The BAMF Hammer is a bodybuilding and mobile functionality hammer.

I met up with the inventor, Shawn, and he had me go over basic movements and boy are they tough.

Of course, the heavier the hammer the bigger the challenge.

The hammer forces me to really hone in on my grip strength and use proper form because of its uneven weight distribution.

Using it feels like a combination of a kettlebell, mace, Indian club, sledgehammer, and tire training in one piece of equipment.

Let’s check it out!

BAMF Hammer

BAMF is an acronym for Bodybuilding and Mobile Functionality (not Bad Ass Mother Fucking Hammer, although it is).

When I first met Shawn, he handed me one of the big hammers and it felt like it weighted a ton.

And it’s because of the uneven weight distribution that what makes these hammers so tough to work with.

A lot of technique is involved but after nailing down the basics and going through workouts, they can kick your ass from head to toe.

Design

The hammer is made with a very dense rubbering material similar to bumper plates.

Unlike steel maces or fitness hammers, this lets me slam it on any surface without the need for a tire.

I’ve slammed it on concrete, grass, wood, and the rubber doesn’t damage at all.

One side of the hammer has BAMF Hammer branding.

And the other side has the weight in kilos.

Right where the handle meets the rubber there’s a round metal base.

I don’t really know how the two are connected but I’d probably need a chain saw to cut through the thick rubber.

All I know is it doesn’t budge even when slamming it as hard as I can.

The handle is made out of solid steel with a round knob at the end.

At the top of the hammer there’s a round piece that seems to be part of the handle but that’s just a guess.

Hammer Sizes

There are 7 weight variations of the BAMF hammer.

And of course just like any dumbbell or weight plate, the more the hammer weighs the more it costs.

Here’s a list of their names and weights:

Huginn: 5 kg (11 lbs)

Muninn: 7.5 kg (16.5 lbs)

Tanngrisnir: 10.5 kg (22.5 lbs)

Tanngnjostr: 12.5 kg (27.5 lbs)

Fenrir: 15 kg (33 lbs)

Gullinbursti: 20 kg (44 lbs)

Jormundgandr: 25 kg (55 lbs)

Adding tape to the handle prevents some of that.

BAMF Hammer vs Other Fitness Hammers

The BAMF hammer can be used just like other fitness hammers in the market.

But what really sets it apart is that it can be slammed on any surface because of its rubber head.

You can’t do that on Tribe WOD hammers.

The Rogue SISU war hammer is another fitness hammer that’s popular.

And the only advantage it has over BAMF is that it’s loadable so the weight can be adjusted.

But I’ve read reviews say that the plastic cap can snap off during impact.

Also, the SISU war hammer can’t be slammed on any surface like I can with the BAMF hammer.

BAMF Hammer vs Kettlebells

With the BAMF hammer I can do similar exercises to a kettlebell.

But because I can’t rest a hammer on my forearms, this makes a hammer way more challenging for my grip and wrists.

BAMF Hammer Exercises

Swings

The hammer swing is a hip hinge movement just like a kettlebell swing.

With the handle on the hammer being longer than a kettlebell handle, it forces me to really hinge back instead of squatting down.

So again, technique is very important with the BAMF hammer.

If I don’t emphasize the hip hinge and start squatting too low, the hammer will hit the floor.

Once I get to the back of the swing, I push my hips forward using my glutes and hamstrings.

My shoulder is just hanging on to the hammer, I’m not lifting it with my shoulder or traps.

Squat

The BAMF Hammer squat is a front support squat.

It engages my upper body, core, and lower body all at once.

So for this move I hold the hammer in front of my body and do a full range of motion squat.

As I squat, I’ll stick my arms out and use the hammer as counter balance.

Forearms and shoulders are on fire while doing this because of the weight of the hammer.

And of course, I’m squatting so my legs are getting a workout too.

Pull Over

The pull over is all shoulders and core.

My shoulder move through a full arm flexion range of motion and my core resists the weight of hammer from pulling me back.

As I swing the hammer above my head I’m forced to control my posture and keep my spine neutral.

So my goal is to fight crunching my abs and arching my back to swing the hammer back and forth.

Press

The one handed press feels like an Arnold Press.

But this one feels much harder than using a dumbbell because of the uneven weight distribution of the BAMF hammer.

I feel this really challenges my wrist too, cause if I lose wrist tension the hammer will come crashing down.

One thing you want to avoiding is turning your spine sideways to bring the hammer up.

Everything should come from the shoulder while your core is firing to stabilize your spine.

Slam

The main goal with the slam is to get the head of the hammer flat on the floor every time.

And it’s much harder than it looks.

First time I attempted it, I hit the hammer on one of the edges and it bounced back towards my head.

So it’s not as easy as hitting a sledge hammer on a tire, this requires more control and skill.

And it’s one hell of a full body workout!

Shoulder Mobility

If I’m working on shoulder mobility I like to use the smaller BAMF hammer.

The same can be done with heavier hammers but I don’t have complete control of them yet so I’m slowly progressing my way up.

BAMF Hammer 12 Week Workout Plan

When you buy a BAMF Hammer you get access to their 12 Week BAMF Challenge!

The challenge has 3 weekly workouts that are meant to grow you incrementally.

Every week you’re shown a new video that breaks down the movements you’ll be practicing, and the week’s workouts.

In the video above you’ll see a preview of Week 1 of the trainings.

I really like the that they include educational videos for several reasons because it’ll help prevent injuries and it teaches people that the hammer is not just for slamming.

BAMF Hammer Alternative

The ProsourceFit steel mace is an alternative to BAMF hammer, somewhat…

I can do a bunch of similar movements but this is all steel without a rubber head.

So slamming it is out of the question.

Check Out The Steel Mace

Pros & Cons

Pros

Grip strength: Builds grip and forearm strength

Uneven weight distribution: The uneven weight of the hammer forces strict form to do the exercises properly

Full body workout: My whole body feels engaged with every BAMF hammer exercise

Versatile: I can swing it like a kettlebell, slam it like a sledge, stabilize my shoulders like a mace, toss it, and more.

Durable: This thing is well built and feels indestructible no matter how hard I slam it

Cons

Learning curve: You can’t just start slamming which is a good thing because it could bounce right back to your face but the company does provide educational videos that teach you technique and proper form to prevent injuries.

BAMF Hammer Discount Code

BAMF Hammer prices vary depending on their weight.

Whichever one you choose to go with, I’m hooking you up with a 10% discount.

Click here and use coupon code SHREDDED at checkout