Body-Solid GLGS100 Leverage System Review

[Deep-Voiced-One]

I received my Body-Solid GLGS100 to pick up at the fitness equipment store last Thursday (it was expected to be re-stocked sometime in July due to the pandemic) but luckily they had some in stock and delivered it in a timely manner upon the purchase date which was excellent!

I put it together on Friday and finished up building it on Saturday, the instructions illustrations could be a bit larger and some steps could be in better order, but other than that it went smooth building it.

During the build process one of the pulley spacers must've fell off the surface I had it on as I was gonna get to that step to tighten it in, so I e-mailed Body-Solid for a replacement part and they kindly obliged and sent them out along with two small bottles of red touch up paint.

My initial thoughts upon completion are that it's gonna be an excellent accessory piece for extra high volume work after my primary lifts and I like that my family can safely workout on it as well!

I was on the fence for a while towards owning one of the Powertec WB-LS systems after liking some of their past products for their versatility and space/height efficiency in mind and of being in the higher end residential range along with Body-Solid pieces and with that and some extra flipping quota funds I decided on the Body-Solid GLGS100.

http://imgur.com/a/OLgqEi0

The pros of the Body-Solid leverage system are...

-The fully functional lever arm that doesn't collide and crash into the weight storage horns (due to the arms longer length from the back portion of the machine) when both the arm and the weight storage horns are loaded with 45s when the arm is set at the lowest setting(s) which allows better access to rows, shrugs, etc..unlike on the Powertec unit.

http://imgur.com/a/2LoPfK3

-It has 9 positions, one of them being the highest setting to not only move the arm out of the way when not in use, but also can be used for pull ups and chins if desired to do so.

http://imgur.com/a/fMpEYUU

http://imgur.com/a/IK8DEZl

-The handles on the lever arm are ergonomically better than the Powertec version's handles and offer more grip variety.

-The cable carriage swing arm is longer offering fuller ROM on it.

-Cable swing arm by itself extends out 26 1/4", with 45s loaded on it extends out 31 1/2".

-The cable swing arm from weight horn to weight horn is 25" wide.

http://imgur.com/a/KE57vEW

-Both the high and low cable pulleys offer a good resistance curve and I don't notice any negative resistance throughout within the ROM and is fairly smooth, but with that said though my dedicated lat machine is way smoother, yet I'm more than satisfied having two cable stations.

-You can buy the Body-Solid leverage system separately from the bench which gives you the freedom to roll any bench you already own into the station and use it (I never was a big fan of the Powertec bench...although to be fair, at one time I think I seen that Powertec did offer their leverage system without their bench as an option, but these days I only seen the whole unit sold together to pre-order for delivery in June and for much more than the Body-Solid new).

-The band pegs have been standard on the Body-Solid version for years and for less.

-The leg hold isn't anything special, but is more functional (as far as height adjustments are concerned) than the Powertec leg hold which isn't anything special neither, overall both can definitely be improved upon on these systems.

The leg hold has 5 usable pop-pin positions.

http://imgur.com/a/LJhneqa

The few cons on the Body-Solid leverage system are...

-When no weight is loaded on the storage horns it definitely shifts and moves around a bit (the same as the Powertec version).

-The 12 gauge round tubing in some areas reminds me of my Everlast punching bag stand I got from Sports Authority years ago and incidently had to also be weighed down by plates, it's heavy enough when put together just aesthetically is a bit more box store style in looks (particularly around the leg/feet of the base).

-Although it's called a corner gym, it actually does need more space in the back of it for the swinging cable carriage arm to not take out a wall behind it.

The Powertec isn't too far off in this area from what I remember as well from using one, however the square tubing even in 12 gauge is better looking, nicer and traditionally a bit more stout.

-A fully welded lever arm would've been excellent to have on the Body-Solid, but it gets the job done well despite that.

-Pressing and pulling bilaterally does work with the lever arm, but isn't perfect considering you're pressing and pulling the full arm (not a deal breaker, but more of an observation from a versatility stand point).

All in all it's a great addition to an already stacked gym full of strength and hypertrophy building toys and I wanted one of these for years for extra volume work and finally got one!

So far I've found the perfect positioning for incline bench, military press (both standing and seated), rows and shrugs.

Squats aren't too bad in a pinch with this machine, but having to squat low and walk into it as a starting point is a bit of an annoyance...for what it's worth though, it still feels decent for high volume machine squats once in a while if I'm not doing traditional squats and/or belt squats on a particular day.

http://imgur.com/a/4TPKCTd

Features I would like to see added on the Body-Solid GLGS100...

-Bilateral lever arms, even better if they made these separate to add on to an existing unit (just for even more variety).

-Rotating squat bar attachment (as opposed to the stationary version) would open up/fine tune more exercise variety.

-A better leg hold pop-pin design (the tubing moves a bit to the left and right even when tightened down).

-This is easy enough to do, but pre-drilled holes at the feet for bolting down would be a nicely done feature.

Other than that I have nothing bad to say about the piece...it does everything I wanted out of it for my particular home gym situation.

It comes with the padded squat bar attachment (can get creative with it and find other numerous additional uses with it), a lat bar, short bar, single rotating D-handle and spring collars, short chain and three small carabiners (nothing special, so I recommend getting some premium quality attachments for it and some larger carabiners to attach to the high and low pulley to fit different sized attachments...similar to the way I modded the Powertec lat machine carabiners to attach to it and good to go).

Final thoughts, as far as aesthetics are concerned red and black are awesome for this type of machine (I never cared for the yellow color, but would have it in the home gym if need be).

I almost scored an old model black Powertec WB-LS from like 2003 a few years back for $150 (apparently it was in the box from a storage unit someone had and I think at the time it read something like "N-1 model, or something like that...maybe someone who has used the older models around that time could let me know of the differences besides the docked bench just for conversation's sake), but the deal slipped through and a good retrospective question would be...

Would I have gone that path despite some of the Powertec's flaws on the system and that particular models bench having to stay attached?

My answer would've been "Yes" at that price it was a steal even with its minor flaws and non-removable bench...however going new (along with flipping and meeting my quota), the Body-Solid wins hands down, you get way more functionality (and better in some versatility usage too) which is what you should be getting in what you pay for instead of some of the untested flaws that should have been addressed years ago (especially if buying new at that price point).

That's no knock to Powertec, but rather just a rant for them to improve upon some over looked things and as previously mentioned if they teamed up with Body-Solid, both companies together could potentially rule the residential home gym market!

[piratelifebad]

Thanks for the review!

What's the realistic distance from the wall, if it's in a corner?

[Deep-Voiced-One]

Thanks for the review!

What's the realistic distance from the wall, if it's in a corner?

Not sure cause I have it a few feet from a sloped ceiling/wall, but I'll take measurements on the cable swing arm and with a 45 on it to see what distance it turns out to be.

Edit: Here's the measurements (also added them above to the review)...

-The cable swing arm by itself extends 26 1/4" out from the back of the machine, with 45s loaded on it 31 1/2" (I measured the arm with a 45 lb Troy GO plate on it).

-The cable swing arm from weight horn to weight horn is 25" wide.

So it's safe to say that kiddie cornering the machine might not be ideal unless you have a lot of space in the middle of the room to face it out diagonally, I would personally just put it in the middle of a room facing out to give both horns plenty of room to swing out freely behind it.

[Deep-Voiced-One]

The Legend 3103 is going to stay in the leverage system's area for now and maybe go back in the DB area whenever I decide to get an FID bench, preferably a shorter length FID bench to fit facing outward for seated military press.

I'm thinking more along the route of going with the Ironmaster Super Bench Pro just because of the add on accessories, slightly more portable bench, cheaper option for decline which is not as highly important of an angle, but nice to have for some extra movement variety.

The FID I might consider is the Legend 4-Way bench (although I'm not a big fan of the wide seat pad on it), also it might not fit the area to my liking and also no additional accessory options.

[Greybird2]

Nice review. Is your gym in the attic? I have not seen that before. Most are in the dungeon.

[Deep-Voiced-One]

Nice review. Is your gym in the attic? I have not seen that before. Most are in the dungeon.

Thanks, my gym is probably the most uniquely/strategically placed due to height, or space constraints in some areas...

My whole power rack setup along with the belt squat attachment is in the garage due to an 8.5' ceiling in there, DB, lat machine, air bike and leverage machine along with secondary bench is in both the main attic and an extra room up there and my seated machine row, 45 degree hyper and soon to be trapbar station is in the basement.

[thedickus]

I love the fact that you don't have to have the bench in there. My older PT doesn't allow the bench to be moved without unbolting it. Even then there's a long attachment arm on the base that would prohibit putting a freestanding bench in there.
One thing you can try with the squat bar is donkey raises. At least on my PT I can. I just put a calf block under it, swivel the bench out of the way so I can use it to support myself/rest my forearms on. Just put the squat bar/pad on your lower back and it's a pretty good movement. I'm assuming you can do that on the BodySolid version also.

[grumpytude]

great review. this will most likely be my next piece to buy. Nice to see how the 3-way legend bench fits with the unit-since I have the same bench. My concern was always it being to long to perform shoulder presses facing out- . Appreciate the review- answered some questions I had. looks like a nice piece of equipment. good bang for buck.

I had a powertec multipress, sold it this past year. It was a good unit- but I never like the bench attached to the unit for making fine tune adjustments. The body solid is more flexible in this regard and with the added lat movements makes it more desirable

[Asjogren]

I received my Body-Solid GLGS100 to pick up at the fitness equipment store last Thursday (it was expected to be re-stocked sometime in July due to the pandemic) but luckily they had some in stock and delivered it in a timely manner upon the purchase date which was excellent!

I put it together on Friday and finished up building it on Saturday, the instructions illustrations could be a bit larger and some steps could be in better order, but other than that it went smooth building it.

During the build process one of the pulley spacers must've fell off the surface I had it on as I was gonna get to that step to tighten it in, so I e-mailed Body-Solid for a replacement part and they kindly obliged and sent them out along with two small bottles of red touch up paint.

My initial thoughts upon completion are that it's gonna be an excellent accessory piece for extra high volume work after my primary lifts and I like that my family can safely workout on it as well!

I was on the fence for a while towards owning one of the Powertec WB-LS systems after liking some of their past products for their versatility and space/height efficiency in mind and of being in the higher end residential range along with Body-Solid pieces and with that and some extra flipping quota funds I decided on the Body-Solid GLGS100.

http://imgur.com/a/OLgqEi0

The pros of the Body-Solid leverage system are...

-The fully functional lever arm that doesn't collide and crash into the weight storage horns (due to the arms longer length from the back portion of the machine) when both the arm and the weight storage horns are loaded with 45s when the arm is set at the lowest setting(s) which allows better access to rows, shrugs, etc..unlike on the Powertec unit.

http://imgur.com/a/2LoPfK3

-It has 9 positions, one of them being the highest setting to not only move the arm out of the way when not in use, but also can be used for pull ups and chins if desired to do so.

http://imgur.com/a/fMpEYUU

http://imgur.com/a/IK8DEZl

-The handles on the lever arm are ergonomically better than the Powertec version's handles and offer more grip variety.

-The cable carriage swing arm is longer offering fuller ROM on it.

http://imgur.com/a/KE57vEW

-Both the high and low cable pulleys offer a good resistance curve and I don't notice any negative resistance throughout within the ROM and is fairly smooth, but with that said though my dedicated lat machine is way smoother, yet I'm more than satisfied having two cable stations.

-You can buy the Body-Solid leverage system separately from the bench which gives you the freedom to roll any bench you already own into the station and use it (I never was a big fan of the Powertec bench...although to be fair, at one time I think I seen that Powertec did offer their leverage system without their bench as an option, but these days I only seen the whole unit sold together to pre-order for delivery in June and for much more than the Body-Solid new).

-The band pegs have been standard on the Body-Solid version for years and for less.

-The leg hold isn't anything special, but is more functional (as far as height adjustments are concerned) than the Powertec leg hold which isn't anything special neither, overall both can definitely be improved upon on these systems.

http://imgur.com/a/LJhneqa

The few cons on the Body-Solid leverage system are...

-When no weight is loaded on the storage horns it definitely shifts and moves around a bit (the same as the Powertec version).

-The 12 gauge round tubing in some areas reminds me of my Everlast punching bag stand I got from Sports Authority years ago and incidently had to also be weighed down by plates, it's heavy enough when put together just aesthetically is a bit more box store style in looks (particularly around the leg/feet of the base).

-Although it's called a corner gym, it actually does need more space in the back of it for the swinging cable carriage arm to not take out a wall behind it.

The Powertec isn't too far off in this area from what I remember as well from using one, however the square tubing even in 12 gauge is better looking, nicer and traditionally a bit more stout.

-A fully welded lever arm would've been excellent to have on the Body-Solid, but it gets the job done well despite that.

-Pressing and pulling bilaterally does work with the lever arm, but isn't perfect considering you're pressing and pulling the full arm (not a deal breaker, but more of an observation from a versatility stand point).

All in all it's a great addition to an already stacked gym full of strength and hypertrophy building toys and I wanted one of these for years for extra volume work and finally got one!

So far I've found the perfect positioning for incline bench, military press (both standing and seated), rows and shrugs.

Squats aren't too bad in a pinch with this machine, but having to squat low and walk into it as a starting point is a bit of an annoyance...for what it's worth though, it still feels decent for high volume machine squats once in a while if I'm not doing traditional squats and/or belt squats on a particular day.

http://imgur.com/a/4TPKCTd

Features I would like to see added on the Body-Solid GLGS100...

-Bilateral lever arms, even better if they made these separate to add on to an existing unit (just for even more variety).

-A better leg hold pop-pin design (the tubing moves a bit to the left and right even when tightened down).

-This is easy enough to do, but pre-drilled holes at the feet for bolting down would be a nicely done feature.

Other than that I have nothing bad to say about the piece...it does everything I wanted out of it for my particular home gym situation.

It comes with the padded rotating squat bar attachment (can get creative with it and find other numerous additional uses with it), a lat bar, short bar, single rotating D-handle and spring collars, short chain and three small carabiners (nothing special, so I recommend getting some premium quality attachments for it and some larger carabiners to attach to the high and low pulley to fit different sized attachments...similar to the way I modded the Powertec lat machine carabiners to attach to it and good to go).

Final thoughts, as far as aesthetics are concerned red and black are awesome for this type of machine (I never cared for the yellow color, but would have it in the home gym if need be).

I almost scored an old model black Powertec WB-LS from like 2003 a few years back for $150 (apparently it was in the box from a storage unit someone had and I think at the time it read something like "N-1 model, or something like that...maybe someone who has used the older models around that time could let me know of the differences besides the docked bench just for conversation's sake), but the deal slipped through and a good retrospective question would be...

Would I have gone that path despite some of the Powertec's flaws on the system and that particular models bench having to stay attached?

My answer would've been "Yes" at that price it was a steal even with its minor flaws and non-removable bench...however going new (along with flipping and meeting my quota), the Body-Solid wins hands down, you get way more functionality (and better in some versatility usage too) which is what you should be getting in what you pay for instead of some of the untested flaws that should have been addressed years ago (especially if buying new at that price point).

That's no knock to Powertec, but rather just a rant for them to improve upon some over looked things and as previously mentioned if they teamed up with Body-Solid, both companies together could potentially rule the residential home gym market!

Nice review DVO. I had an older powertec unit and you are correct about the flaws. Good machine though and very versatile. Ended up replacing it with an Inspire M3 but I do miss it at times.. Congrats!

[Deep-Voiced-One]

thedickus,

Thanks man! It does open up a lot of creativity for new movements thrown in and I definitely gotta try that donkey calf raise movement as a finisher soon.

grumpytude,

Thanks, here's an update after messing around more specifically with each angle should you ever want to put your Legend 3103 in the Body-Solid leverage system if you get one.

Depending on your height and limb proportions, you can fit the Legend bench in there Flat, 15°, 30°, 45° and 60° being the closest position to do seated military press facing out with back pad support without the bench length being an issue (75° and 85° are rendered useless due to being too far forward from the handles).

Here's a pic of the bench setup and tested at 60° with the seat pad set at 30°...

http://imgur.com/a/KtxqiDW

I'm 5'8" and the handles are just around ear level when positioned at the above angle.

Al,

Thank you sir, they really are great pieces and I'm extremely impressed with low (15°) incline presses, rows, shrugs and seated military presses with it (insane emphasis on seated military presses)...a couple of high volume sets as a finisher blew up my shoulders and traps to almost steroidal potential as a natural! Lmao it's a freakin' winner in my book!

That M3 piece looks awesome (I remember seeing it in your home gym from a previous post), how many pressing and pulling angles can it be adjusted to and which movements do you find works best on it?

[urbanlifter]

For a upright seated pressing I find it easier to just lay the bench flat and avoid the backrest altogether.

Edit: But it's a phenomenal companion to a rack setup, also makes me feel better to have something 'dummy proof' for the kids / wife.

[Deep-Voiced-One]

For a upright seated pressing I find it easier to just lay the bench flat and avoid the backrest altogether.

Edit: But it's a phenomenal companion to a rack setup, also makes me feel better to have something 'dummy proof' for the kids / wife.

Oh duh!!! Lol, there is that option as well. Thanks Urban!

[urbanlifter]

Oh duh!!! Lol, there is that option as well. Thanks Urban!

No worries, great review BTW!

It's just an all-around awesome tool to have lying around. The multitude of lifts and space saving of working the high/low pulley onto the leverage arm rocks. Like you said, and I may have mentioned before, it's not a commercial strength heavy duty unit but it does it's job extremely well. I laughed at the punching bag stand portion, can 100% see the resemblance and I do wish they would have just went with square tubing.

[thedickus]

For a upright seated pressing I find it easier to just lay the bench flat and avoid the backrest altogether.

Edit: But it's a phenomenal companion to a rack setup, also makes me feel better to have something 'dummy proof' for the kids / wife.

You could put in your preacher attachment and back that end under the pressing arms, straddle the bench and use the back of the preacher bench for a back support. I did that on my PowerTec FID in my rack because I didn't like how high up the back support went at the 90 degree setting, made it more of a short back utility bench.

[grumpytude]

thedickus,

Thanks man! It does open up a lot of creativity for new movements thrown in and I definitely gotta try that donkey calf raise movement as a finisher soon.

grumpytude,

Thanks, here's an update after messing around more specifically with each angle should you ever want to put your Legend 3103 in the Body-Solid leverage system if you get one.

Depending on your height and limb proportions, you can fit the Legend bench in there Flat, 15°, 30°, 45° and 60° being the closest position to do seated military press facing out with back pad support without the bench length being an issue (75° and 85° are rendered useless due to being too far forward from the handles).

Here's a pic of the bench setup and tested at 60° with the seat pad set at 30°...

http://imgur.com/a/KtxqiDW

I'm 5'8" and the handles are just around ear level when positioned at the above angle.

Al,

Thank you sir, they really are great pieces and I'm extremely impressed with low (15°) incline presses, rows, shrugs and seated military presses with it (insane emphasis on seated military presses)...a couple of high volume sets as a finisher blew up my shoulders and traps to almost steroidal potential as a natural! Lmao it's a freakin' winner in my book!

That M3 piece looks awesome (I remember seeing it in your home gym from a previous post), how many pressing and pulling angles can it be adjusted to and which movements do you find works best on it?

that looks perfect, thanks for the pic. I usually perform seated shoulder presses on a slight angle-especially after ripping my bicep tendon and rotator cuff. Now just have to wait until they are back in stock. You are correct- I was looking for a good alternative to using the power rack or dumbbells. A bit of variety never hurts.

[urbanlifter]

You could put in your preacher attachment and back that end under the pressing arms, straddle the bench and use the back of the preacher bench for a back support. I did that on my PowerTec FID in my rack because I didn't like how high up the back support went at the 90 degree setting, made it more of a short back utility bench.

True, with the IM bench you could probably just slide the seat in too (which works surprisingly well).

But it's not a huge deal to me just using it without a backrest, did the same with my Powertec unit.

[Deep-Voiced-One]

No worries, great review BTW!

It's just an all-around awesome tool to have lying around. The multitude of lifts and space saving of working the high/low pulley onto the leverage arm rocks. Like you said, and I may have mentioned before, it's not a commercial strength heavy duty unit but it does it's job extremely well. I laughed at the punching bag stand portion, can 100% see the resemblance and I do wish they would have just went with square tubing.

Thanks man! And thanks again for steering me in the right path with this piece, it's just an all around better thought out leverage system that does its job really nicely with realistic expectations that it's a residential unit but damn good at all it does!

[Deep-Voiced-One]

that looks perfect, thanks for the pic. I usually perform seated shoulder presses on a slight angle-especially after ripping my bicep tendon and rotator cuff. Now just have to wait until they are back in stock. You are correct- I was looking for a good alternative to using the power rack or dumbbells. A bit of variety never hurts.

In all honesty after testing out and working in some nice high volume reps yesterday on seated military press with the 60° back pad angle with 30° seat angle it feels perfect!

I would go on to say that the above angle feels even better positioned than the 75° and 85° angles when I tested them facing the opposite way (75° and 85° feel a bit too upright and restrictive in comparison, something about not feeling positioned into the pad as much and fighting to stay in an upright position...others mileage may vary, but 60° and 30° feels just right in my opinion).

Additionally I'll test out different back pad and seat angles on seated rows/pulling movements with the press arm as well and will add an update.

That sucks about your injuries and sorry to hear that, but hopefully this machine proves to be a good work around for them.

Do you have a Total Fitness Equipment store in your area?

If so, they sell Body-Solid equipment and can contact their reps for the "street price" as they call it which is the lowest possible quote and you can special order/pre-order one for curbside pick up and dodge the delivery fee.

I special ordered mine ahead of time and it was expected to be re-stocked in July, but turned out they had some in stock and it arrived much sooner. Great service!

[Deep-Voiced-One]

I just tested out seated rows facing the back pad and found that a 45° back pad angle with 15° seat pad felt best to me with the lever arm set at the lowest setting (a 30° back pad angle works just fine for these too).

This is probably self explanatory, but here's what the set angles look like along with the station...

http://imgur.com/a/sI3b2m9

I take back my above post (#4) about getting a shorter bench to fit the station, with thorough testing the Legend 3-Way bench is perfectly functional in there for all my specific exercise needs and it will probably stay put there.

I could probably use another bench for the DB station it was previously in (which consists of the Ironmaster DBs and loadable DB handles as well as the other lat machine station) and I'll probably go with one of the FID benches for that room, then I can always swap them from station to station once in a while if I want to mix things up a bit.

In the meantime I might get the Spud Inc. upper body sled strap for deeper stretch presses/flyes with the lever arm as well...looks like a decent accessory for rows and rear delt moves on it too.

https://www.spud-inc-straps.com/uppe...led-strap.html

[Deep-Voiced-One]

Here's an example video of them being utilized...

https://youtu.be/Q02MOV7ExcY

And another example of them being used on the machine...

https://youtu.be/fpgij4yy7cs

[urbanlifter]

The possibilities are endless, it's a game of inches with getting movements to feel right so I found myself tinkering with the leverage gym ALOT before it felt right. Similar to what I experienced with the larger multi-gym unit, despite what people think these machines are not one size fits all. Think that's why some people are quick to discount them because they don't spend a couple weeks working on better positioning to get the movement to fit right. Will say the only thing I really miss about the Powertec was the rotating arm on the squat bar. With the Body Solid squat bar being fixed on the arm it isn't nearly as nice for Goodmorning's or close stance squatting.

[Deep-Voiced-One]

The possibilities are endless, it's a game of inches with getting movements to feel right so I found myself tinkering with the leverage gym ALOT before it felt right. Similar to what I experienced with the larger multi-gym unit, despite what people think these machines are not one size fits all. Think that's why some people are quick to discount them because they don't spend a couple weeks working on better positioning to get the movement to fit right. Will say the only thing I really miss about the Powertec was the rotating arm on the squat bar. With the Body Solid squat bar being fixed on the arm it isn't nearly as nice for Goodmorning's or close stance squatting.

I agree, the machine takes a bit of playing around to find just the right adjustment positions...I've been lucky in the fact that the machine along with the Legend seems to work for my proportions and mechanics on most movements I've tested on it so far.

If I get the upper body sled strap I'm thinking of clipping it on the low pulley carabiner and wrapping the strap on the arm and see how dual resistance rowing and/or pressing both would feel. I also been wanting to use bands on the hooks, but all bands have been sold out these days so I'll patiently wait for those.

I recently tried out seated military press in a flat position and I found the machine more comfortable to press with back support at the 60° and 30° angles (this could also be due to the fact that I start with standing OHPs earlier on in the workout). It's definitely not a bad position for the movement and I get perfectly aligned with no limitation facing outward, but I feel I can push myself harder on burn out sets later in the workout with the above support.

True as well about the stationary squat bar, there's definitely something left to be desired with it on the Body-Solid compared to the Powertec's rotating version, it works on some movements, but can be improved to do other movements better which I think is its limitation.

I haven't tried it yet, but want to test it out on skullcrushers and/or tricep extensions and see how effective they are on the lever arm when I get the chance.

[Deep-Voiced-One]

I received my Spud Inc. upper body sled strap today with the sole purpose of using it on the machine and was not disappointed in the least...it's excellent and compliments the machine well!

I dropped the arm at the lowest setting and put the strap through each of the handles and I get a great deep stretch at the top that mimics DBs, cables, or chains to work the stabilizer muscles.

As an added bonus you can also use a supinated scooping motion (as you could on a cable crossover, or functional trainer) and squeeze at the top for even more variation, it's obviously a bit more narrow and not quite as smooth one of those machines, but still works great for getting even more out of this single machine.

I'll edit this post and with a few pictures of the configuration(s) later after my workout.

Edit: towards the end of my workout yesterday I used the sled straps for pressing at a 30° incline on both the back and seat pad and superset it with seated rows facing the back pad and switched to the handles, a simple setup for a nice pump and no changing any adjustments for it.

[agentpt5]

Have you used this machine for triceps extension and face pull? Just wondering if this can be a replacement for a cable machine.

[Deep-Voiced-One]

Have you used this machine for triceps extension and face pull? Just wondering if this can be a replacement for a cable machine.

Yep it'll work as a replacement, or to compliment a dedicated lat machine with mid, or low row capability (should you want two to load for different exercises) and works for cable triceps extensions as well as face pulls.

[urbanlifter]

I have the LONG Power-Systems (I think) Super Tricep Rope, it's pliable and excellent for face pulls in addition to tricep pushdowns. BTW, finally got around to trying out the mid-row, VERY nice! So many variations are possible with the leverage gym.

[Deep-Voiced-One]

I have the LONG Power-Systems (I think) Super Tricep Rope, it's pliable and excellent for face pulls in addition to tricep pushdowns. BTW, finally got around to trying out the mid-row, VERY nice! So many variations are possible with the leverage gym.

Awesome setup you made for mid-rows and thanks for confirming.

The next thing I want to try on the arm is leg press with the bar attached on it (either from the floor with something on the ground, or on the bench). I might even try to find a way to slide on and off blocks on the bar for the feet to press onto it.

[urbanlifter]

The next thing I want to try on the arm is leg press with the bar attached on it (either from the floor with something on the ground, or on the bench). I might even try to find a way to slide on and off blocks on the bar for the feet to press onto it.

That's a very interesting idea, I'd think lying flat on the bench wouldn't feel too bad. Squats on the machine aren't the greatest but it's definitely possible, I position my feet forward on the ground so that my heels are on the metal plate. Works well enough, not too far off how the standalone leverage squat machine felt. Think it would feel alot better if you had a wedge to stand on, put your legs at a different angle like the standalone.

[Deep-Voiced-One]

That's a very interesting idea, I'd think lying flat on the bench wouldn't feel too bad. Squats on the machine aren't the greatest but it's definitely possible, I position my feet forward on the ground so that my heels are on the metal plate. Works well enough, not too far off how the standalone leverage squat machine felt. Think it would feel alot better if you had a wedge to stand on, put your legs at a different angle like the standalone.

I'm definitely gonna have to give that a shot and that will save me some money from getting the Body-Solid Leverage Squat (the only thing that would be difficult to replicate on it is perhaps lunges) between my main setup, Mech's belt squat and this machine I should have some solid squat options and enough to take a break from standard squats here and there.

I almost went with the Leverage Squat as my next purchase, but decided on a set of Powerblock Pro EXPs to compliment my Ironmasters and complete my DB ranges (next up the 70-90 lb expansion on the PBs once they're back in stock since they only had the 5-70 lb Pro EXPs available, then the IMs 120 lb add on kit and maybe the 165 lb add on kit after that).

To answer and confirm the question I had for dickus and perhaps people who might have any concerns on the system, I talked to the local fitness equipment dealer and they checked with Body-Solid on the height of the Leverage Squat and for a 5'8" person with a low 80" height basement ceiling, you get an extra 6" of clearance when walking into the station.

[potatosoup]

What a fantastic thread. Top notch review constantly updated with answers to questions, and consistent updates on usage, issues and solutions.

DVO, if you’re ever in Southern California, I’d love for you to give the Sorinex Hurricane a shot for a few sessions and do a write up. Would’ve loved to see an in-depth review of it before I bought it!