By irontony
The Body Solid multi-station EXM-1500S Home Gym has received favorable reviews from many fitness equipment experts. I was curious to see if iron Tony would agree with them. After testing the product I find that, yes…the raves are well deserved.
This is a nice piece of machinery offering just about everything you could hope for in a home gym. The major differences between this gym and other gyms in its class is Body Solid have chosen to place the low row off to the side rather than in front of the bench (usual spot). Not a huge difference but it does mean that you will require a bit less room and it’s easier to see and adjust the weight stack when you are exercising. The other difference is they have included another cable attachment (mid row) just above the bench. You can really target the abs from this cable.
Here are the specs and the pros and cons:
Equipment
- chip and scratch resistant, powder coated, heavy steel frame
- industrial grade pulleys, bushes and bearings
- 160lb weight stack
- lat pulldown bar, short bar, ankle/ab crunch strap
- Durafirm covered, high density foam bench
- bench press for chest or back
- lat pulldown for back or triceps (back of arm)
- leg extension for quadriceps (front of thigh)
- standing, one legged leg curl for hamstrings (rear of thigh)
- low row for shoulders or back or arms or leg kicks (inner/outer thigh or butt)
- mid row for back or shoulders or arms or abs/hip flexors
Size
The Body Solid EXM-1500S is 83″(height) x 49″(length) x 36″(width).
The weight of this gym is about 300lbs.
Pros
- The low row is next to the weight stack. I don’t know about you but I don’t like getting up off the floor and walking to the weight stack just to change the load when rowing. If you are the same as me then you will like the EXM-1500S for the convenient position of the low row
- Extra cable position. It’s interesting that Body Solid included this but we aren’t complaining. It increases the training options without subtracting anything from the function of the other features….so Home Gym Review give it a thumbs up
- Made from excellent materials
- Lifetime warranty
- Great price
Cons
- The weight stack is 160lbs. For most people this won’t be an issue but if you are a muscular behemoth you may want a heavier stack
Overall
Now this gym is a serious little piece of muscle building magic. Body Solid has packed a whole of gym into the EXM-1500S without including anything you won’t need.
For the price and lifetime warranty it’s hard to beat.
This gym truly is one of my favorites for combination of size, price and function, it is a classic and the best value for a gym under $1000 – it’s my top pick in this price range.
Iron Tony
By irontony
You can start your home gym off right with a functional adjustable weight bench. The Bodycraft F602 Weight Bench is a versatile, seven position adjustable flat, incline, decline weight bench with leg holder with optional preacher curl and leg extension with leg curl attachments.
One of the most flexible weight benches available on the market, the BodyCraft F602 can be used as a standalone platform for dumbbell workouts or in conjunction with a Smith machine for bench press, shoulder press, and more. The bench, which is made of 2-by-3-inch steel, adjusts to eight different positions, including incline, flat, decline, and near vertical. The bench stops at an 85-degree angle for proper support and comfort.
The Bodycraft F602 bench is also remarkably comfortable thanks to its 2-inch, high-density-foam seat and seat back, which are covered in black vinyl for durability and easy cleaning. Best of all– the bench supports a ton of different uses.
When used as a dumbbell bench, the F602 perches just 18 inches off the floor, making it easy to reach dumbbells and other free weights on the floor while still providing ample room for tricep extensions and other exercises.
When you want to use the F602 with a Smith machine, simply slide it under the bar and you’re set. The F602 bench, which also includes non-slip rubber feet to protect wood and other finished floors, carries a lifetime warranty.
By irontony
Weight training benches are at the center of any home gym setup. There are a large variety of different manufacturers of weight benches available to purchase online or on the high street. They fall into four main categories: flat, vertical, decline, and incline. It is crucial that you use the correct kind of workout bench so that you don’t hurt your body and still have an effective workout as well.
The one most often seen is most likely to be the flat weight bench. As the name strongly describes the flat bench is simply a long, narrow bench. This type of bench is appropriate for exercises such as the dumbbell press or bench press. The type of training bench helpful for exercises such as the shoulder press is the vertical bench. It helps the person exercising maintain the correct position by providing sufficient back support. Composed of two main pieces it looks almost like a chair.
The most suitable bench for people who are looking to increase the development of the lower chest muscles is the decline bench. This is most likely the least well known kind but is ideal in certain situations. As the name suggests the decline bench is an exercise bench that is sloped slightly downwards so that the upper half of the body is slightly lower than lower half.
Last of all is the incline bench which is quite similar in appearance to the flat bench, except that it is slightly raised. Usually, the incline bench is adjustable so that the person exercising can set the proper incline for the exercise being performed. This facility enables the user to target very specific muscles.
Each of the individual types of weight bench has its own strengths and weakness, which is precisely the reason why a weight training bench that can easily and quickly adjust to all four positions is the ideal bench to own.
Weight benches provide a stable object for a person to lie or sit on when lifting weights. The best ones are adjustable, allowing you to raise or lower one end of the bench so you can do incline and decline exercises.
Inclines and declines change the emphasis of exercises onto different muscle groups or different parts of muscle groups for a more complete workout potential. They up the options of exercises available.
Weight benches can be used to do a wide variety of exercises. Here is a typical seated workout using weight benches:
Home Gym Weight Benches Seated Workout Routine
Step one. Sit on the bench sideways with your feet flat on the floor. Sit up straight and squeeze your abdominal muscles to maintain good posture and exercise form.
Step two. Incline the bench all the way up like a chair to relax against to do certain exercises if you want to rest your back or use the back rest for more support when lifting, if your bench is capable of raising that high. Do this by pulling out the pin underneath the bench and pushing up on the long part of the bench to make a seat with the shorter portion.
Step three. Do seated exercises with dumbbells such as bicep curls, hammer curls, seated triceps extensions, shoulder presses, bent-arm lateral raises or chair squats. Use heavy weights and rep numbers of less than six to build maximal strength. Do six to 12 reps with medium weights to make your muscles larger. Do 12 to 20 reps for increasing muscular endurance.
Step four. Work your upper body with overhead presses. Sit up straight and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Bend your elbows and raise the weights to shoulder height at chin level with your palms facing forward. Straighten your arms at an angle slightly forward at an incline and bring your weights together. Bend your elbows and return to your starting position. This exercise primarily works your shoulders, triceps and chest, with your biceps and back getting some work on the downward movement.
Step five. Bend your elbows and rest the dumbbells on your shoulders. Make sure your feet are hip width apart and that your feet are parallel to each other. Stand up and straighten your legs. Sit back down slowly with a controlled movement so that you do not drop back onto the bench. This action works your quads and glutes with some work for the hamstrings.
If you don’t have a weight bench yet you should check out the selection at a site like Home Gym Deals and get your home gym equiped.
