Hammer Strength Plate-Loaded Gripper

The Hammer Strength Plate-Loaded Gripper is a compact strength machine for training grip strength and forearms specifically, so your grip does not stay the weak point of your whole training programme. As a forearm trainer you load it with weight plates and work each hand separately, so left and right both get their own load. Intended for the serious home gym, the personal training studio or the semi-professional space where deadlifts, pull-ups and rows stop because of your grip rather than your back.

Plate-Loaded Gripper at a glance

• Several grip positions: you take the handles in different positions, so you address other parts of the forearm and hand instead of the same fibres every time.
• Supination and pronation: you train with the palm up as well as down, so your grip gets stronger in both positions and not only in your favourite one.
• Starting resistance of 6.3 kg per arm: unloaded the machine moves lightly, so you can build up in small steps and warm up properly.
• Up to four 20 kg plates per arm: plenty to make progress for years on a muscle group that is rarely loaded on its own.
• Forward sloping seat: keeps your torso in a natural position, so you take the strength from your hand and not from moving along with your whole body.
• Compact and low frame: 119 x 74 x 86 cm, so the machine fits between existing equipment without blocking the walkway.
• Unit weight of 30 kg: light enough to move if you rearrange the space.
• 11-gauge steel frame with powder coating: heavy gauge steel with an electrostatically applied layer, built for use by several people a day.

Why separate grip training makes a difference

In heavy pulling work your grip is often the first link to give up. Your back has a few more reps in it, but the bar slides away and the set is over. With a machine that loads only the hand and forearm, you train that link separately from the rest, at a point when you are still fresh for it. You notice the effect above all in the weeks that follow: you get the last reps of a heavy deadlift set because your hands hold on.

Grip positions and range of movement

The handles can be taken in several positions, and the machine is suitable for supination as well as pronation. That means you can alternate between an underhand and an overhand position within a single session. Each position shifts the emphasis to a different part of the forearm and the hand, so you cover the whole group instead of only the finger flexors. For athletes who climb, wrestle or pull heavy, that variation is the main argument for this machine.

Building the load on each arm

You load each arm separately, with a maximum of four 20 kg weight plates. The starting resistance is 6.3 kg per arm, so you start light and feel exactly where you are. Because the sides are loaded independently of each other, you can load your weaker hand more heavily or with more reps. Weight plates are not supplied, so budget for a separate purchase, and bear in mind that with two-sided loading you need the weight twice over.

Construction and finish

The frame is built from 11-gauge steel with an electrostatically applied powder coating, chosen for adhesion and wear resistance in daily use. The pads are moulded foam, so there is no wrapped filling that starts to shift over time. The feet have holes so you can anchor the machine to the floor. That is more practical on this machine than on heavier ones, because at 30 kg unit weight it can otherwise shift a little during a fierce set.

Space and placement

The machine measures 119 cm long, 74 cm wide and 86 cm high. The recommended clear working area is roughly 211 by 161 cm, including the room to get in and out and to change plates. At a build height of 86 cm it goes under virtually any ceiling, including a basement or garage with pipework. That makes it one of the few strength machines you can still fit in when your gym is really already full.

Worth knowing

This is a machine for a single, narrow job. If you only have room for one or two machines, a multi gym gives you more exercises per square metre. The Gripper only becomes interesting once you train grip specifically, for instance because your grip is your limiting factor in pulling work or because your sport demands it. This is also professional equipment, so the investment is out of proportion to a set of loose grippers if you only want to do a little extra now and then.

Frequently asked questions about the Plate-Loaded Gripper

How much weight can I load on the Gripper?

You load a maximum of four 20 kg weight plates per arm, on top of a starting resistance of 6.3 kg per arm. For grip training that is a substantial range, because the forearm is a small muscle group that rarely sees loads like that. Weight plates are not included, so you buy those separately. Because you load each arm, you need the weight twice over if you want to load both sides at once.

How much space do I need?

The machine itself is 119 x 74 x 86 cm. The recommended clear working area is roughly 211 by 161 cm, so you can get in and out comfortably and change plates. The height of 86 cm is no problem at all, not even in a room with a lowered ceiling. That makes it one of the more compact machines in the Hammer Strength plate-loaded line.

Is the Gripper suitable for beginners?

Yes, the movement is simple and the starting resistance of 6.3 kg per arm lets you start very light. You sit down, take the handles and squeeze through under control, without having to balance anything. The forward sloping seat helps you into a position where you do not pull along with your whole body. That said, this is professional equipment for a specific exercise, so for someone just starting out with training it is a big investment.

Can I move the machine myself?

Yes, at 30 kg unit weight this is one of the few plate-loaded machines that two people can shift. Take the plates off first, because they make the difference. For a permanent set-up the feet have holes so you can anchor the machine to the floor. With explosive sets in particular, anchoring is worth doing, because a light machine can otherwise slide along with you.

Which muscles does this train?

Above all the forearms and the hand, so the muscles that determine your grip strength. Because you can work in several grip positions and train underhand as well as overhand, you cover different parts of the forearm. That complements pulling exercises such as deadlifts and pull-ups, where your grip usually gives out before your back. For core strength or leg work you will need other equipment.

Are weight plates supplied?

No, plates are not included. You use standard Olympic plates, up to four 20 kg plates per arm. So budget for a separate investment, or use plates you already have lying around for other machines. For grip training you often get by in practice with lighter plates and more reps.