Hammer Strength Plate Loaded Seated Dip

The Hammer Strength Plate Loaded Seated Dip is a strength machine that lets you perform the dip seated, so you can build pressing strength without first having to push your whole body weight away. You choose how heavily you load it yourself, from a starting resistance of 2 kg per working arm up to five 20 kg plates per arm. Because you can use the machine facing in as well as facing out, you approach the pushing movement from two angles. Intended for the serious home gym, the personal training studio or the semi-professional space where chest and triceps work has a fixed place.

Seated Dip at a glance

• Seated dip with an adjustable load: you set the weight yourself, so you train the movement even when a full dip on the bar is still too heavy.
• Face-in and face-out use: two positions on the same machine give two emphases in the pushing movement, without you having to move anywhere.
• Starting resistance of 2 kg per working arm: unloaded, the machine moves almost weightlessly, which makes warm-up sets and small steps possible.
• Up to five 20 kg plates per arm: room to keep building for years, well beyond your own body weight.
• Seat belt or thigh support: you stay down on the seat during heavy sets instead of coming up.
• Ergonomic handles: the hand position keeps the pressure off your wrists throughout the movement path.
• Several seat positions: you set the height to your own height, so the angle at your shoulders and elbows is right.
• Four storage pegs for plates: your weight sits on the machine, so changing between sets is quick.

Dipping without your whole body weight

The classic dip is an all or nothing exercise: either you can do it or you cannot, and as soon as it gets too easy you have to strap on a weight belt. With the Seated Dip you pick the load per set, from next to nothing to well above your own body weight. That means you can build the movement up in small steps if you cannot manage it yet, and load it specifically once you are long past that point. In a shared space it also means a beginner and an advanced lifter can both train usefully on the same machine.

Two positions, two emphases

You can use the machine facing in or facing out. Those two positions change the angle you press at, which shifts the emphasis between chest and triceps. In practice that means you can add variation within a training block without needing a second machine, or hit both angles in the same session. For anyone who wants to run a complete pushing programme in a limited footprint, that counts.

Staying seated and stable during heavy sets

As soon as you load it heavily, your body wants to come up the moment you press. That is why this machine has a seat belt or thigh support, which keeps you on the seat so your strength stays in the movement rather than in holding your position. The seat adjusts to several positions, so you set the height to suit you and not the other way round. The handles are ergonomically shaped, which limits the pressure on your wrists throughout the movement path. The pads are moulded foam, so there is no wrapped filling that starts to shift over time.

Construction and space

The frame is built from 11-gauge steel with an electrostatically applied powder coating, a combination chosen for adhesion and wear resistance in daily use. Rubber feet stop it sliding and protect the floor, and the feet have holes for floor anchoring. The machine measures 168 cm long, 124 cm wide and 109 cm high, and weighs 130 kg. That build height of 109 cm is low for a strength machine, so the machine also fits a basement or garage where taller machines will not go under the ceiling.

Worth knowing

Weight plates are not included, and because you load per arm you need the weight twice over. Beyond that, the machine is aimed at the upper body pushing movement: for back and leg work you will need additional equipment. It becomes interesting once chest and triceps are a fixed and heavy part of your schedule. If you only have room for one or two machines, a multi gym is more versatile.

Frequently asked questions about the Seated Dip

Which muscles does this machine train?

Mainly the triceps, the chest and the front shoulder, just as with an ordinary dip. By using the machine facing in or facing out, you shift the emphasis between chest and triceps. The seated position takes away the stabilising of your body weight, so you can load the pushing movement itself more heavily. For back, legs and shoulder pressing you will need additional equipment.

How much weight can I load on it?

You load a maximum of five 20 kg plates per arm, on top of a starting resistance of 2 kg per working arm. That takes you well beyond what most people would hang from a weight belt at a dip station. Because you load per side, you are effectively buying the weight twice: if you want 60 kg per arm, you need 120 kg of plates. Plates are not included.

Is this machine suitable for beginners?

Yes, and for beginners in particular this is an accessible way to learn the dip. With an ordinary dip you have to push your whole body weight away in one go; here you start with 2 kg per working arm and build up in small steps. The seat is adjustable so the angle at your shoulders and elbows matches your height. That said, this is equipment from the professional segment, so the investment is substantial for someone just starting out.

How much space and height do I need?

The machine is 168 x 124 x 109 cm. At 109 cm build height a lowered ceiling is rarely a problem here, which makes this machine suitable for a basement or garage. Do allow clear space on both sides to change plates and to get in and out, around half a metre all round. At 130 kg unit weight the machine stands stable without anchoring.

What is the belt or thigh support for?

It keeps you on the seat during heavy sets. Without that fixing, your body comes up as soon as you press down hard, and part of your effort goes into holding your position rather than into the exercise. With the belt or the thigh support the movement stays clean and you can finish the last reps on technique. For light warm-up sets you usually do not need it.

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 and rubber feet stop it sliding. At 130 kg unit weight plus the loaded plates, the machine stands stable on a level surface. 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.