Gym with tons Atlantis reviewed

[tonypearn]

I went to check out a gym in St. Louis that is entirely outfitted with Atlantis and Reflex equipment, so I thought I would write up some real quick reviews. My favorite piece by far was the pendulum squat from Atlantis. It just feels perfect and you do not need much weight to feel it. The Atl. Leg press is of course ranked maybe the best press out and for a reason-it is just pure awesome! The Atl. Pivot press is also my other favorite. But if I had to pick between that and the pendulum I will go with the pendulum. The pend. Has a narrow frame making it better for home use also. I was not sold on the hack squat, something just felt slightly off to me. In fact I like the old school Icarian one better. The plate loaded Atl. Stuff is so –so in my opinion. The mid-iso row, like the Hammer one, feels great-however; the pad does not have enough adjustments. I have long arms for sure but not like monkey long and I had the chest pad at max and it still was not long enough to get full range of motion on it. So, it would need a modification for people with longer arms. The plate loaded chest flat out sucked! There is almost no convergence and the motion just feels weird. I would not even consider it. In fact my Powerlift chest blows it away. The weight stack versions of the chest (incline and flat) are ok. The flat is more of a decline press, so not a huge fan. The incline was better for sure. I have an Atl. Lat pull down and love it as well as the cable crossover, so all great there. I did not like the new cable preacher curl machine at all. It feels weird in the middle range then has a slight dead spot. They also had the new Atl. Piece that is both a lat pull and a cable row and I did not like it at all. The foot bar is way to low and it makes the machine just feel strange during rows.
I will say this though- I have never liked almost any chest machines, so that does not help. I think all of their leg machines are top notch and you cannot go wrong with any of them. I will likely get the pendulum squat in the near future. The other miscellaneous pieces, like leg extension, ham. Curl, calves are all very good as well. I would not say that any of them really felt better than any other brand but they are top quality for sure.
I tried the Prime leg extension also and that thing is truly unique as they say. It just feels great in quality and the cam system does smoke your legs! I personally would not own a leg extension for a home gym due to space mostly but it was also a favorite. Like healthnut said on another forum, there is no one company that makes the best of each kind of machine, some just have more than others. I think Atlantis makes a lot of the top pieces but some were mediocre to below compared to others. The Pannatta plate loaded, lat pull down and high row I have blow the Atlantis versions away like they not even in the same league. But machines are funny due to mechanics of each person, and some people may love something I hate etc.. Just my thoughts and if you are close to that area and are curious it is worth a trip.

[deadwoodgregg]

I have been interested in both Atlantis hack squat machines.

I was not sold on the hack squat, something just felt slightly off to me.

Why do you think it was off? Maybe the 30 degree angle is different? Maybe the foot plate needs to be adjustable? Was it smooth? Does it hold enough weight for the average person?

Sounds like I should aim for an Arsenal Strength hack squat.

[tonypearn]

I have been interested in both Atlantis hack squat machines.

Why do you think it was off? Maybe the 30 degree angle is different? Maybe the foot plate needs to be adjustable? Was it smooth? Does it hold enough weight for the average person?

Sounds like I should aim for an Arsenal Strength hack squat.

Good questions and I was really excited about trying it out also. I think the foot plate needs to be longer as well as wider. I felt like I wanted to place my feet more forward and yes an adjustable angle on the foot plate would be better like the one from Arsenal. I think the 30 degree felt ok. I would say you can put a ton of weight on it and it was very smooth for sure. it is gigantic as well! So, not super practical. Honestly the pendulum squat from Atl. was the best piece and maybe the best leg machine I ever used. It is like a hack squat feel mixed with a leg press, it is unique. I prefer hack squats over leg press just to me they feel better, but I was not 100% sold on this model. Like I said I like the old Icarian model more. Something about the Atl. just did not feel to me like it hit the quads at the right angle and maybe it is from the degree angle. If you look at the dimensions on the ped. sq. if you take off the weight horns it would fit through a stand. door frame, it has a very narrow profile. It is funny because looking at it I almost did not think I would like it. I thought, this thing looks funky! Until you try it! If you can demo one I would in a minute before you consider the traditional hack squat. It also felt like zero stress on my back, where leg press can when you go heavy- well for me at least.

[smokinHawk]

I have been interested in both Atlantis hack squat machines.

Why do you think it was off? Maybe the 30 degree angle is different? Maybe the foot plate needs to be adjustable? Was it smooth? Does it hold enough weight for the average person?

Sounds like I should aim for an Arsenal Strength hack squat.

I just bought one! was supposed to be delivered to day, but i left work for my lunch break, got there and the incompetent fedex people couldnt get it off the truck, paid for residential delivery and a lift gate. they didnt even bring a pallet jack long enough to move it in the truck. so I have to rent a uhaul and pick it up at there delivery center 20 miles away.

[deadwoodgregg]

Here is a decent video of the Atlantis hack squat before they went to the oval frame tubing. Looks and sounds really smooth.



The Arsenal Strength (Nebula) looks very nice.

Honestly the pendulum squat from Atl. was the best piece and maybe the best leg machine I ever used.

I briefly used the Atlantis and the Paramount pendulum squat machines at resellers warehouses before. I wasn't crazy about the angle of the foot plate on either. I ended up getting a Randy Coyle swing squat.

There is a new squat machine out called "The Pillar". It is a combo (multi purpose) machine with an extra station on the opposite end. The squat part of the machine is similar to the Atlantis pendulum squat. Opposite end is a belt squat/pit shark type setup.

I just bought one!

That's awesome! Will be waiting for pics and info.

[nnclark11]

Great info thanks for sharing. It is always nice to get another's perspective. I am a big fan of the swing squat machine. It really is one of the few squat machines it seems you can get a really slow and controlled negative on. In fact I use it almost exclusively for that purpose at beginning or end of workout. Did you happen to try the Atlantis pullover? I have one being delivered from Dave sometime soon and hoping I don't regret it since I have never demoed it.

[smokinHawk]

Well here it is, Fedex was a pain, that is for sure, but after renting a uhaul, taking it apart and putting it back together to get it down in my basement, this thing is awesome.
I love all the ways you can target different parts of your legs.
The thing is heavy, 7ga, wish it was 11 gauge after carrying it downstairs. the pad carriage is very comfortable, easy stop handle access, adjustable foot plate is great. The foot plate is big but I wish it was bigger since I squat semi wide. I might make a bigger foot plate later if I think I need it.

[C123C]

Hmm - I hadn't seen any of the Arsenal pieces yet. Heading to their website now.

[krlafont]

Hmm - I hadn't seen any of the Arsenal pieces yet. Heading to their website now.

I was just on their website as well after watching this bodybuilding.com video on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WjQA9GwWoY

Leg press looks awesome! (not that I have room for it). It seems their website is not very updated. Wanted to check out the lever arms at 30:04 of that video, but sadly they don't seem to have them on the website.

That hack squat looks like a beast SH!!

[tonypearn]

Great info thanks for sharing. It is always nice to get another's perspective. I am a big fan of the swing squat machine. It really is one of the few squat machines it seems you can get a really slow and controlled negative on. In fact I use it almost exclusively for that purpose at beginning or end of workout. Did you happen to try the Atlantis pullover? I have one being delivered from Dave sometime soon and hoping I don't regret it since I have never demoed it.

I agree- I think it is the best leg machine I have ever used. I would maybe say the Atl. pivot press is a close second. I did not try the pull over but I am not sure they had one.

I did try the plate loaded flat and decline chest piece and confirmed again I still did not like it! The angle becomes a decline even in flat position and the arms are super close together and makes you feel jammed in there. I have tried it several times and still a no go for me! It is funny because I know many people say that is their favorite chest piece.

[tonypearn]

Well here it is, Fedex was a pain, that is for sure, but after renting a uhaul, taking it apart and putting it back together to get it down in my basement, this thing is awesome.
I love all the ways you can target different parts of your legs.
The thing is heavy, 7ga, wish it was 11 gauge after carrying it downstairs. the pad carriage is very comfortable, easy stop handle access, adjustable foot plate is great. The foot plate is big but I wish it was bigger since I squat semi wide. I might make a bigger foot plate later if I think I need it.

That is awesome! I have always liked hack squats more than leg presses so i was curious about this also. How are you liking it? It was on the top of my list but I never seen one in person.

[smokinHawk]

That is awesome! I have always liked hack squats more than leg presses so i was curious about this also. How are you liking it? It was on the top of my list but I never seen one in person.

I only got one workout in (and was tired/weak from only getting 5 hours of sleep a night for the past 3 days)
But i loved it, was great in how I could position my legs to target the muscles of the legs that I wanted, whether, glutes, hamstrings, outer quad, end of the quad and so forth.
I at first wanted a leg press to hit my legs when my back is fried from all the pulling and squats I do, but then tried out an Icarian hack squat, and realized that is what I needed, I didn't get the Icarian as it was a hair to wide to get through my basement door. I looked at a nebula, an old one I tried, but it's foot plate for that year was small, there there was a later model one some 7 hours away, but decided on the arsenal since the frame bolts together.
I really like the adjustable footplate, though while large (and a bit larger then the earlier nebula ones) I would like it larger.
I havent tried the elite FTS version with the huge footplate, so I can't compare it to that, but that one is over $1000 more then then arsenal. I might make or rig something up later to make the foot plate bigger.

[tonypearn]

I only got one workout in (and was tired/weak from only getting 5 hours of sleep a night for the past 3 days)
But i loved it, was great in how I could position my legs to target the muscles of the legs that I wanted, whether, glutes, hamstrings, outer quad, end of the quad and so forth.
I at first wanted a leg press to hit my legs when my back is fried from all the pulling and squats I do, but then tried out an Icarian hack squat, and realized that is what I needed, I didn't get the Icarian as it was a hair to wide to get through my basement door. I looked at a nebula, an old one I tried, but it's foot plate for that year was small, there there was a later model one some 7 hours away, but decided on the arsenal since the frame bolts together.
I really like the adjustable footplate, though while large (and a bit larger then the earlier nebula ones) I would like it larger.
I havent tried the elite FTS version with the huge footplate, so I can't compare it to that, but that one is over $1000 more then then arsenal. I might make or rig something up later to make the foot plate bigger.

good deal- I think you cannot go wrong with it! I agree when it comes to leg press vs hack squat I personally think the hack is better. For me I just do squats and front squats then throw in hacks etc.. I leg press every once in a while and it actually hurts my low back some. Some people say you round your low back in the leg press and it actually very bad for your back- which I can easily see. I think in the hack the low back stress in almost a non issue.

[adawg837]

I tried the Atlantis Pendulum squat last week at a higher end specialty fitness facility in Huntington Beach and it was great ! I'm on the fence now between it and the Hammer V-Squat , which I tried shortly after the Atlantis. The Hammer was in a graveyard warehouse type place waiting to be re-furbished, along with dozens of other Hammer, Cybex, Life Fitness,etc. pieces.. It was rusty and crammed between about a dozen other Hammer pieces, so I couldn't get any plates on it. But I highly liked it. Similar to the pendulum, I didn't need to add really any resistance for my 67 year old, long time distance runner legs to feel it.

The Hammer was a behemoth ! It didn't look that big in videos or pictures I've see, up close was a different story. While the Atlantis looked to be more streamlined and would fit better in my space at home. The Hammer felt closer to a hack squat and would be easier to execute one leg squats on then the Atlantis. So that's another consideration for my use.

The Atlantis cable lat pull stand alone I tried was out of this world smooth. It wasn't the combo unit though. Another piece I was highly considering, now you have me wondering.....hmm. The warehouse dealer close by is a Panatta dealer, although he stocks only limited pieces. Browsing their current plate-loaded lineup, I didn't spot any combo lat/row pieces. Perhaps you have an older model.

Thanks for the review. :-) Not a lot out there on the Atlantis equipment. Seems a majority of the non- manufacturer videos come from that place in STL you posted about.

I know the guys you're talking about - Show me weights in STL. I think I know the gym too that the OP was referring to "FIT City". I've bought a lot of used pieces from SMW - great guys to work with. During pandemic they haven't raised prices on DB's and plates like everyone else. Unfortunately I've seen people run over there to their warehose, empty them out when they get stocked back up and then turn around and sell it on FB for 3x price. Yea yea, I know capitalism but it still seems disgusting.

Anyways, regarding atlantis pieces - I've had my eye on the PW-443 or P-443 incline press and a couple of other pieces including shoulder or viking press. Anyone have any feedback about either of these incline pieces?

Thanks!