Hammer Strength Plate Loaded Iso-Lateral Front Lat Pulldown

The Hammer Strength Plate Loaded Iso-Lateral Front Lat Pulldown is a lat pulldown machine that lets you train vertical pulling for the back with a movement you do not have to steer yourself. The working arms rotate back, up and outwards during the pull, so your shoulder follows a natural path instead of a fixed rail. Intended for the serious home gym, the personal training studio or the semi-professional space where back width is a fixed goal in the programme.

Iso-Lateral Front Lat Pulldown at a glance

• Rotating working arms: the movement goes back, up and outwards, so your shoulder follows the path it wants to take by itself.
• Underhand grip positions: you take hold in a position that lets the pull run naturally, which loads the latissimus over a greater range.
• Separate loading points per side: left and right work independently along a diverging and converging path, so your strong arm cannot take over.
• Starting resistance of 0.5 kg per arm: unloaded, the machine moves almost weightlessly, so you can start very light and learn the movement first.
• Five 20 kg plates per arm: room to keep building for years without running into a ceiling.
• Fold-down thigh pad: it holds you on the seat during the pull and folds out of the way so you get in and out easily.
• Adjustable seat: you match the height to your build, so the pad sits on your thighs and the pulling angle is right.
• Six storage pegs for plates: your weight sits on the machine, so changing between sets is quick.

Why a rotating arm pulls differently

On a cable pulldown the bar dictates your hand position and your shoulder moves along a fixed line. Here the arms rotate back, up and outwards during the pull, so your elbow follows an arc rather than a straight path. That matches the way the shoulder joint rotates more closely, and you feel the latissimus keep working right through to the bottom of the movement. In the last reps of a heavy set in particular you notice that you are not working against the machine.

Loading left and right separately

Each arm has its own loading point, so you can train both sides at once, work alternately, or deliberately load unevenly if one side is falling behind. On an ordinary pulldown with a single connected bar your strong arm quietly pulls harder and a difference becomes permanent. Here you see straight away in the last reps which side gives out first and you can act on it. Over a training block of a few months, that stops an imbalance from sticking around.

Staying in place during the pull

With heavy pulldown work the biggest distraction is being pulled off the seat. The fold-down thigh pad holds you down, so you can put all your strength into the pull rather than into holding your own body weight down. The seat is height adjustable, so the pad sits in the right place on your thighs and the pulling angle matches your height. Fold the pad away and you get in and out without manoeuvring around it.

Construction, space and set-up

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 machine measures 165 cm long, 124 cm wide and 201 cm high, and weighs 143 kg. That height is the thing to check in advance: in a basement or garage with a lowered ceiling you will run into it sooner than you will run out of width. The feet have holes for floor anchoring.

Worth knowing

Weight plates are not included, and because you load per side you need them twice over. This machine covers the vertical pulling work, but not horizontal rowing and certainly not leg exercises. If you want to run a complete programme in a small footprint, a multi gym is more versatile. The Front Lat Pulldown becomes interesting once you train your back heavily several times a week and want room to keep building on the pulldown.

Frequently asked questions about the Iso-Lateral Front Lat Pulldown

Which muscles does this machine train?

Mainly the latissimus, with the upper back and the biceps as supporting muscles. The underhand grip and the rotating arms send your elbow down and back in an arc, which loads the latissimus over a wide range. The thigh pad holds you on the seat so you do not pull with your whole body. For horizontal rowing work you will need a different machine.

How much weight can I load?

You load a maximum of five 20 kg plates per arm. The starting resistance is 0.5 kg per arm, so unloaded the machine moves almost weightlessly and you can learn the movement calmly first. Because each side is loaded separately, you are effectively buying the weight twice: if you want 60 kg per arm, you need 120 kg of plates. Plates are not included.

How much space and height do I need?

The machine is 165 x 124 x 201 cm. The height of 201 cm is usually the limiting factor, so measure your ceiling before you order. At the sides you need extra room to change plates and to get in and out. Allow around half a metre of clear space all round.

Is this machine suitable for beginners?

Yes, a guided pulldown is more accessible for beginners than pulling yourself up on a bar, because you can start with a weight well below your body weight. With a starting resistance of 0.5 kg per arm you begin virtually unloaded and build up in small steps. The adjustable seat and the thigh pad fix your position, which makes the execution simpler. That said, this is a machine from the professional segment, so the investment is substantial for someone just starting out.

How does this differ from a pulldown with a cable and bar?

On a cable pulldown your hand is fixed to a single connected bar and your strong arm quietly pulls harder. Here each side has its own loading point and its own rotating arm, so left and right really do work independently. On top of that you load with plates rather than a weight stack, which gives a more direct feel for the resistance but does mean changing plates. The arc shaped path of the arms also matches the rotation of your shoulder more closely.

Do I have to anchor the machine to the floor?

You do not have to, but you can: the feet have holes for floor anchoring. At 143 kg unit weight plus the loaded plates, the machine stands stable on a level surface without being bolted down. Anchoring is mainly worth it in a studio or shared space where the machine is used intensively and by a lot of people. On a wooden upper floor, a solid and even surface matters more than the anchoring itself.