Who Makes A Good Glute/Gastroc/Hamstring Machine???

[Texas Ranger]

Does anyone know who makes a decent Glute/Gastroc/Hamstring Machine???

 

[Texas Ranger]

Bump...

 

[delldell2]

If you have the money, supposedly Westside's is the best. The one I'm using is some generic brand, and judging from how I feel the next morning, I think it works just fine.

 

[Cuthbert]

If you have a training parter, lie face down on a bench and do some glute-ham raises.

If you don't have one then use an ab board.

I don't think you need to spend $ on expensive equipment when there are many other options out there.

 

[Texas Ranger]

How would I go about using an ab board to do GGH raises? I'm trying to get a mental picture. Also, what other ingenuitive ways could I go about doing them without a training partner??

 

[delldell2]

The alternatives I've heard are:
-On the floor with someone holding down your legs
-Put a pin low on the power rack and hook your legs under
-Hook your legs under the lat pulldown
-On some incline situp boards, you can face backwards and hook your legs

I recently got access to a real GHR, and there is a big difference. My knees got aggravated doing GHR's on a situp bench, plus I couldn't really get a good concentric movement. You also don't have that plate behind you to push your feet into.

 

[kingc_79]

www.newyorkbarbells.com they have one for bout 225 ... someone from the board bought one and said they like it. looks like t3c may have one also.

 

[coolcolj]

Dr squat one is the best but it will cost ya

 

[Texas Ranger]

What's your opinion of this GGH machine made by www.newyorkbarbell.com? http://www.newyorkbarbell.com/82626.html

 

[Texas Ranger]

Any opinions on the G-G-H machine made by newyorkbarbell?

 

[coolcolj]

I read it was crap, with GHR's very subtle design difference, make a big of difference to the feel and tension on the hams and glutes.

You do get what you pay for with GHR units

 

[collegiateLifter]

and the one by bigger faster stronger?

(theres one in my school's gym... but I'm thinkin not so good)

 

[samoth]

I read it was crap, with GHR's very subtle design difference, make a big of difference to the feel and tension on the hams and glutes.

You do get what you pay for with GHR units

Thanks for the advice, I was thinking of buying one from NYBB for my dorm room... the one from EFS is very nice, but about 800-900 dollars... a tad out of the range for a college kid.

Oh well, at least I got my EFS power rack. Damn, that is my pride and joy. EFS makes simply the FINEST equipment for PLing that I have ever used.

For 1500 dollars, it damn well better be nice!

 

[coolcolj]

Dunno about the BFS one, there is a cheaper home version of the EFS one

 

[Texas Ranger]

CoolColJ, where did you read that about NY Barbell's G-G-H unit? Could you post the link? I'd REALLY appreciate it! I thought NY Barbell made quality equipment. I guess I was wrong...

 

[bignate73]

i dont see a difference, besides $$$. the nybb one doesnt smoosh your nuts either. hehehe.

 

[Texas Ranger]

Big Nate, I don't see a major difference either. If there is one, it's marginal. I just read an article by Dave Tate and he admitted that a crappy GHR unit made by someone else is better than none at all. I'd have to agree. Besides there's a very big difference between $230.00 to $800.00.

 

[Lumberg]

[B the nybb one doesnt smoosh your nuts either. hehehe. [/B]

I love that look of that split pad!

 

[coolcolj]

Some guy who has used a lot and own quite a few different GHR units made a post on this a while back, but the post is not aorund anymore. Anyway he said the feel of the Dr squat and EFS ones are the best, the foot plate angle and pad design makes a big difference in keeping the tension on the hams from top to bottom. If the pad is deisgned properly you won't squash your nuts too!
You have to be able to apply pressure on the foot plate, and be at the right angle to the pad.

Some of the units would tip over or snap at the bottom junction, that unit uses bolts, not welded. Plus the EFS one has an extra horizontal crossmember, remeber if you have someone heaving back and forward that's a lot of troque stress on the unit.
After a while you be using added weight, plus with back extensions which can be done on the unit, you will use extra weight

also note the EFS unit rollers are individually adjustable, the adjustment spring knobs are better too IMO. The handles also go further forward too.
EFS units are tried and tested by people who know about working the posterior chain properly too

DR Squat's unit is one of the best ones, but it's pricey, but its built like a tank! Note the Y feet design, you won't tip this one over. there is also a pin at the bottom for adding plates to weigh the unit down. I guess if you weigh over 250lbs with 100lbs on your back you will need it

http://www.drsquat.com/index.cfm?action=viewequipment&equipmentID=701

 

[coolcolj]

Home GHR from EFS - cheaper

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?m=PD&cid=167&pid=807

 

[bignate73]

Big Nate, I don't see a major difference either. If there is one, it's marginal. I just read an article by Dave Tate and he admitted that a crappy GHR unit made by someone else is better than none at all. I'd have to agree. Besides there's a very big difference between $230.00 to $800.00.

thats the point im making. for $500+ dollars, i can overlook a few things. especially if its the first unit you buy.

 

[coolcolj]

yeah but he's another viewpoint, what if it breaks, that's money wasted

If its worth getting then get something good that will last a lifetime. But then again you could buy a new unit if it breaks and still save some money, but on the other hand it may not feel and work as well

trade-offs

 

[Cuthbert]

you dont need a machine for them.

 

[bignate73]

you dont need a machine for them.

yes and no. floor GHR is a different monster. with machine ones, you get 2 benefits.

1. being able to activate the calves by pressing against the platform.

2. (more important) the hip breaks and you essentially do 2 movements, a hip extension and a leg curl. with hams you want to not only curl the leg but extend the hip.

dont quote me, but i believe one of the hamstrings is more active with the hip bent and one with the hips straight.

edit:

"The biarticulate hamstring muscles [1, 3, 4 ] enter active insufficiency through the completion of knee flexion when the hips are more extended (short head of biceps femoris [2 ] becomes more active) or through the completion of hip extension when the knees are more flexed (gluteus maximus becomes more active)."

this basically describes the "passing of the torch" from a bent knee/bent hip to just a bent knee locked hip position, from ham to glute. on floor GHR's you tend to just lean forward do a slight pushup and end up at the top again, essentially keeping the body straight.

 

[coolcolj]

another thing too, the toe plate of the unit in question doesn't doesn't look wide enough either, the pad as well.

 

[Texas Ranger]

There's a lifetime warranty on ALL of the NY Barbell products. If something broke on the GHR, a part would be shipped right out to you. So, no worries or concerns on that end. NY Barbell make good products. I'm sure they wouldn't put a piece of equipment out there if it couldn't get the job done. Plus, it has to be more effective than doing them from the floor.

 

[coolcolj]

Your call

let us know how it goes

 

[JOKER47]

you dont need a machine for them.

I'm with Cuth, here.

Just work your damn hams with a bar over your ankles. No need to spend umpteen billions of dollars for a special machine for this.

Christ, quit whining and lift.

 

[bignate73]

yes and no. floor GHR is a different monster. with machine ones, you get 2 benefits.

1. being able to activate the calves by pressing against the platform.

2. (more important) the hip breaks and you essentially do 2 movements, a hip extension and a leg curl. with hams you want to not only curl the leg but extend the hip.

dont quote me, but i believe one of the hamstrings is more active with the hip bent and one with the hips straight.

edit:

"The biarticulate hamstring muscles [1, 3, 4 ] enter active insufficiency through the completion of knee flexion when the hips are more extended (short head of biceps femoris [2 ] becomes more active) or through the completion of hip extension when the knees are more flexed (gluteus maximus becomes more active)."

this basically describes the "passing of the torch" from a bent knee/bent hip to just a bent knee locked hip position, from ham to glute. on floor GHR's you tend to just lean forward do a slight pushup and end up at the top again, essentially keeping the body straight.

as i said earlier, the difference between floor and GHR.

 

[Texas Ranger]

No whining here, Joker. Simply stating facts... Anyway, I'll start out doing the GHR using that guys' method with the barbell over the ankles. Then, later I "might" get one.