Hammer Strength: 8 Questions Gym Owners Ask Before Buying Equipment

What I'm asked most about Hammer Strength equipment

I'm the person gym owners call when a strength machine fails a week before reopening. In my role coordinating equipment orders at a commercial fitness distributor, I've handled more than 40 rush orders in the past five years—from a single plate-loaded chest press to a full Hammer Strength package. Here are the questions I actually answer in my inbox, reordered by what comes up most.

If you've ever had a gym opening delayed by a missing piece of equipment, you know the feeling. Let's get into it.

1. Why does Planet Fitness use Hammer Strength row machines?

Most gym owners don't call me about Planet Fitness. They call because they've seen a Hammer Strength row machine there and wonder if it's worth buying for their own facility. The short answer is that Planet Fitness uses them because they're rugged, simple, and plate-loaded.

Plate-loaded machines let members load any weight they want, which works well in a gym where a lot of people walk in without a structured program. The machine is basically a steel frame with a seat and a moving arm—no complicated electronics to fail. That doesn't mean it's maintenance-free. You still need to check bolts and lubricate moving parts. But compared with a lot of selectorized equipment, the day-to-day upkeep is pretty light.

And here's the part that surprises people: the Hammer Strength row machine you find at Planet Fitness is the same commercial model you'd buy for an athletic facility. It's not a stripped-down version. If you've trained on one there, you've used the real thing.

2. What does Iso-Lateral mean on Hammer Strength machines?

If you're researching Hammer Strength, you'll see Iso-Lateral on almost everything. It's their name for independent movement—each side moves on its own. On an Iso-Lateral row, your left arm isn't forced to match your right arm. On a traditional bar row, the stronger side can compensate. With independent sides, both sides have to work.

This is a bigger deal than most first-time buyers think. I've had clients tell me they want the machines so members don't create muscle imbalances. Honestly, a lot of that is marketing—a well-trained lifter can avoid imbalances on a barbell too. But Iso-Lateral does feel better for many people, especially when you're working around an old injury. It's also one of the reasons Hammer Strength machines are common in rehab environments.

At least, that's been my experience with athletes and older lifters. If your client base includes both, Iso-Lateral equipment gives you flexibility that a fixed bar path doesn't.

3. Should I buy used Hammer Strength machines or pay full price?

Everything I'd read before I started doing this said new is always the safer play. In practice, that's not true. Used Hammer Strength machines can be a no-brainer if you buy them the right way.

I went back and forth on this with a client a couple of years ago. New machines cost roughly double what a used unit from a vetted dealer would cost. But new comes with a warranty and no mystery wear. We ended up going used for a chest press because the frame was clean and the dealer sent detailed photos and load test records. The client saved about $3,000.

I've also seen the opposite happen. A different gym saved $1,800 by buying a used row machine from a random online listing. Within a year, they'd spent $3,200 on repairs and freight—a bent weight horn, broken bearings, and a seat slider that never moved smoothly. If you're not careful, a used Hammer Strength machine can turn into a money pit.

The bottom line? Used isn't automatically a deal or a trap. It depends on the seller, the specific unit, and how much risk you're willing to carry.

4. What should I check before buying used Hammer Strength machines?

Here's what I tell every gym owner before clicking buy:

• Frame welds: Look for hairline cracks around welded joints. A cracked frame is not worth fixing.
• Weight horns: They should be smooth and straight. A bent horn means someone dropped a plate hard.
• Seat slider and adjustment pins: These wear out and are annoying to replace. Test every adjustment point.
• Paint condition: Missing paint on a frame is less scary than rust on chrome parts. Rust can be a red flag.
• Source history: Ask which gym it came from. A machine from a commercial gym that was inspected regularly is different from one that sat in a damp basement.

In March 2024, a client called me a day after receiving a used machine with a hairline crack in the frame. The seller had a no-returns policy, so we ended up paying $400 to a local welder to reinforce it. That changed how I think about as-is listings. If a seller won't let you inspect the machine in person or provide a full video walkaround, treat that as a deal-breaker.

(Should mention: I only recommend used purchases when the buyer has someone on staff who can do basic maintenance. If not, the warranty on new equipment is probably worth the cost.)

5. Is a decline chest press machine a must-have?

Not for most facilities. A decline chest press machine is a nice piece, especially if you're building a commercial strength floor and have the budget. It targets the lower chest at a pressing angle that feels different from a flat or incline press. Hammer Strength makes a plate-loaded decline press that's very durable, and I've recommended it for gyms with a strong bodybuilding crowd.

But if your space is limited, I'd buy a flat press and an adjustable incline press first. You can do decline pressing with a decline bench and dumbbells or a barbell. It's not the same as a machine, but it's enough for most members. I've seen too many small gyms spend money on a specialized machine and then realize they don't have room for a second squat rack.

So: decline chest press machine? Yes, for the right facility. Just don't put it on your order before the essentials.

6. Do I need a machine for a reverse dumbbell fly?

A reverse dumbbell fly is a rear delt accessory movement, and the honest answer is no—you don't need a machine for it. All you need is a pair of dumbbells, a flat bench, and a little bit of patience to learn how to set up without jerking the weight.

This is one of those questions that surprises people because the name sounds like it should be a machine exercise. But reverse dumbbell flies are free-weight work. They're a good way to balance out all the pressing your members do. If you're specifying equipment, make sure you include a dumbbell rack that goes up to a moderate weight. You don't need to spend money on a dedicated reverse fly machine unless you're at the 10,000-square-foot level.

That said, rows—including a Hammer Strength Iso-Lateral row—will hit the rear delts as a secondary muscle. If you already have a row machine on order, your members are getting some of that work for free.

7. What is a cross trainer shoe, and does it matter on a strength training floor?

Let me clear this up because I get the question more than I expected. A cross trainer shoe is a hybrid athletic shoe designed for lateral movement, light running, and general gym work. It's not a dedicated lifting shoe, and it's not a sprinting shoe.

For your members using Hammer Strength equipment, the shoe matters less than the surface connecting the lifter to the floor. A cross trainer with a soft, cushioned sole makes heavy strength work less stable than a flat-soled training shoe would. If your gym is full of plate-loaded machines, you don't need everyone wearing lifting shoes, but you should tell members that running shoes with big heel foam aren't ideal for heavy pressing.

This is also a practical purchasing question for gym owners. If you're buying shoes for front desk staff, a dark-soled cross trainer might leave marks on light rubber flooring. That's not a huge deal, but it's worth checking before you order 20 pairs.

8. What's the biggest mistake gym owners make when ordering Hammer Strength equipment?

The biggest mistake isn't choosing the wrong brand—it's ordering before measuring. In my experience, a surprising number of rush orders start with a machine that doesn't fit through a door. It's a simple mistake, but it's expensive.

When I'm triaging a rush order, the first thing I ask for is a door height, hallway width, and floor plan. I've handled more than enough deliveries to know that a Hammer Strength machine can look like it fits on paper, then fail to fit through a 30-inch interior door. Hammer Strength publishes spec sheets with exact dimensions and weight on its website. Download them and mark the footprint on your floor with tape before you buy.

The second mistake is getting too clever with off-brand accessories. I once watched a gym save $300 on a plate-loading adapter that didn't fit the machine's weight horns correctly. That adapter is gone now, and the machine is fine. But the repair cost, plus freight, ate the savings and then some. Use the right parts, or factor in the extra time.