Hammer Strength Plate Loaded Belt Squat

The Hammer Strength Plate Loaded Belt Squat is a strength machine that lets you squat heavy with the weight hanging from your hips instead of resting on your shoulders. You stand upright on two wide foot platforms, hook the belt in and drive up through the legs, without having to balance a bar. Intended for the serious home gym, the personal training studio and the semi-professional space where leg work is heavy and on the programme often.

Belt Squat at a glance

• Loading through a hip belt: the weight hangs from your hips instead of resting on your shoulders, so you stay upright and your attention is entirely on the legs.
• Four anchor points for the belt: the starting resistance changes from 34 to 28 kg per anchor, so you match the loading ratio to the exercise and to your own height.
• Weight pegs front and rear: you spread the plates across long and short pegs, with up to eight 20 kg plates per long peg.
• Band pegs with a near 1 to 1 action: hang bands on the machine for resistance that increases at the top of the movement.
• Wide twin foot platforms with a gap between them: you choose your own stance width and the belt runs freely between the platforms.
• Gravity release: the lock lets go as soon as you rise, so the first few centimetres of your set run smoothly.
• Belt and hook supplied as standard with a hanging bracket: everything you need is included and hangs on the machine.
• 11-gauge steel frame of 193 kg: heavy gauge steel with a powder coating that will not wander even during explosive work.

Squatting without a bar on your shoulders

With an ordinary squat the bar is often the limiting factor: your torso has to carry the weight and you have to watch your balance. Here the load hangs from your hips and you keep your upper body upright, so the legs decide how far you get. That makes high volumes workable: a second and third heavy leg session in the week feels different from one where everything runs through a bar on your back. You can also go close to failure without a rack or a spotter, because at the end of a set you simply stay standing.

Setting the resistance with anchor points and plates

You hook the belt into one of four anchor points and that choice determines your starting point: anchor 1 gives a starting resistance of 34 kg, anchor 2 32 kg, anchor 3 30 kg and anchor 4 28 kg. That lets you match the leverage to your height and to what you are training that day. You spread plates across the weight pegs front and rear: up to eight 20 kg plates per long peg, two per short peg. Four weight pegs in total means your weight sits on the machine rather than wandering around the room.

Bands and explosive work

You hang resistance bands on the band pegs, with an action that is close to 1 to 1. That makes the resistance lower at the bottom of the movement and higher at the top, exactly where you normally accelerate. For anyone training for explosiveness, that is a way to make the top of the squat harder without the starting point becoming unachievable. A beginner does not need this; plates and the right anchor choice are plenty.

Standing position and operation

The two foot platforms are wide and sit apart with a gap between them, so the belt runs freely through and does not rub along an edge. That lets you choose your own stance width, whether that is a narrow squat or a wide stance. The handles are extended, so users of different heights find a comfortable grip. The lock works on gravity and lets go as soon as you press up, so you do not have to move a pin first before the set begins.

Space, placement and expansion

The machine is 198 cm long and 160 cm wide and weighs 193 kg. Allow clear space all round to change plates and to step on and off the platforms. There is an optional dip attachment that adds 27 kg and folds back out of the way after use, so it costs no extra floor space. The feet have holes for floor anchoring; on a level floor that can take the load, the machine stands stable without anchoring too.

Worth knowing

Weight plates are not included and with four pegs and heavy loads that purchase adds up quickly. The belt and hook are included as standard, the dip attachment is not. Beyond that, this is a machine for leg work: for the upper body you will need something else, unless you order the dip attachment alongside it. At almost two by one and a half metres of footprint, this is not a machine for a tight corner.

Frequently asked questions about the Belt Squat

What is the difference with an ordinary barbell squat?

The load hangs from your hips instead of resting on your shoulders, so your upper body does not carry the weight. You stay upright and the legs decide when the set is done. You also do not need a rack or a spotter, because at the end of a set you simply stay standing instead of having to put a bar away. That makes heavy sessions on your own more practical.

How much weight can I load?

Eight 20 kg plates go on each long weight peg, two per short peg. There are four weight pegs, spread across the front and the rear. The starting resistance depends on the anchor point you choose and runs from 34 kg on anchor 1 to 28 kg on anchor 4. Plates are not included, so you buy those separately.

What are the four anchor points for?

The anchor point sets the ratio between the loaded weight and the load on the belt. Each anchor has its own starting resistance, from 34 kg to 28 kg, so the same number of plates can be made to feel different. In practice you choose a higher anchor for heavy strength work and a lower anchor for faster, more explosive work. You can switch within the same session without taking plates off.

Is this machine suitable for beginners?

Yes, the movement is easier to learn than a barbell squat, because you have nothing to balance and your torso does not carry the weight. You stand on two wide platforms, choose your own stance width and press up. The lowest starting resistance is 28 kg, so you do not start from zero and then build up with plates. That said, this is equipment from the professional segment, so the investment is substantial for someone just starting out.

Can I do upper body exercises on it as well?

Not as standard, but there is an optional dip attachment that adds 27 kg to the machine. You fold it back out of the way after use, so it costs no extra floor space. Without that attachment the Belt Squat is purely aimed at leg work. For chest, back and shoulders you will need additional equipment.

How much space do I need and do I have to anchor the machine?

The machine is 198 cm long and 160 cm wide, and clear space around it comes on top of that for changing plates and stepping onto the platforms. Anchoring is not necessary: at 193 kg unit weight plus the loaded plates the machine stands stable on a level surface. The feet do have holes if you want to fix it down permanently, which is mainly of interest in a shared space with intensive use. On a wooden upper floor, a solid and even surface matters more than the anchoring itself.