’s impact extends far beyond it. As our population ages and the need for accessible, effective strength training becomes more urgent, plate loaded machines represent not just performance tools, but public health solutions. The future of strength training isn’t about choosing between athletes and everyone else. It’s about recognizing that strength, when properly applied, belongs to every body, at every stage of life.
When I think about training an array of clients, inclusive of every conceivable age, goal, training experience, injury, or chronic disease, my five favorite Hammer Strength machines include:
- Iso-Lateral Chest/Back. This machine offers one of the best multi-joint upper back movements and multi-joint chest movements, all in one machine.
- Plate Loaded Tibia Dorsi-Flexion. The tibialis anterior remain one of the most neglected muscle groups. For injury prevention, performance enhancement, or improved balance, the Hammer Strength Tibia is programmed into all of our workout scripts.
- Hammer Strength Chin/Dip Assist. In my opinion, the chin (and its variations) and dip are the among the most effective upper body pull and push movements for strength and hypertrophy. The Hammer Strength Select Assist Dip Chin design features the hand position and angles that are the most comfortable and versatile for a wide variety of trainees. I love utilizing this machine for assisted chin-ups and dips, body weight, or heavy eccentrics.
- Hammer Strength Super Squat Press. Hammer Strength has a long history of building incredible lower body, multi-joint leg movements. The latest iteration in this lineage is the Super Squat Press which allows for iso-lateral movement, deep yet comfortable range of motion, an incredibly smooth movement, low friction, and very simple seat positioning.
- Hammer Strength Select Biceps Curl. Is a workout really complete without a single joint biceps movement? The Hammer Strength Select Biceps Curl features a near perfect strength curve, the movement is hard when it should be and drops off slightly when our biceps are in a biomechanically weaker position.