Body Solid EXM1500S Single Stack Home Gym

The gym is well constucted and solid.

As stated by most others the instructions for putting it together are not the best.The ifitness direct website has a PDF file of the instructions. Just click on the model.It is much clearer than the reprints.

I suggest a 17mm socket and 17mm box/open end wrench for the hex bolts.
It will go much smoother if you separate the bolts by size in advance. There is only a 5mm length difference with the bolts sizes so a ruler with metric sizes is helpful. Also as most other people have stated don't tighten the frame until after Step 3 and do not tighten the pulleys until the end.

We are extremely satisfied with the home gym. It is easy to use and very sturdy. My sister, a physical therapist, inspected this home gym and was quite pleased. She showed us the many different types of strengthening exercises that can be done with this home gym that are not included in the chart. The entire family is getting tone and fit. It took my son and his friend, age 16, about three to four hours to put it together. Great product. Well worth the money and required assembling time. Also, the gym was delivered way before the expected delivery date, which was very exciting!

Tried the display model at Sears - this was a few years back- and after just a few minutes I was sold. This little home gym has it all. Just like the product description states, you get a complete work out in minutes. Best of all the footprint is small enough you can fit this in the corner where it's out of the way.

To be a little more specific of what I like about this gym: The geometry, the angles, seat height adjustments, handles and leg cushions, pulleys, and overall build all add up to something that feels like a lot of thought was put into it. You know those machines that frustrate you when you don't get the full extension? None is more frustrating to me than getting on a home gym especially a lat machine where you don't get to reach all the way. This machine even when benching will allow for full extensions. Additionally, you don't waste time transitioning between exercises. The only pause in exercise you really need is the few seconds it takes to lean over and change the weight amount.

Customer service with these guys was also an A+. I had a couple of end caps that were removed, reset, and bent out of shape. The company sent replacements without having to explain myself. If you can find a display somewhere test it out, you'll be surprised.

Well, I had been on the fence for about over a year about getting a home gym for the garage. I've been looking around here and there, and was originally going to buy one of the bowflex machines. The problem with the bowflex machines was that no matter whom I asked, I always received the same response: don't get it, that cable technology and resistence is just not the same as having real weights.

Then I looked around some more, checked the Sports Authority and some other sports stores here in the NW, and couldn't really find a suitable piece for under a grand, and if, they were either too big, or there were $200 transportation costs, etc... Anyways, I browsed Amazon, stumbled upon this gym and it seemed to have all the basics I would need for a regular workout.

Bottom line: Delivery time was about one week. The delivery company called me twice, once to verify my address, and once to schedule a delivery time. I was not able to be at home when it was delivered, but they were ok with leaving it by the door. Very friendly, great experience.

Building the gym was a pain, but definitely do-able. I am not the best handyman in the world, but I do have some experience building Ikea shelves ... ; It took about 7 hours to get it all done, there are lots of bolts and screws, so it takes a while to sort it all. In retrospective though, it was fairly easy and I didn't require anybody else to help me or hold any of the pieces. The manual wasn't the best, but good enough to figure it all out.

The gym feels like the real thing from the fitness clubs, it's compact, stable, it's quite, and you can do all the basic exercises. I don't think that there is anything comparable out on the market for this price (about $650 incl. delivery and tax).

I really like this gym. Aside from the instructions, which are not entirely clear or updated (I did manage to put it together, although there are 'spare' parts leftover and it took about 4.5 hours), the whole buying experience was positive. It's a very study machine, and great for a home gym with it's small footprint. I would recommend it to others looking for a smaller home gym that's a good price for the quality.