Equipment nerds— what are your favorite machines?

@pinetowntree Yeah the Arsenal LP is amazing and it's basically an exact copy of the Nebula Leg Press from the early 2000s that was ubiquitous in hardcore gyms. Unfortunately the only models which are similar I know on the market are all like 6k+ making it cost-prohibitive for a home gym.

I believe the man who designed the Arsenal Leg press actually previously worked for Nebula. Read an anecdote on BB.com about this.

*There is an issue with the LP actually in that most people need to use pads/stall mats or a hoodie to protect their back on the Arsenal LP. Arsenal made the little back-area larger for whatever reason which creates this annoyance. The original Nebula was better designed in this aspect
 
@enkaybien That makes sense because I love the arsenal leg press, but I don’t love their hack squat or pendulum squat. My former gym also had the arsenal vertical leg press and all vertical leg presses should be banned by the Geneva Conventions.
 
@pinetowntree I agree about their other pieces too. I found the Arsenal Hack Squat uncomfortable on my shoulders/back compared to the Atlantis/Cybex models and haven't had much success with other Arsenal pieces. They do seem quite popular in bodybuilding gyms at the moment though so who knows
 
@dkitching What’s the love for seated dip machines? My gym has one that does both seated dips and assisted pull-ups and I don’t think I have ever seen anyone use it for anything but assisted pull-ups?
 
@dkitching I have strong preferences on equipment now having access to better gyms and trying tons of equipment over the years with access to bodybuilding gyms with niche equipment

Not in any particular order these are my favorites I've actually used:
  • Flex Leverage Incline Press
  • Flex Leverage Flat Press
  • Nebula 35 Degree Leg Press (angled footplate model. Rogue/Arsenal make a copy of this.)
  • Atlantis Hack Squat Pro.
  • Icarian Chest Supported T-Bar Row (and copies)
  • Prime/Strive Leg extension (both plate-loaded/non)
  • Nautilis Leverage Presses
  • Nebula Standing Leg Curl
  • Icarian Leg Press (earlier model)
  • Hammer Strength DY Row
  • Hammer Strength Plate-Loaded OHP
  • Pendulum Hip Press
  • Hammer Strength Plate-Loaded Hamstring Curl
  • Cybex Squat Press
  • Nautilis Glute Drive
  • Atlantis Seated Lateral Raise Machine
  • Prime/Strive Selectorized Chest Fly
  • Prime/Strive Extreme Row.
With chest machines the flex-leverage were probably the biggest innovation due to their ideal convergence path + resistance profile which is lengthened bias heavily toward the beginning and converges significantly relative to some of the other models on the market.

The Nebula/Icarian Leg Presses are great because they have angled foot-plates which allow for greater knee flexion than most models allow for. Also the Nebula in particular is quite adjustable which is a bonus.

The Chest-Supported T-Bar Row is still my favorite back-machine because of the fantastic resistance profile and the ability to completely lengthen the movement to the utmost possible with shoulder protraction/retraction and for whatever reason the older Icarian model had a particularly good feel to it.

Leg Curl machines tend to be hard to design well and I found the most comfortable ones to use are the standing versions. Unfortunately outside of nebula who no longer exists (purchased by Rogue in 2012) almost none of the standing leg curl allowed for good hip flexion to fully lengthen the hamstring which is best for bodybuilding.

I've yet to have access to use a lot of cool machines that are newer or more unique. The newer Atlantis Incline/Decline Press machines and some of the newer Gymleco pieces which are copies of the flex-leverage pieces look amazing.

A few other random honorable mentions I'll throw in are:
  • Randy Coyle Swing Squat
  • Hoist Roc-It Decline Press
  • Atlantis Pendulum Squat
  • Rogers Pendulum Super Squat Pro
  • Nautilis Xpload Incline Press
  • Prime/Strive Preacher Curl
  • Bodymaster Horizontal LP
  • Cybex Hack Squat (New/Old)
  • Startrac Hack Squat
  • Cybex Eagle NX Row
  • Life Fitness Tricep Dip Machine
 
@dkitching Favorites

Prime Plate Loaded Tricep Extension

Prime Preacher curl

Atlantis Hack squat

Decent

Atlantis chest fly

Prime seated leg curl

Hopefully, the Hammer Strength Decline press

Hate list

All calf machines I tried - I prefer a leg press or a smith machine for calf raises

The row machines - maybe I am a weirdo, but I prefer cables or dumbbells.

- Hammer Strength Isolateral High Row - not that weird with a D handle, but, for reason that I cannot explain, it feels great at first and after that worse and worse

- Hoist chest supported row - the handles are too big for my small hands (If I was Aleksandr Karelin, I wouldn't have this problem) and, once I do bigger weights, the chest feels uncomfortable during breathing

- Prime extreme row - same, it becomes uncomfortable with breathing once I go up in weight. A little better doing it one arm, without chest support.
 
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