Calculation for Hammer machines vs. free?

[Bigsatan13]

First off, don't try to calculate the weight on the Hammer Strength machine. It is totaly different then free weight. These machines are great and designed to isolate the muscle being trained. Just start out with a weight and keep track of your progress from there. If I load 270 on the machine, that's it, don't figure any more or less. Remember the stabilzer muscles are not going to come into play and you'll be able to pound your pecs. Switch back to free weights from time to time to keep the stabilizers developed.
Big E, GOOD machines are not useless. There are some shit machines out there that are. This isnot the case with HS.

 

[Zeke_B]

Dude, if you really have to know, I could take a tape measure
to the gym and figure it out. It's a simple statics problem for
any given position. Because the weight moves along an arc,
the machine adds or subtracts a slight amount of weight as
you lift the weight. This is probably designed in to give you
more resistance where you are strongest. I would say,
however, who cares what you lift on any given machine?
Once you get away from free weights, the numbers are just
there to tell you how much to put on next time. Since we are
on the subject, I don't even listen when people talk about
what they do with free weights. Cheating and range of motion
make so much difference in most exercises, it is impossible to
compare apples to apples.

zeke

 

[big e 75]

Zeke...this is true.

But using statics will not give you the same weight.

Free weights make you use stablizer muscles. The machines are nice and smooth.

No comparasion to free weights!

 

[Bobber]

I love using hammer strenghts to "supplement" my free weight work out routines.

 

[Zeke_B]

Good point Big E 75. I think machines and frees have
their place. I mix the two. I will say this though, I
favor machines over freeweights for pulling exercises.
Most pulling exercises are self stabilizing (stabilized by
gravity) and so there is little contribution required by
other muscles (except perhaps lower back which I don't
want to be involved in the movement). I use almost
exclusively hammer strenght and cable stuff for lats.

 

[##spiderbaby##]

Truth be known, I was just interested in the math behind the calculation if there was such a calculation. Upon further reading and searching I do not think there is anyway to correctly calculate because each individual is different to a certain degree.

While I am a firm beleiver in free weights I do like certain hammer exercises better.


##spiderbaby##

 

[O'Stanozol]

Depend on the products, the one at my gym for benh press and squat equivalent
the handle and stuffs are 45lbs and more so equivalent for the bar.
so if you put 2 plates each sides you will have a 225lbs bench press.


thats the one I uses, for hammer, I think they are more into the movement of the exercise than poundages