Body-Solid Best Fitness BFMG20 Sportsmans Gym

Unit	Dimensions	Possible exercises	Weight stack	Weight plates	Warranty
Body-Solid BFMG20 Check Discounted Price	L:64" W:40" H:79"	35+	145 lbs	Cement & vinyl, 15 lbs (ea)	Frame: 3 years Parts: 1 year Wear: 30 days

The Best Fitness BFMG20 Sportsmans Gym is one of the older Body-Solid home gyms but still is available. It’s a smaller machine than other similar units, so it can fit better in a smaller room. But on the other hand, its arm & fly press assembly is slightly smaller than for other machines, so a person taller than 6’0″ may not benefit from the full range of motion for all exercises.

Key Features and Specifications

• Assembled dimensions: 64L x 48W x 79H inches (162.5L x 122W x 201H cm)
• Assembled weight: 263 lbs (119 kg)
• Stack weight: 145 lbs (65.7 kg)
• Possible exercises: 35+
• Warranty: Frame 3 years / Parts 1 year / Wear parts 30 days

Frame construction and parts

The Body-Solid Best Fitness BFMG20 Sportsman Gym features a durable steel frame, but as we’ve mentioned above, it has a more minimalistic design compared to other home gyms. Therefore, it has a smaller footprint. It is only 64″ (162.5 cm) long, and 48″ (122 cm) wide. Its height reaches approx. 79″ (201 cm) above floor level, so it can fit in a room with a 7′ (213 cm) ceiling. Also, with the weight stack included, it only weighs 263 lbs (119 kg). It is recommended, though, to leave at least two feet of clearance on each side of the unit, and at least three feet of clearance at its front, for ease of access and enough space to execute all the exercises correctly.

All the steel parts in the machine’s construction are coated with a thick, rust-resistant paint finish. The main color used is red, this being the only color available for the BFMG20.

The seat and backrest are non-adjustable. They attach directly to their support bars via two bolts each. This being said, the machine is designed to accommodate users between 5’0″ and 6’0″ (153 – 183 cm). Taller users may not benefit from a complete range of motion especially for the chest & fly press.

Both seat and backrest pads integrate approx. 2″ (5 cm) of foam cushioning. Their covers are made of durable vinyl material which is also sweatproof and easy to maintain. The arms of the fly press also have smaller similar pads, while the rollers of the leg developer attachment feature 4″ (10 cm) cushions.

The base bars of this home gym don’t have any pre-drilled holes for anchoring it to the floor. This shouldn’t be a problem, though, as its 263 lbs (119 kg) weight should provide enough stability. Also, its base bars do not have any adjustable levelers, so it is recommended to place and use the machine on a rubber mat. The front base of the unit features a small step-on plate great to have as a base support for low-pulley curls, stand-up rows, or other exercises.

The Body-Solid BFMG20 is equipped with 16 heavy-duty nylon pulleys. They integrate sealed bearings for a smooth rotation. The included cables are steel-made with an outer PVC layer which prevents the scratching of the pulleys. The cables have a weight capacity rating of 2,200 (998 kg), so they should withstand the 145 lbs (65.7 kg) stack weight and even additional weight with no problem.

Workout stations

The Body-Solid Best Fitness BFMG20 Sportsman Gym features four workout stations and attachments. It has a high-pulley station, a chest & fly press station, a low-pulley station, and a leg developer attachment.

Chest & fly press station. This workout station consists of two arms with small arm pads and swiveling handles. They allow the execution of standard seated chest presses and fly presses. But as we’ve mentioned above, they are not too far apart, so a user taller than 6’0″ (183 cm) may not benefit from the complete range of motion without certain modifications.

High-pulley station. Like most other similar home gyms, such as the Gold’s Gym XRS 50 for example, the BFMG20 only has one terminal pulley for the lat station. This particular workout station allows the execution of lat pulldown exercises, triceps press downs, and other exercises. The only accessory included for this station is the standard, curved lat bar. This has rubberized grips and a length of approx. 42″ (106 cm).

Low-pulley station. The machine’s low pulley offers the possibility to execute seated rows, bicep curls, or leg abductions. A short bar for low rows with short rubberized grips is included. However, an ankle cuff and a D-handle are not included.

Leg developer. The BFMG20 home gym is equipped with a leg developer attachment which has 4″ foam rollers for extra comfort during leg extensions. The leg developer attachment produces the highest weight resistance of all the workout system. However, the exact maximum load for it is not specified.

Weight Resistance

The Body-Solid BFMG20 home gym is equipped with a weight stack of 145 lbs (65.7 kg). It consists of 9 weight plates, 15 lbs (6.8 kg) each. The top selector plate also weighs 10 lbs (4.5 kg). The machine’s cables and pulleys can support extra weight, but there aren’t any additional weight plates sold separately for this particular home gym.

One of the reasons the BFMG20 home gym is cheaper than others is that the included weight plates are not made of cast iron. They’re cement plates covered by a layer of vinyl material. Evidently, they’re not as durable as cast iron plates, but since this is a home gym, not a commercial-grade gym, they should last a long period of time. Also, this type of plate construction reduces the noise generated by the plates contact when you use the machine.

The unit’s adjustment system is fairly simple. An adjustment bar goes through the weight stack. The selection of plates is done with a pin which can easily be removed or inserted in the desired plate. The weight plates slide on two chrome-plated guide rods for extra stability.

Possible Exercises

The Body-Solid Best Fitness BFMG20 Sportsman Gym offers the possibility to execute more than 35 exercises. The list includes:

• Seated Biceps Curls
• Stand-up Biceps Curls
• Concentration Curls
• Triceps Press-downs
• Triceps Extensions
• Triceps Kickbacks
• Ab Pulldowns
• Low Pulley Trunk Rotations
• High Pulley Trunk Rotations
• Woodchops
• Deltoid Raises
• Seated Rows
• Upright Rows
• Fly Presses
• Shoulder Presses
• Vertical Grip Chest Presses
• Horizontal Grip Chest Presses
• High Cable Cross-Overs
• Lat Pulldowns
• High Pulley Ab Crunches
• Standing One-Leg Curls
• Leg Extensions
• Leg Abductions
• Leg Adductions
• Kickbacks
• Squats
• … and more.

Assembly and Maintenance

The Body-Solid BFMG20 requires full assembly. The task is not too complicated but it will take at least a few hours. The manual provides pretty clear, step-by-step assembly instructions and schematics. Tools for the assembly are not included; you will need two adjustable wrenches, a Phillips screwdriver, and a rubber mallet.

During the assembly, it is recommended to lubricate the pulleys and the two guide rods of the weight stack. This way, you won’t need to lubricate them for a long period of time. Other than the lubrication of the moving parts, you should also keep the unit clean and periodically check for loose or damaged parts.

The Pros

• Durable construction, compact frame;
• Thick and durable vinyl upholstery, with consistent padding for maximum comfort;
• Foam padding on the chest bars and leg workout station as well;
• Relatively small footprint for a home gym system;
• Three main workout stations including high pulley, front & fly press, and low pulley with leg developer attachment;
• Over 35 exercises available;
• Quiet operation, a suitable machine for apartment use;
• Lat bar included;
• Short row bar included;
• Little maintenance required;
• Fairly easy to assemble.

The Cons

• Butterfly arms may be a bit small for a person over 6’0″;
• The weight plates are not numbered.

Summary

The Body-Solid Best Fitness BFMG20 is a home gym equipped with a vinyl-cement weight stack of 145 lbs. It offers four workout stations and attachments, including high-pulley, low-pulley, fly and chest press station, and leg developer. It offers the possibility to perform more than 35 exercises for a full-body workout. It also includes the lat bar and a short row bar.