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Old timer at the shop told me my hammer strikes were all wrist
He watched me for like 2 minutes and said I was wasting energy with no power behind it. So I started using my whole arm and shoulder on each hit and my steel moves way faster now. Anyone else get a basic mechanics tip that totally shifted how they work?
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brooke_murray2d ago
Got a similar tip years ago about using my legs more on the anvil... made a huge difference once I stopped just relying on my arms. Whole body engagement just feels more natural and gives way better control over the steel. Proper mechanics really do cut down on fatigue and speed up the work.
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perry.jesse2d ago
That thing about your back not hurting after long sessions is real. I started paying attention to how I stand and move not just in the shop but everywhere, like carrying groceries or even just bending over to tie my shoes. I noticed I was always tensing up my shoulders and using my back wrong, but once I started squatting down with my legs, everything just felt looser and less strained. It's wild how one small mechanic change in one thing spills over into everything else you do.
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the_faith2d ago
Haha that's wild timing, I just heard the same thing from a buddy last week. He said once he started squatting into his strikes instead of just swinging from the shoulders, his hammer control got way cleaner and his back stopped hurting after long sessions.
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