Body Solid

[Ex Coelis]

the Thug Workout is cheaper and more effective

[Get Rowdy]

the Thug Workout is cheaper and more effective

you can't train calves hanging from a street sign or a jungle gym

[DroppingPlates]

you can't train calves hanging from a street sign or a jungle gym

How about doing donkey calf raises on the edge of a sidewalk with 1 or 2 people on your back?

[Get Rowdy]

How about doing donkey calf raises on the edge of a sidewalk with 1 or 2 people on your back?

But nobody's gonna buy crack from you after you're seen doing donkey calf raises

[DroppingPlates]

But nobody's gonna buy crack from you after you're seen doing donkey calf raises

LMFAO 

[mantronik]

In my area there are 2 gyms with body solid equipment and I can honestly say that the equipment is NOT good, crap!!!
The biomechanics on any of these machines just feels bad, machines are not of high quality either.
The cable crossover machine is crappy, the smith machine is crappy, the peck deck biomechanics and quality is bad, the incline benches lock system is tiresome.
I really don't like this line of equipment and I have to deal with it everyday because I train a few members of that gym on a daily basis so it's not that I went there once, tried it for 5 minutes and then left.
I'm spending about 10 hours a week in that gym with clients for about 2 years now, so I had my fair share of tryouts.
I switched to mainly free weights exercises because I was getting annoyed by the equipment. One of the gyms also has Technogym equipment in it and that too is amazingly crappy, better quality but biomechanically not much to adjust for different sizes people.

Don't even try to get this leg press.
The stops are so ridiculously high (I think the stops are at 90 degree angle of your knee) and you can't adjust them.
The platform isn't that big either and it's slippery as well so the owner ended up putting a few anti-slip stickers on it.
The hacksquat is superheavy without any weight on it for females to go all the way down (even with that stop on it)

Consider this machine, perfect for leg presses/squats and donkey raises with some wood under your toes.

[Bones]

you can't train calves hanging from a street sign or a jungle gym

  Brothers aint worry about that.

[DroppingPlates]

In my area there are 2 gyms with body solid equipment and I can honestly say that the equipment is NOT good, crap!!!
The biomechanics on any of these machines just feels bad, machines are not of high quality either.
The cable crossover machine is crappy, the smith machine is crappy, the peck deck biomechanics and quality is bad, the incline benches lock system is tiresome.
I really don't like this line of equipment and I have to deal with it everyday because I train a few members of that gym on a daily basis so it's not that I went there once, tried it for 5 minutes and then left.
I'm spending about 10 hours a week in that gym with clients for about 2 years now, so I had my fair share of tryouts.
I switched to mainly free weights exercises because I was getting annoyed by the equipment. One of the gyms also has Technogym equipment in it and that too is amazingly crappy, better quality but biomechanically not much to adjust for different sizes people.

Don't even try to get this leg press.
The stops are so ridiculously high (I think the stops are at 90 degree angle of your knee) and you can't adjust them.
The platform isn't that big either and it's slippery as well so the owner ended up putting a few anti-slip stickers on it.
The hacksquat is superheavy without any weight on it for females to go all the way down (even with that stop on it)

Good review. Keep in mind that almost every line has at least a few bad machines.
I don't have experience with BS, the picture was just a sample of a more versatile machine than just a seated calf raise.
Technogym sucks, unfortunately it's one of the most used lines here in Europe.
My current gym has a lot of German equipment, very decent stuff.

[mantronik]

I know every brand has a few bad machines, but I'm not overreacting if I say that this brand has not 1 good machine. The machine preacher is awkward, there is an weighted abdominal machine where you lay down and can add weight on the feet side and you can add weight on the head side. If you only add weight on the head side the machine sort of collapses so you have to balance it etc etc
The smith machine was awkward as well and again with a very high stop.

The picture posted of the leg press and the lady graciously showing how it works: no way in hell would she be able to hack squat that weight. If you look close at both pics you can see the weight stack is in resting position in leg press situation as well as in hack squat position.
The slide is just to heavy without any weight on it and most beginners are scared to go down and not be able to come back up so they are half assing it.

Choose a product and let me know if you like it:
http://www.bodysolid.com/Index.cfm

[DroppingPlates]

Do you have any favorite brands mantronik, and if so, why?

[mantronik]

The well known brands like Cybex, Hammer Strength etc, because of the biomechanics of them and the ability to be able to adjust the machines to all kinds of bodytypes. (tall, short, wide, narrow people)
When you try one of them they feel sweet right away as opposed to be tossing and turning not to strain your joints to be able to perform the ROM the machine wants from you.

TuffStuff has a few nice pieces as well and they recently came out with some cardio pieces that are nice as well.

For bars I prefer Eleiko (from Finland or Sweden? Somewhere in scandinavia)

[Vince G, CSN MFT]

I know every brand has a few bad machines, but I'm not overreacting if I say that this brand has not 1 good machine. The machine preacher is awkward, there is an weighted abdominal machine where you lay down and can add weight on the feet side and you can add weight on the head side. If you only add weight on the head side the machine sort of collapses so you have to balance it etc etc
The smith machine was awkward as well and again with a very high stop.

The picture posted of the leg press and the lady graciously showing how it works: no way in hell would she be able to hack squat that weight. If you look close at both pics you can see the weight stack is in resting position in leg press situation as well as in hack squat position.
The slide is just to heavy without any weight on it and most beginners are scared to go down and not be able to come back up so they are half assing it.


Choose a product and let me know if you like it:
http://www.bodysolid.com/Index.cfm

I'm sorry but I'm not aware of any ab machine that Body Solid makes that has weights that you load on the head side and the bottom side.  That would be pretty interesting to see.

As far as the lady in the hat squat, its a photoshoot and since Body Solid plates have clear markings on them, those are most likely dummy plates.


I will agree with you that Cybex is an innovative line of products that have a ton of research and they carry products that other companies don't like the Cybex Trazer.  However, the reason why I don't sell it is simply because a lot of people can't afford to equip their gym or personal training studio or find financing.  If you have the money to buy Cybex equipment then more power to you because you wil  have the absolute best money can buy

Last year they had a loss in profit due to the banks not financing gyms as well as facilities going out of business with unpaid accounts.  Right now the stock is running at 1.50 a share so I may actually buy some in the near future and try to count on the January sweep.  



As far as Hammer Strength, best to get it used because of the vast volumes available due to gyms closing out
http://www.UsedGymEquipment.

[mantronik]

I'm sorry but I'm not aware of any ab machine that Body Solid makes that has weights that you load on the head side and the bottom side.  That would be pretty interesting to see.

I will take a pic on monday of the machine with and without plate loading. Can't find it on their website right now.

As far as the lady in the hat squat, its a photoshoot and since Body Solid plates have clear markings on them, those are most likely dummy plates.

I know but it's a bit misleading for non fitness females, getting into fitness for the first time. Better put a male on that machine then.

However, the reason why I don't sell it is simply because a lot of people can't afford to equip their gym or personal training studio or find financing.

You prefer to sell them crappy machines instead or do you tell them about the quality and biomechanics of the machine beforehand, so they know what they're getting themselves into?
Did you ever try a few of their machines? Which ones and what is your opinion?

[mantronik]

As far as the lady in the hat squat, its a photoshoot and since Body Solid plates have clear markings on them, those are most likely dummy plates.

By the way, not all Body Solid plates have clear markings you would be able to see.
The gym here has the rubberplates so you wouldn't be able to see it's BS on the pic if those were there. Plus the weights are racked in the pic, she is just standing laying down there.

[Vince G, CSN MFT]

I will take a pic on monday of the machine with and without plate loading. Can't find it on their website right now.

I know but it's a bit misleading for non fitness females, getting into fitness for the first time. Better put a male on that machine then.

You prefer to sell them crappy machines instead or do you tell them about the quality and biomechanics of the machine beforehand, so they know what they're getting themselves into?
Did you ever try a few of their machines? Which ones and what is your opinion?

I'm not sure what equipment you used but I tried the new Pro Club Line, Pro Club Line Dual, G-Fusion, and the Classic Body Solid commerical Equipment.  Its definitely on par with Startac and actually has more adjustments and mobility features and at about 3,000 dollars per station for the Dual Line, its a really good deal for brand new commerical equipment.

It sounds to me like the gym you went to has the Body Solid home fitness equipment rather than the commercial brand equipment and I've seen a lot of gyms do that to cut cost and fill up their gym.  If you were to actually use the Pro Club Line Products then you may see the equipment differently.

[Vince G, CSN MFT]

By the way, not all Body Solid plates have clear markings you would be able to see.
The gym here has the rubberplates so you wouldn't be able to see it's BS on the pic if those were there. Plus the weights are racked in the pic, she is just standing laying down there.

Those are solid plates on that machine.  Body Solid plates of that type has clear markings on them

[The Showstoppa]

Not sure how we got from a $400 home Body Solid calf raise to discussing commerical Cybex, HS and plates.

[mantronik]

I'm not sure what equipment you used but I tried the new Pro Club Line, Pro Club Line Dual, G-Fusion, and the Classic Body Solid commerical Equipment.  Its definitely on par with Startac

I don't have the opportunity to try all those lines of Body Solid and I'm not a fan of Startac either actually  

It sounds to me like the gym you went to has the Body Solid home fitness equipment rather than the commercial brand equipment and I've seen a lot of gyms do that to cut cost and fill up their gym.  If you were to actually use the Pro Club Line Products then you may see the equipment differently.

When I click on the Commercial page and under freeweight machines I see 8 pieces that that gym has: http://www.bodysolid.com/Commercial/Body-Solid/Freeweight-Machines

When I click on the home machine page: http://www.bodysolid.com/Home/Body-Solid/Freeweight-
Machines
I get the same machines with same article number so I'm not sure what you're trying to say here?

[mantronik]

Not sure how we got from a $400 home Body Solid calf raise to discussing commerical Cybex, HS and plates.

1. This is GetBig, topics are supposed to go off topic.
2. We were discussing quality of BodySolid machines and I was asked which brands I do like.

[DroppingPlates]

Not sure how we got from a $400 home Body Solid calf raise to discussing commerical Cybex, HS and plates.

That's one of the main things I like about this board. 
Too many people buy crappy things due a lack of knowledge so it's a good thing to share some opinions/experiences, both specific as in general.

[The Showstoppa]

1. This is GetBig, topics are supposed to go off topic.
2. We were discussing quality of BodySolid machines and I was asked which brands I do like.

1. that is a given
2. not by me......maybe someone else.

And as for seated calf machines.....for the avg home user, the BS model probably going to be fine.  The majority of people looking in that price range can't be educated to buy a $1000+ commericial model anyway.  But, that is why I told ManBearPig about the soft pads and he should probably go with a used commercial.  And to not buy any of them with first trying them out.

[mantronik]

2.

Do you have any favorite brands mantronik, and if so, why?

Agree with you on the used calf raise machine and sorry for going offtopic

[The Showstoppa]

2.
Agree with you on the used calf raise machine and sorry for going offtopic

no problem......and don't ever apologize on getbig !!!!!   

[DroppingPlates]

2. not by me......maybe someone else.

It was me.

And as for seated calf machines.....for the avg home user, the BS model probably going to be fine.  The majority of people looking in that price range can't be educated to buy a $1000+ commericial model anyway.  But, that is why I told ManBearPig about the soft pads and he should probably go with a used commercial.  And to not buy any of them with first trying them out.

Not a commercial piece per se, it's more about a rational decision (looking only at the price is -IMO- dumb).

[mantronik]

no problem......and don't ever apologize on getbig !!!!!   

Shit, I forgot that rule...fuck you, basement teenage internet warrior!! (does that balance back the apology? )

It was me. Not a commercial piece per se, it's more about a rational decision (looking only at the price is -IMO- dumb).

x2