| Unit | Dimensions | Possible exercises | Weight capacity | Workout stations | Accessories included |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Body Champ VKR1987 Check Discounted Price | L:48" W:43" H:84" | 30+ | 300 lbs | Pull-up, Dip & leg raise, Ab crunch | Ab Sling Straps, D-Handles |
The Body Champ VKR1987 offers a few extra features over the standard power tower. Not only that it includes several accessories such as sling straps and reverse pull-up handles, but it also offers adjustability for its dip handles. It’s designed for five primary exercises, such as pull-ups, knee raises, dips, push-up, and sit-ups. But nonetheless, it also offers the possibility to perform multiple variations of them.
Key Features and Specifications
- Assembled dimensions: 48L x 43W x 84H inches (122L x 109W x 213H cm)
- Assembled weight: 84 lbs (38 kg)
- Weight capacity: 300 lbs (136 kg)
- Possible exercises: 30+
Frame construction and accessories
The Body Champ VKR1987 power tower features a pretty sturdy frame made of steel tubing. It’s designed 
to support loads up to 300 lbs (136 kg), so if you’re below this weight limit, you should also be able to perform weighted exercises. All the steel tubes in the frame construction are coated with a corrosion-resistant paint finish. The colors used are metallic gray for the main frame, black for the support bars that connect the two upright bars together, and red for the dip handles. These are the only colors available for this power tower (at least for the moment).
This Body Champ power tower is not extremely large. Its footprint is 48″L x 43″W (122 x 109 cm) but it is recommended to leave at least two feet of clearance on each side of it, and at least a few feet at the front and rear to be able to execute all the exercises correctly and without any hindrance.
The unit’s height is approx. 84″ (213.3 cm), which is exactly seven feet. This being said, the power tower won’t fit in a room with a 7-foot ceiling as you must leave at least 10″ (25 cm) of clearance above it, to be able to perform all the pull-up and chin-up exercises correctly.
An important element present in the frame construction of the Body Champ VKR1987 is the backbone bar. Not all power towers have this element. Evidently, this considerably improves the unit’s overall sturdiness. Plus, you can attach the short foot stopper bar at its base for crunches and sit-ups.
The tower’s upright bars feature 7 attachment positions for the dip handles. This being said, you can attach them at a medium level for leg raises, or close to the floor if you want to perform parallel grip push-ups.
Like most other power towers, the Body Champ VKR1987 is equipped with a backrest element. Although it’s not large, it still provides the required support for leg raises and knee raises. It integrates a thick layer of foam cushioning and has a durably vinyl cover with the “BodyChamp” logo on it. The height of the bar that sustains the backrest is non-adjustable, though.
It’s important to mention that the tower’s base bars do not have pre-drilled holes for anchoring it to the floor. However, the fully assembled unit weighs approx. 84 lbs (38 kg), a weight that should offer enough stability without anchoring it.
The two included accessories with the VKR1987 are the D-handles and the two ab sling straps. The D-handles can be attached either to the pull-up grips or to the dip handles for various exercises. The ab sling straps are meant to be attached to the pull-up grips for various abdominal exercises.
Workout stations
The Body Champ VKR1987 power tower features three distinct workout stations. These are the pull-up station, the dip station, and the low crunch station. The “5-in-1” in the title of the product actually means that it offers the possibility to perform five major groups of exercises (we’ll provide a list in the section below).
Pull-up station. This workout station offers two types of grips for pull-ups/chin-ups and multiple variations. The two wide grips are approx. 40″ (101 cm) apart. The other two grips are parallel, situated on the inner sides of the wide grips.
Of course, since the VKR1987 power tower includes two ab sling straps and two D-handles, these can be attached to the pull-up station for the execution of various exercises.
Dip station. As we’ve mentioned above, this Body Champ power tower offers 7 adjustment positions for its dip handles. However, the two dip handles don’t have armrest cushions and extra grips for leg raises on them like the dip handles of the CityBirds power tower, for example. Therefore, if you’re going to perform leg raises or knee raises using them, you will have to use the standard grip.
Ab crunch station. Evidently, you can always perform ab crunches or sit-ups without any support. However, if you have anything to lock your feet during these exercises, the quality of the workout considerably improves. This power tower includes a short bar that you can attach to its backbone, at the base, which can serve as foot support for these exercises.
Possible Exercises
The Body Champ VKR1987 5-in-1 Power Tower offers the possibility to perform more than 30 
exercises. The list includes:
- Chin-ups
- One-arm chin-ups
- Weighted chin-ups
- Pull-ups
- Wide grip pull-ups
- Behind head pull-ups
- Around the world pull-ups
- One-arm pull-ups
- Close-grip pull-ups
- Cliffhangers
- Weighted pull-ups
- Reverse pull-ups
- Reverse weighted pull-ups
- Dips
- Assisted dips
- Weighted dips
- Dip to leg raise
- Side-to-side dips
- Gironda dips
- Reverse Gironda dips
- Ab sling crunches
- Ab sling leg raises
- Hanging knee raises
- Hanging leg raises
- Incline push-ups
- Sit-ups
- Single leg squats
- … and more.
Assembly and Maintenance
The Body Champ VKR1987 requires complete user assembly. However, the task is far from being complicated. Basically, you will first have to assemble the base, then attach the upright bars, the backbone of the unit, the backrest, the pull-up grips, and then add the included accessories. The included manual provides all the necessary instructions.
Once the power tower is fully assembled, its maintenance doesn’t require much. You only have to periodically inspect its integrity; in other words, check for loose bolts and parts.
The Pros
- Pretty sturdy frame for a home use tower – can support users up to 300 lbs (136 kg);
- Small footprint – can fit even into a smaller room;
- Three main workout stations: pull-up, dip, and ab crunch support;
- 5-in-1 functionality – covers 5 major types of exercises, including pull-ups, dips, ab crunches, leg raises, push-ups;
- More than 30 exercises available;
- Pull-up station with double grips;
- Cushioned backrest;
- 7 adjustment positions for the dip handles;
- Ab sling straps included;
- D-handles for reverse rows included;
- Fairly easy to assemble;
- Little maintenance required.
The Cons
- No armrest cushions on the dip handles.
Summary
The Body Champ VKR1987 5-in-1 Power Tower is a strength training system made for home use. It features three workout stations (pull-up, dip & leg-raise, and ab crunch). It offers 7 adjustment positions for its dip handles and includes a set of ab sling straps, and a set of D-handles for inverted rows. It allows the execution of over 30 exercises. It’s also an affordable trainer, offering excellent value for the price.