Sierra's products really are great. My big worry has always been how to workout effectively while travelling about. I got a steel chest expander for Christmas. I like it, but there are many drawbacks. First, the jumps in resistance are too much. Second, the springs hurt if you pinch your skin. Third, it takes time to change the springs -- which is more annoying than anything else. Fourth, it lacks the versatility of The Hook. The hook handles together with the bands, the isostrap trainer, and the squat harness make for a complete gym. You can go as heavy or as light as you want. If you want to make an exercise so tough that you can barely do a rep, you can do so. If you want to make an exercise so easy that your wife or girlfriend can do it, you can do so, too. People often think of bands as being only for women or rehab patients -- what complete utter nonsense! These are a serious strength tool, if you want them to be; a hardcore bodybuilding tool, if you want them to be; or a muscle-endurance tool, if you want them to be. And the whole kit weighs no more than a couple of lbs. and fits in a small travel bag!
K. C. - England
Bruce,
Your product rocks! Your hook is the most amazing piece of fitness equipment I have ever owned. Seriously. I am extremely happy with the hook and I can't sing enough praises for your creation! My best friend had started calling me Captain Hook, cause I won't shut up about how great this thing is.
But in all seriousness, I feel I have progressed more in the last week that I've had the pleasure of being a hook owner, then I have in the 2.5 months before that, when I used the lifeline chest expander. The fact that the bands can be switched so fast, blows all other strand pulling systems out of the water. And the quality and workmanship of your handles, door anchor and bands is incredible.
I'm hooked for life. Working out has never been so fun or given me so much satisfaction.
- Peter Radomski, British Columbia
On March 7th of this year I started 60 days of Insanity followed by 90 days of P90X which I just completed. I have lost a total of 28 pounds and 9% body fat. I used The Hook for P90x and was very happy with the results. The Hook provided much faster changing of resistance over my Bodylastics bands. P90x resistance workouts move very fast and I rarely had to hit pause with The Hook to make the necessary changes. It is without any doubt my favorite piece of exercise equipment I have ever purchased. I highly recommend using it with P90x over any other band system I have used or seen available.
I am now starting another round of Insanity, trying to get from 19% body fat down to around 15% and then another round of P90x. Hopefully I will be happy enough with my results by June 15, 2012 to post pictures. Thanks Shen for The Hook!
- Craig Erickson, Memphis
Today I received the hook-set and have been playing around with them a little. In German they have a saying in der beschränkung zeigt sich der meister, put directly in practice in the translation less is more. I've used bodylastic systems and other elastic stuff like those flat bands for years so I know about resistance bands. The Hook is, because of its simplicity, far more flexible than any of these systems. The material seems to have a more even lineair resistance then the bodylastics and looks and feels tougher, all in all this is an incredibly versatile and solid system because of its simple design, I'm very happy with it.
- Lex van Wingerde, Netherlands
Just wanted to drop you a short note to let you know that I received my HOOK on Wednesday of this week. I Love it! I am absolutely blown away by the construction and usability of this piece of equipment. Over the last few days I have been trying out various exercises and poundage levels to get a feel for each. This is one of the best exercise equipment purchases I have ever made. I will probably be ordering your squat harness around the first of the year (or before) to include it in my workouts.
- A. D., Texas
Thank you Sierra!! I got my hook two weeks ago and I just love it! I have a set of TNT cables, but they are really just two handles connected by cables and changing the cables is a pain. I was looking to get a couple of more sets of TNTs just so I wouldn't have to go through the pain of changing cables everytime I want to do a different exercise. But then I found this site. The Hook completely wipes out the process of changing resistance. I love having the resistance bands just hanging from the door attachment and then just being able to grab what I need when I need it. The hook has enabled me to run the complete gambit of exercises to fatigue as fast as I want to move! And crafstmanship. Outstanding! These things are built to last! Great job, Sierra!!
- Ralph Bromstein
They're great. I worked out with them the last two days and I really like the quick change capability of the hooks. It gives me the ability to run the rack so to speak when doing an exercise by easily removing successive bands as I fatigue. It blows lifeline etc. out of the water.
- Mike Kier
I've just received "The Hook" set with bands and door attatchment. This stuff is great! Changing bands is just so easy and the bands ain't going to fall off as you exercise. If you want a workout where you can move very quickly from one exercise to another and change bands as you go then this is ideal. It takes no time at all to add or take off bands. When I first tried it out I did a few reps of just about every exercise I could think of and was constanly adding or taking off bands. It's so simple. I bet Bruce must have been very pleased with himself when he tried out his first set of these. I definitely recommend it.
- BigBruvOfEngIandUK, Spain
I was on the internet looking at resistance bands I looked at lifeline, bodylastics but then i came across the hook what an amazing piece of home gym equipment its so easy to use & quick changeable resistance bands , I work out on the hook everyday doing different body parts , I get a real buzz after my workout, a truely amazing invention.
- uzair (United Kingdom)
The door hooks work with the Exer-Genie, Apollo, Isorobic, as well as with "The Trainer." Placing one hook at the top and bottom of a door allows for a smoother transition between up and down movements. The straps & stoppers that come with the exercise devices take time to set-up, but with the hooks you can alternate the device's placement 'on the fly.' The epoxy potting compound that anchors the hook was much heartier than your web site's pictures indicate. I have only seen this much ruggedness in military equipment. The box-stitching on the webbing and tack-glue on the stitching's bitter ends protects it from the friction of a door-jam. The tightness of the web's stitching around the two anchor tubes prevents the hook from having excessive 'play.' Thanks for taking something that's been helpful to your exercise routine and making it available for such a nice price. It's fit right in since pulling out of the box & has been in use every day. The quality of this almost makes me feel guilty about paying such a low price for them.
- John Riehle
I'm finding the Isometric Strap to be quite effective, versatile, and enjoyable. One trick I've discovered is that for many exercises that have the strap passing under the feet, it's often quicker and easier to vary the width of the stance rather than changing loops. Even if you do change loops, varying the stance width helps to fine tune the position of effort. I've also found it easier to put more effort into bench presses when you lie down like a regular bench press. Speaking of bench presses, I've found the strap to be perfect for inclines and declines too. Well, I guess the possibilities are endless.
Iso routines are fast enough that they can be done no matter how busy I am. And, with the Iso Strap, isos can be done so that they effectively get to muscles all over the body. Before the Iso Strap, I found doing isos was often awkward, to say the least. Even using various objects -- doorways, sticks, etc. -- it was difficult to really isolate and stress many target muscles. Now I can easily get a full-body workout with isos alone. And an added bonus for me is that isos are easy on the joints.
- M.S., Saitama, Japan
I received the bw/iso strap yesterday when I arrived home. It is easy to use and versatile. I do own the competition's belt and that thing is uncomfortable, hurts my hands, and a pain in the rump to use the buckle and get the right length. Yours by comparison is a dream to use.
- M.N., Michigan
I just wanted to write and tell you how pleased I am with the Hook and Isometric Power Strap. These two pieces of equipment when combined offer an exercise system that is unsurpassed by anything else on the market today. The quality is exceptional and well designed. In the past, I've used chains, ropes, chairs, walls, ceilings, and any and everything to push or pull against. No more hunting, the belt provides an infinite number of angles so that you can quickly and easily target any muscle you want. It offers an endless number isometric holds. The numbered belt loops make adjustments fast, no guessing and experimenting to get the right length. There is no clanking of the chains or pinching of skin from the rope. You can throw it in a suitcase or bag when you hit the road or stores easily on a closet shelf. Your service was quick and I was notified by email from receipt of my order to when it was shipped. Thanks again for customizing it.
- David Ledbetter, Peotone, IL dl1964@gmail.com
One thing I have to say, in David Webster's book "Modern Strand Pulling" he states that Cable Squats do not have the same metabolic effect as Barbell Squats. His book was written in the early 50s and his squat set up is a board with 2 eyelets for springs and the handles held at shoulder. I've done them this way and would agree with him.
Your Squat Harness changes the dynamics completely. There is no hand position to worry about and you are not limited by the hands or amount of strands. The Hi Rep Squats with double looped large bands had me winded as much as Barbell Squats. My legs and glutes were sore for a few days and I was able to do more on the second workout.
- Bob Rosenberg, Will to Power
I've had the Sierra ISO strap /suspension trainer for about a week now and I have to say it's just brilliant.
I've seriously overtrained this last week just from finding so many different ways it can be utilised.
I was initially surprised at how light it was- despite being incredibly solidly put together. Very handy for travelling.
The numbered loops make it easy to both remember your "settings" from previous sessions and also make it very easy to change to different positions using the hook handles. No sliders or clasps to fumble about with.
As well as ISO exercises (which you can do at various angles ) you can do traditional suspension exercises and it's great for ISO stretches.
My latest discovery is using it as a safety marker for standing splits. You hook your feet through two loops safe in the knowledge that if you slip, your stretch will never go beyond a certain point.
Such a versatile tool. To anyone who hasn't got one....buy one! You won't regret it!
- M.M, U.K.
