Who would use a home gym spotter machine?

[dpro3]

Would you buy a machine spotter to spot you for your home gym as if there was a person there spotting you? and if you would use this machine how much would you pay for one? It would be able to assist you on lifting the weight up when you get stuck. Not just to stop the weight from falling. Used for bench, shoulder press, and squats

[keyboardworkout]

Sherman, is that you?

[jamesovercome]

They have these magical bars called "Spotter Bars" inside of Power Racks....
There is no need to have a person help you.

[kplee]

Something like this?

[dpro3]

Something like this?

Yea sorta. That concept but its better

[Wildtim]

Pics or it didn't happen.

[dpro3]

Pics or it didn't happen.

I havent made one im just asking who would
Buy one for a reasonable price. Most smith machines are $1,000+ and it doesnt even cost that much to make.

[jtaliani]

Yea sorta. That concept but its better

I havent made one im just asking who would
Buy one for a reasonable price. Most smith machines are $1,000+ and it doesnt even cost that much to make.

Can you elaborate? If you haven't made one, how are we to know what we would pay and how do you know it's better?

[dpro3]

Can you elaborate? If you haven't made one, how are we to know what we would pay and how do you know it's better?

for Patenting reasons. Just im basicly asking how valuable would a spotter be to assist you in your workout at home so you can do heavy weight, and do negative lifts and it assist you by your own control not a computer "Robot". It would assist you as much as you control it to assist you so you still get a good burn and work the muscle.

[Wildtim]

I havent made one im just asking who would
Buy one for a reasonable price. Most smith machines are $1,000+ and it doesnt even cost that much to make.

You do realize that a thousand bucks isn't really much for quality equipment.

Also the difference between production cost and sales price has to include other things, like taxes, transportation costs, marketing costs, and even a little bit of profit.


Also every one of the machines in the videos above are of the quality that the would cost well over a thousand bucks before you added the self spotting electronics and systems.


I just figured I'd point that out since a lot of guys with engineering degrees don't do all that well with economics.

[jtaliani]

Personally, I'm happy with my rack safeties and don't think this is something I'd purchase.

[dpro3]

You do realize that a thousand bucks isn't really much for quality equipment.

Also the difference between production cost and sales price has to include other things, like taxes, transportation costs, marketing costs, and even a little bit of profit.


Also every one of the machines in the videos above are of the quality that the would cost well over a thousand bucks before you added the self spotting electronics and systems.


I just figured I'd point that out since a lot of guys with engineering degrees don't do all that well with economics.

Thanks for your responses. Im not an engineer im a business major. I just know a way to make it cheaper

[SugarFree1]

Interesting but cost, quality and available funcitionality would all need to be known before one could make an informed decision. I just watched the 3 videos posted and was slightly interested and could only wonder at the cost of such things. However the models available in the videos all seemed to have limitations and be targeted more towards a professional gym. If cost was actually low enough (which I dont think is possible) this would sell better targeted to home use where people actually work out alone and cant simply ask someone to spot them. As someone that does work out at home my rack and saftey devices on it are good enough to see me through bench pressing and squatting although I might consider it if cost was low enough and it was more versitile.

[dpro3]

Interesting but cost, quality and available funcitionality would all need to be known before one could make an informed decision. I just watched the 3 videos posted and was slightly interested and could only wonder at the cost of such things. However the models available in the videos all seemed to have limitations and be targeted more towards a professional gym. If cost was actually low enough (which I dont think is possible) this would sell better targeted to home use where people actually work out alone and cant simply ask someone to spot them. As someone that does work out at home my rack and saftey devices on it are good enough to see me through bench pressing and squatting although I might consider it if cost was low enough and it was more versitile.

Yes thats what i mean for the average person that works out alone. With a machine that would assist spot you like a person would not just rack it in place like a smith machine. Im just trying to see what a good cost would be. What would people consider paying for such machine.

[darren.dugan]

No. Would ruin my motivation to get the bar back up (thinly veiled bragging).

[dpro3]

Interesting but cost, quality and available funcitionality would all need to be known before one could make an informed decision. I just watched the 3 videos posted and was slightly interested and could only wonder at the cost of such things. However the models available in the videos all seemed to have limitations and be targeted more towards a professional gym. If cost was actually low enough (which I dont think is possible) this would sell better targeted to home use where people actually work out alone and cant simply ask someone to spot them. As someone that does work out at home my rack and saftey devices on it are good enough to see me through bench pressing and squatting although I might consider it if cost was low enough and it was more versitile.

Ok so say u have just a bench. And you have the option for a smith machine or a machine spotter. Both at the same price. Lets just say $1000. Would you pick the machine spotter?

[Detrus]

Ok so say u have just a bench. And you have the option for a smith machine or a machine spotter. Both at the same price. Lets just say $1000. Would you pick the machine spotter?

A smith makes all exercises feel different, so it's not a fair comparison.

I'd be interested in a setup like sherm's free spotter and the 2nd of those 3 videos. Based on a cable, attachable to existing racks. Uses rack safeties as backup.

Don't like the other designs because they rely on too much magic for a dramatic marketing effect. If the magic fails, safety is lost. Metal things moving like that seem dangerous. You could add some motor to a cable and get the same gentle assist effect. Customize how much assist with a computer. Could replace bands. Could measure your speed, check your form. If your form is off it will assist. Could also be adopted as a smith if you can get tension on the cable and attach it to the floor. Could be used with dumbbells.

I'm guessing a polished device like that for $300-500 would be reasonable, as an attachment to a rack.

That said, you could probably sell moving magic better, to non home gym buyers. Sorinex has some mechanical dumbbell spotter scoop things that are taken seriously. A bigger cool factor is important for marketing. Perhaps cables don't look as cool, cable based safety machines don't seem popular. There was a big one that went bankrupt. Electronics were unreliable, customer service sucked.

[dskoo65]

Yea sorta. That concept but its better

it would have to be better. as a person who has had a catastrophic failure during a heavy bench press, id be dead almost instantaneously in that first scenario before I could trigger those spotter arms to come up and save me.

[Accutron]

I would like someone to assist me with bench hand-off and helping me to failure on last reps (assist with lift), and skull crushers to hand me the bar. Nothing with squat or dead. Maybe with dead the spotter could help me load plates.

Shoulder press I dont need anything.

[jamesovercome]

Personally, I'm happy with my rack safeties and don't think this is something I'd purchase.

This. You honestly can't really beat the simplicity, durability and dependability of them. Those bars have saved everyone's life on this forum before.

Yes it would be nice having some(thing) help assist you with unracking the bar and maybe helping on that last rep or negatives, but I'm not buying a separate machine for that. I know that if I bench 225, I can actually do it rather than have someone "spot" me and help me unrack it and rack it.

[SugarFree1]

Yes thats what i mean for the average person that works out alone. With a machine that would assist spot you like a person would not just rack it in place like a smith machine. Im just trying to see what a good cost would be. What would people consider paying for such machine.

Ok so say u have just a bench. And you have the option for a smith machine or a machine spotter. Both at the same price. Lets just say $1000. Would you pick the machine spotter?

I wouldnt want a smith machine so I think thats a different comparison. As far as a mechanical spotter, much would depend on the available functionality. I just paid $1200 for a BodySolid Pro Squat Rack (SMR1000) last month. Although neat I dont think the machine spotter is going to do much for me that the rack isnt already doing for saftey. I have the gun rack hooks and saftey bars. If set right there is no reason for me to get hurt. Much would depend on what the spotter did for me that the rack doesnt...

For bench press and squats I think what I have is sufficient. I'd might have slight more interest if it did something like assisted lifts instead of fully grabbing the weights at a preset set rep count. Ex when activated/triggered it gradually helps with getting a few extra reps completed.

As someone that works out alone with heavier weights I'd be more interested in something that would assist me getting into starting position for certain exercises thats difficult to do on my own. Ex ezbar preacher curls, DB seated shoulder press, ezbar skull crushers etc... I find myself exerting more energy getting into starting position for some exercises then the actual exercise itself.

[AttyGuy]

Sherman, is that you?

Exactly.


To answer OP's question, I'm looking for a robotic solution. Something that would fit in with the aesthetic of my home gym. Say, a staff of fembots. . . .

[dpro3]

This. You honestly can't really beat the simplicity, durability and dependability of them. Those bars have saved everyone's life on this forum before.

Yes it would be nice having some(thing) help assist you with unracking the bar and maybe helping on that last rep or negatives, but I'm not buying a separate machine for that. I know that if I bench 225, I can actually do it rather than have someone "spot" me and help me unrack it and rack it.

It doesnt help you all the time. You do all the work but when your on that last rep going heavy you can activate it to assist you

[keyboardworkout]

KBKB,

Does that hot Russian gal have a video on the use of your and you're?

How about a video on 18 year old business majors solving the world's problems?

[ironwill2008]

Would you buy a machine spotter to spot you for your home gym as if there was a person there spotting you?

No.

For one thing, there is no benefit to training to failure, much less beyond failure.

For another, any kind of device that would "assist" a trainee in any way would by necessity be cumbersome, complicated, and, of course, expensive.

For yet another, a relatively inexpensive power rack is all that's really required to train effectively.



There have been several threads posted in this forum over the years from inventors, entrepreneurs, and just plain dreamers with the same general idea. Several of them have even posted videos demonstrating prototypes.

None have ever made it to market.

[cmarti063]

No.

For one thing, there is no benefit to training to failure, much less beyond failure.

For another, any kind of device that would "assist" a trainee in any way would by necessity be cumbersome, complicated, and, of course, expensive.

For yet another, a relatively inexpensive power rack is all that's really required to train effectively.



There have been several threads posted in this forum over the years from inventors, entrepreneurs, and just plain dreamers with the same general idea. Several of them have even posted videos demonstrating prototypes.

None have ever made it to market.

This.

[AttyGuy]

This.

I was thinking this. . . .

[cmarti063]

I was thinking this. . . .

I doubt I could convince my wife to fit that in the budget...

[KJ4GR]

It doesnt help you all the time. You do all the work but when your on that last rep going heavy you can activate it to assist you

What happens if you fail before you are able to activate it? I have had to use my rack spotters a few times when I was not planning on failing.

[RonnieC27]

Is your idea electrically or manually (ie legs) driven?