OLD Ironmaster Self Spotting Systems

[donforeman]

I found these videos on you tube... They are of the older style Ironmaster. Since Ironmaster has no real operation manual or posters for the old style, I was able to pick up a few hints/tips for use mine, in between marketing BS . If the person who posted them is a member here, many thanks!
http://youtu.be/djCODo0zmrI
http://youtu.be/P8j8juf17fU
http://youtu.be/cuLqcmaLdKM

A few more IM videos
http://youtu.be/Z1ap2R7wH7Y
http://youtu.be/13VgljJeVKk

As far as a review I will say that the machine is far from perfect. I'm sure there are some who would despise the machine as its not commercial quality, and its a fixed machine like a smith. Its also not a substitute for a power rack. Since I'm on a very tight budget though... It is the best, $70 I spent on my gym so far! I feel the videos do have a big fault by not mentioning the possible joint problems you can cause yourself if you use a smith type machine without proper care/form. With care though, I have found the exercises feel a lot better than the Powertec Lever gym I had before. The slides are smooth even when uneven weight is used. The Ironmaster frame makes a great place to hang simple and cheap nylon webbing for spotting safety when using dumbbells, etc at home.

Finding them used and cheap isn't a problem on Craigslist. I missed out on one months before I got mine that was only $60! Most of the time they are listed for a few hundred. Of course you find them listed for $1000 too, because someone thinks they are the same as the current IM2000 (close but not quite). A lot of the older models were made in the USA, not China. I have a smaller version called an Ironmaster II. It fits very well in a tiny bedroom and takes standard weights. Standard 1" weights do have some advantages for the person on a budget, as in they are given away quite often! They are not that bad to use outside of the Ironmaster either, providing you spend a little money on quality Ivanko or Hampton standard bars (under $50 for the Hampton, rated up to 330 lbs load).


Here are a few listed on CL today.
http://bend.craigslist.org/spo/2707773900.html

http://salem.craigslist.org/spo/2723444381.html

http://modesto.craigslist.org/spo/2711180459.html

http://modesto.craigslist.org/spo/2694505655.html

http://stockton.craigslist.org/spo/2725620188.html

http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/spo/2713549507.html

http://lancaster.craigslist.org/spo/2692206088.html

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/spo/2652024150.html

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/spo/2672646760.html

http://york.craigslist.org/spo/2681001789.html

[thedickus]

$70 is a sweet deal. I've heard that they're as smooth as a good quality smith, I just have a hard time believing that a square tube sliding over a square tube can be as smooth as they describe even with weight being uneven. Although I've heard nothing but good reviews on them. If I found one in my area used for under $100 I'd jump on it without hesitation. Curbsidequiche (I hope that's right, Sam's Fitness in Australia) has posted on his site some vids of Lee Priest putting one of these through a pretty heavy workout.

[donforeman]

$70 is a sweet deal. I've heard that they're as smooth as a good quality smith, I just have a hard time believing that a square tube sliding over a square tube can be as smooth as they describe even with weight being uneven. Although I've heard nothing but good reviews on them. If I found one in my area used for under $100 I'd jump on it without hesitation. Curbsidequiche (I hope that's right, Sam's Fitness in Australia) has posted on his site some vids of Lee Priest putting one of these through a pretty heavy workout.

When I first looked at mine I walked away, mostly because I was $10 short and the lady wouldn't take less. The second reason was it was VERY stiff! The lady called back and I decided to take a chance... The reason for the stiffness was alignment and lack of silicone. The assembly procedure can be found on the ironmaster site. Now its very smooth.

[matrix563]

nice. i like the vids . yeah i see all those cheap ironmasters, makes me wish i offered the guy a little less than teh 1500 he wanted for his im2000. of course it came with the super bench, the ironmaster dumbbells, all the attachments plus the tree to hold them, the leg press plate, 300 pounds of rubber olympic weights + bar and the ironmaster bar holders for the smith machine. so i guess it wasn't too bad a deal .

[donforeman]

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/spo/2734024813.html

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/spo/2739931533.html

http://cosprings.craigslist.org/spo/2681487502.html

Here's a few newer listings

[donforeman]

I gave myself a little present (free bar holders).
Here is a link to a picture. http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/e...urrent=im2.jpg
They were made for the IM2000, but they do fit on my old machine too. I cant say I have a $70 Ironmaster anymore because the spotters were $69.00 shipped. They are not gym quality, but they should last just about forever for the limited weight I put on them. The lack of spotting bars can be solved with nylon webbing. I am redoing mine at the moment. I was thinking about welding up a set of spotting bars like are on half cages, but the IM construction is a little too thin for that kind of stress. The Sorinex Utility Straps video will give you a pretty good idea of how cheap but strong nylon webbing can be attached to the stronger sections above to catch the free bar.

[donforeman]

I have some pictures of my $12 ironmaster spotting system. With the ironmaster free bar holders, I began to wish that I had a better way of spotting the loose bar. I thought about welding up some spotting arms, but the ironmaster uprights look thin. A good hard drop onto spotting arms would most likely bend the uprights. I had some misc straps made from cargo straps and buckles. I got that idea from someone else posting pictures of the monolift saftey straps and sorenex's strap video. Then I found small 1600lb each rated 4ft EE1-901 towing straps listed on ebay. The loops on both ends slide over the bars or various parts of the machine and allow you to do most free bar movements with a little more safety. I really like attaching it to the ironmaster bar as shown because the whole system can be raised or lowered 1.75 inches on each step of the bar in seconds. Before the haters start in... no its not as good of a solution as a power rack, but if you all ready have your IM and the optional freebar holders its better than just hoping you don't fail when your alone.

[KBKB]

I have some pictures of my $12 ironmaster spotting system. With the ironmaster free bar holders, I began to wish that I had a better way of spotting the loose bar. I thought about welding up some spotting arms, but the ironmaster uprights look thin. A good hard drop onto spotting arms would most likely bend the uprights. I had some misc straps made from cargo straps and buckles. I got that idea from someone else posting pictures of the monolift saftey straps and sorenex's strap video. Then I found small 1600lb each rated 4ft EE1-901 towing straps listed on ebay. The loops on both ends slide over the bars or various parts of the machine and allow you to do most free bar movements with a little more safety. I really like attaching it to the ironmaster bar as shown because the whole system can be raised or lowered 1.75 inches on each step of the bar in seconds.

I think it looks (and sounds) great, especially the adjustability aspect of it. Very resourceful!

(I need to spread some more reps around before I can rep you again...)

[donforeman]

I think it looks (and sounds) great, especially the adjustability aspect of it. Very resourceful!

(I need to spread some more reps around before I can rep you again...)

KB thanks for the kind words!
I forgot to add above if you attach straps to the IM bar you MUST lock the latch down with the bolt! If you do drop the free bar it could pull the latch open and then things would get ugly. I didn't lock the IM bar because I was just taking pics of the setup.

[Keetman]

Nice thread Don. I'm surprised you can pick those up so cheap, it would seem even for the old model they're worth a bit more than that, good for you. I haven't seen too many of these in my area, which is odd because I have a pretty good area for used equipment. TBH though, I have never seen one in person, so I'd have a hard time telling the difference between the new model and the old one.

The promo video was the first time I've ever seen the lat pulldown used. I guess I knew, but never visualized how the lat pulldown uses the barbell. That was interesting to see and a really good way for the company to add value to the system without adding cost by putting in a separate slide and loading sleeve with an isolated pulldown.

[rthawker]

I haven't seen too many of these in my area, which is odd because I have a pretty good area for used equipment.

I don't mean to throw off the thread but I just wanted to point out the understatement of the year here. "Pretty good", that's funny!

[donforeman]

Here are a few pictures of the straps being used to spot dumbbells. Most of the time I wrap the top part of the strap around the bar for fast adjustment. If I need to raise the Db's a bit then its looped around the frame of the machine instead of the highest IM bar position. Its actually more than just a tool encase of failure though, even with lighter weights, its so nice to hang the db's once and then not have to mess with the knee flip etc... to get them in position alone.
I used the IronMind Hip belt hardware to attach the Db's (also a great tool for space limited people with out a squat rack or back problems). The IronMind hardware has a few loops for length adjustment too so there are very few movements that I cant get the length set perfect for. I set the length to stop at maximum stretch (lowest part of any movement) With this system I know that I'm safe, with each strap rated at 1600lbs - I dont ever plan on getting even close to testing their limit. I also like the fact that don't have to have any home spotting gizmos bolted to my db's. For me the simplest form of self spotting works well and at $12 its not hard to afford.

[donforeman]

The spotting straps got tested today... not on purpose and not in a way I imagined (backward, not down). I was doing some light free bar squats and when I lifted off the weight wasn't centered. Instead of putting it back on the hooks and adjusting, I thought I would just give a quick jump up with the weight and move it over. Some how the weight ended up going back instead of up and since I had the bar in my hands and I forgot to let go as I fell ... I went backward too! It happened so fast I didn't know what happened till I felt the straps stretch out and the little IM just shuttered a little (its loaded down pretty good with the built in plate tree)

[KBKB]

The spotting straps got tested today... not on purpose and not in a way I imagined (backward, not down). I was doing some light free bar squats and when I lifted off the weight wasn't centered. Instead of putting it back on the hooks and adjusting, I thought I would just give a quick jump up with the weight and move it over. Some how the weight ended up going back instead of up and since I had the bar in my hands and I forgot to let go as I fell ... I went backward too! It happened so fast I didn't know what happened till I felt the straps stretch out and the little IM just shuttered a little (its loaded down pretty good with the built in plate tree)

Wow. I'm glad you're okay. (You are okay, aren't you?) Sounds like it worked very well indeed.

[donforeman]

Yes I'm fine, nothing happened, the straps did their job and there was no crash. I was thinking about building the little half rack style spotter arms at first. I still might for bench with light weight, but I would have missed those completely going backward on the squat.