Inspire FTX Functional Trainer from Costco

[C123C]

https://www.********.com/groups/homegymcommunity



I personally never had an issue with the group in terms of negativity but I'm sure others have maybe experienced that. I've had great help in terms of outfitting my gym whenever I had questions about equipment and overall it's been helpful.

Too bad Costco doesn't have like a set up where they have this in place to test out you know?

Might have been. I didn't really pay much attention. Just noticed constant negativity - very low info value (for me) - a lot of commenters were just openly sh**y to posters and critical, didn't know what they were talking about, and obviously never considered that their silence was a better option and would improve the group. Dropping it improved my ******** experience. Then again could have just been a bad time or posts I happened to read but I read more than a few and over a period of months. Takes a lot for me to drop a gym group.

Honestly, this sub-forum right here is the very best resource on the internet bar none. Vintage, restoration, sourcing used, pricing, equipment design, manufacturing, modification, broad and deep experience - nothing comes even remotely close. I'm not vouching for the rest of BBing.com forums but this sub in particular is a mega resource and the very best by massive margin. I say this as a fairly educated and experienced consumer in this area as I've been all around. Guys here are also older and don't talk about stuff they don't know so when someone does say something I listen and I've never been misguided.

As for a trial the FTX is basically 98% of the Inspire FT1. You should be able to find a local fitness store/chain/retailer selling Inspire equipment and likely Bodysolid and some other pro-sumer brands as well. Can demo an FT1 there. The differences are very minimal and outside of being able to expand the stacks they aren't at all significant (for 1/2 the FT1 price). You can get pin adapters to hang plates on the stacks or order replacement rods and cables from Inspire that will accommodate the expanded stacks they sell (runs you the better part of $1k so I'd just get the pins to hang plates) but what's on it is a 1:2 ratio and generally plenty for most. FT1 is a $2500 unit and honestly priced well, the FTX at $1299 is a stupid value. I had demo'ed an FT1 a couple years ago and a few guys here have used or own both FT1s and FTXs and it is the same. I'd have bought an FT1 without any issue at full retail if this didn't come along.

My opinion on FT market and what I think most here feel is that FT1 or even better FTX is a no brainer. If you want to go significantly better, there's not much in the middle that gives you significantly more for any added spend so you need to be stepping up BIG. That means the Prime FT, Cybex Bravo or other best in class at $6-8k delivered. FT for me is tertiary after barbells and dumbbells so I'm unwilling to spend money on a top tier unit or even devote more space in my gym unless I got one stupid cheap. What finally got me to do it was the Costco deal and my wife looking for something fast/quick as well as not having to setup benches and barbells in a small amount of time. Good reason...but I was looking for any reason and got rid of my GHD in the process.

[thedickus]

Honestly, this sub-forum right here is the very best resource on the internet bar none. Vintage, restoration, sourcing used, pricing, equipment design, manufacturing, modification, broad and deep experience - nothing comes even remotely close. I'm not vouching for the rest of BBing.com forums but this sub in particular is a mega resource and the very best by massive margin. I say this as a fairly educated and experienced consumer in this area as I've been all around. Guys here are also older and don't talk about stuff they don't know so when someone does say something I listen and I've never been misguided.

Amen to that! There are a few posters on here whose opinions I value and are very much a deciding factor on some of my purchases. If you have questions about specific pieces of equipment there's a good chance someone on here has owned it and can give you an honest review. People here will go above and beyond, taking measurements or pictures to help answer legitimate questions.

[Anthony21]

It's good to know this sub forum is a good resource. I'll have to utilize it more often.

[RGrizzzz]

I'm 6'2" and have the FTX. I don't have any issues with height. The only "concern" I have is when I use my prime fitness spreader bar for tricep press downs, I have to kneel. I have a lat/row tower, so I don't pull on it. Overall, it's a great unit. I did sell the bench it comes with.

[Murser]

I'm 6'2" and have the FTX. I don't have any issues with height. The only "concern" I have is when I use my prime fitness spreader bar for tricep press downs, I have to kneel. I have a lat/row tower, so I don't pull on it. Overall, it's a great unit. I did sell the bench it comes with.

Are you long legged or long torso’d? How about wingspan? Asking cause at 6’4” I’m a few inches too tall for the normal world.

[evankyle]

I'm 6'2" and have the FTX. I don't have any issues with height. The only "concern" I have is when I use my prime fitness spreader bar for tricep press downs, I have to kneel. I have a lat/row tower, so I don't pull on it. Overall, it's a great unit. I did sell the bench it comes with.

I tested it a while ago. I am 6’2” and I felt the Inspure FXT was a little short to do tricep push downs.

[weisgarb]

I tested it a while ago. I am 6’2” and I felt the Inspure FXT was a little short to do tricep push downs.

I have the FT1 which is very similar and it's cutting it close when doing pushdowns at 5'10". If I were your height, I'd definitely have to do them while kneeling.

[C123C]

For what it's worth I don't use it for push downs. I have a high pulley on a commercial size lat pull/low row combo for that. Never even attempted it but probably correct for push downs. I figure anything typically on a commercial high pulley won't work on a lot of FTs - I recall someone bringing up the pushdown issue on even a larger unit from a different manufacturer (Rep's large size unit maybe). Pull downs, rows, push downs etc...are not ideally done on most FTs. There are workarounds to some degree but these movements aren't what they were made to do.

[evankyle]

For what it's worth I don't use it for push downs. I have a high pulley on a commercial size lat pull/low row combo for that. Never even attempted it but probably correct for push downs. I figure anything typically on a commercial high pulley won't work on a lot of FTs - I recall someone bringing up the pushdown issue on even a larger unit from a different manufacturer (Rep's large size unit maybe). Pull downs, rows, push downs etc...are not ideally done on most FTs. There are workarounds to some degree but these movements aren't what they were made to do.

That’s a good point. Perhaps I don’t understand what functional trainers were made to do.

I do use my last pull down currently for push downs and it works pretty good but also the last pull down is not really meant for push downs either.

[RGrizzzz]

Are you long legged or long torso’d? How about wingspan? Asking cause at 6’4” I’m a few inches too tall for the normal world.

Probably neither. Just evenly proportioned. Wingspan is 74". I'd be surprised if it can't work for you. It's not going to have the range of a good commercial unit, n but you're not paying for one either.

[C123C]

That’s a good point. Perhaps I don’t understand what functional trainers were made to do.

I do use my last pull down currently for push downs and it works pretty good but also the last pull down is not really meant for push downs either.

For standing push downs in a fully equipped gym it's either a lat pulldown, dedicated high pulley station - maybe a pad on a surface but you can face either way and it's the same, or use a side of a large scale commercial crossover. All the same IMO - just max height pulley and variance in the stack which for a push down is generally always adequate.

The original concept for an FT was to be able to do a lot of stuff but basically replicate dumbbell movements andprovide a constant resistance throughout the movement where sometimes dumbbells don't (cable based machines generally provide constant resistance with few exceptions). Interesting change of stability too. You can do a lot on them for pressing but forget most big movements like squats, pulldowns (no chair/brace integrated), seated rows...and such. I just did some nice shoulder pre/re-hab this AM and it gives me a nice mid-pulley. I think they are really useful as a cable setup in a home gym too. A mega unit with arms like Prime can fill some additional gaps and probably allow a pressing movement that's more vertical - note that the bigger/wider fixed trainers you are pulling in from the sides not just pushing up so with the arms low you may be able to make this more truly vertical. I'm fighting some tendonitis right now from pressing on my FTX due to inward movement but ALL functional trainers share this limit unless the arms can be set right under you. Given the FTX's smaller footprint it's actually lessened a bit but just me getting old and feeling it.

I could go on but you get the jist. They are REALLY nice to have but not in any way essential to a more serious lifter who is going to be using barbells, dumbbells, and key equipment leaving this in a tertiary spot on the "wants/needs" list. For the record a high/low lat pull and row combo would make the secondary list. My wife really likes it because she can get in and do some resistance training fast through a lot of movements without setting up the rack and benches which are heavy for her. BUT she's not really a serious trainee or at least what most of us would call that, just getting some work in and that's fine. For her I finally pulled the trigger on the FTX and I like having it but for my own use it's way down the list and more a luxury item that takes up a lot of space, isn't cheap, and isn't necessary or highly effective for what I do. That's generally doom in a home gym environment but wife liked it, FTX was priced right, I wanted it, and put it in the spot for the GHD which frankly doesn't do anything for me other than a nice situp bench.

Longwinded version of how I view an FT but do note that this is just my own opinion for my own needs and training. I think it's reflective of the way most of this forum or more serious lifters view it but someone different than I may view it very differently.

[Duplicitous]

For me, an FT isn't technically a necessity, but it would take a lot of the enjoyment out of working out if I didn't have one. I used an FT/crossover at the gym every day when I was going to a commercial gym, so it was one of the first items I bought when I started building the home gym. In fact, I have 2 now, though second one is currently disassembled.

[potatosoup]

My right side height adjustment starts “sticking” (sticks and requires force to move up or down) around position 5 or 6. Is there anything I can do to remedy this problem?

[Duplicitous]

My right side height adjustment starts “sticking” (sticks and requires force to move up or down) around position 5 or 6. Is there anything I can do to remedy this problem?

I'd like to say it's a bad bushing, but that would affect it's entire length of travel not just a certain portion. Any additional cable tension present when it reaches the 5-6 point? Can you post a video?

[BiGx5MurF]

For some reason a lot of the Inspire equipment at costco got renamed to Centr. Looked up the company, and it's prominently displaying Chris Hemsworth as their spokesperson.

They also added a single stack FT with adjustable arms https://www.costco.com/centr-1-home-...000202570.html

[C123C]

For some reason a lot of the Inspire equipment at costco got renamed to Centr. Looked up the company, and it's prominently displaying Chris Hemsworth as their spokesperson.

They also added a single stack FT with adjustable arms https://www.costco.com/centr-1-home-...000202570.html

I saw some of this displayed a while ago at my local. Didn't know what to make of it but same exact stuff. Not sure if Inspire is rebranding or calling their direct wholesale line something different as dealers were complaining (granted FT1 and FTX are different but maybe not different enough and required different branding).

[radrd]

For some reason a lot of the Inspire equipment at costco got renamed to Centr. Looked up the company, and it's prominently displaying Chris Hemsworth as their spokesperson.

They also added a single stack FT with adjustable arms https://www.costco.com/centr-1-home-...000202570.html

I saw some of this displayed a while ago at my local. Didn't know what to make of it but same exact stuff. Not sure if Inspire is rebranding or calling their direct wholesale line something different as dealers were complaining (granted FT1 and FTX are different but maybe not different enough and required different branding).

It appears that Inspire is rebranding to Centr after High Post Capital acquired both companies.

https://sgbonline.com/highpost-capit...spire-fitness/