Body-Solid StrengthTech EXM2500S Home Gym

Unit	Dimensions	Possible exercises	Weight range	Weight plates	Warranty
Body-Solid EXM2500S Check Discounted Price	L:83" W:51" H:83"	30+	10-210 lbs	Cast iron	Lifetime

The Body-Solid EXM2500S is a home gym system in a range of features between the EXM1500S and EXM3000LPS. It’s a fitness machine with several workout stations, and one stacks of iron plates of 210 lbs. It’s definitely an inclusive machine, offering the possibility to perform a wide array of exercises.

Technical Details and Specifications

• Assembled dimensions: 83L x 51W x 83H inches (211L x 130W x 211H cm)
• Assembled weight: 420 lbs (190.5kg)
• Weight resistance system: Cast iron plate stack
• Weight resistance: 210 lbs (95.2 kg)
• Possible exercises: 30+
• Warranty: Lifetime

Frame and parts

The EXM2500S from Body-Solid is a medium-sized home gym system. It has a footprint of 83″L x 51″W (211 x 130 cm), it’s height being 83″ (211 cm) as well. This means it should fit in a room with a 7′ (213 cm) ceiling, but as you can see, it’s would be quite a tight fit. Therefore, it’s best to place it in a room with a higher ceiling, to avoid any issues. It’s also a rather heavy item of fitness equipment. It’s shipped in 7 boxes, 3 for the frame, 4 for the weight plates. It’s overall assembled weight is over 400 lbs, which means that once assembled, it’s extremely sturdy and stable.

Needless to say, the frame is made of steel tubing, 2 x 4″ , 12-ga. It’s extremely durable, and coated with corrosion resistant paint, white being the only color available at the moment. It’s equipped with 22 fiberglass reinforced pulleys, which integrate sealed ball bearings for prolonged use. The cables that go over the pulleys are 2,200 lbs tested steel ropes, coates with a thin sheet of PVC material, designed to keep the pulleys from scratching. However, even if the PVC sheets on the cables will wear out after a while, the pulleys should still be able to withstand a consistent daily wear for many years of use.

The base tubes of the frame do not integrate adjustable stabilizers, but due to its total weight the machine’s stability doesn’t have any issues. It’s recommended though to place it on a rubberized mat, to prevent floor damage. The bases also do not have any holes drilled in them for anchoring to the floor or pavement. All tubes have simple, heat-injected plastic caps at their ends, for safety and cosmetic purposes.

The machine is equipped with two seats, one for the chest press, one for the pec fly station. The seat on the chest press features 7 height adjustment position, with approx. 1/2 inch in between them. The seat on the pec fly has only 5 adjustment holes. The backrests of these seats are non-adjustable. Both seats with their backrests are foam-cushioned, with approx. 2″ of padding. The upholstery is made of durable vinyl material, in black color.

The leg attachment station, as well as the bar under the backrest, are equipped with 4″ (10 cm) foam rollers, providing the correct amount of comfort for the related exercises. Also, the package includes an ab/triceps strap with two handles, an ankle strap and of course, the lat bar.

Workout stations

The Body-Solid StrengthTech EXM2500S gym system integrates 6 workout stations:

Pec fly station – similar to the one equipped on the EXM3000 model, it’s a bi-functional station which provides workouts for the rear deltoids and pectoral muscles. This element includes dual overhead cams with 6 increments per arm, for accurate tuning and pre-stretch with optimal biomechanical movement.

Chest press – station that targets the development of pectoral, back and shoulder muscles. It’s equipped with single-grip handles, padded with rubber foam.

High-pulley – with a lat pull-down bar, station that promotes exercises for the back and shoulders, indispensable for a home gym.

Mid pulleys – which offer the possibility to perform ab crunches or twists for the core muscles.

Low pulley – this workout station is located under the seat of the fly station, offering the chance to perform seated rows, one-leg curls or any other exercises that involve the low pulley.

Leg developer – this workout station is placed under the press arm station, and its pulleys can’t be used as low pulleys, such as for other machines. As its name suggests, it promotes exercises to the leg muscles.

Weight Resistance

The Body-Solid EXM2500S comes with a cast iron weight stack, with a total weigh of 210 lbs (95.2 kg). It includes 21 weight plates, 10 lbs (4.5 kg) each. This weight stack is not upgradable, but in case you want more weight, you can improvise like many other users do, by tying one or two Olympic weight plates with a chain, onto the weight stack. There are optional adapter plates for adjusting the weight in increments of 2.5 or 5 lbs increments. WSA2-5 and WSA5 are their number names, in case you would want to opt for them.

The weight plates are painted black, but there are also red painted, premium plates compatible with this machine. A set of stickers specifying the plates’ weight is supplied with the machine. They’re supposed to be placed on the plates in ascending order, top-to-bottom.

Possible Exercises

• Ab Crunch
• Bench Press
• Biceps Curl (standing)
• Bent Over Row
• Close Grip Front Lat Pulldown
• Core Twist
• Deltoid Raise
• Dip
• Glute Kick
• Inner Thigh Adduction
• Leg Curl
• Leg Raise
• Leg Extensions
• Oblique Bend
• Outer Thigh Abduction
• Pec Fly
• Leg Extension
• Leg adduction
• Leg abduction
• Pull Over
• Reverse Fly
• Shoulder Press
• Seated Row
• Shoulder Shrug
• Tricep Press Down
• Tricep Extension
• Tricep Kickback
• Upright Row
• Wide Grip Front Lat Pulldown
• … and more

You can do one-leg curls using the leg developer station, or using the low pulley station with an ankle strap.

A leg press station is not available for this machine, therefore you won’t be able to perform any leg press exercises.

Assembly and Maintenance

As we’ve mentioned above, this weight machine is quite heavy, comes packaged in several boxes, which weigh approx. 423 lbs in total. Therefore, it’s recommended to have 2-3 people for the receiving of the package, unboxing and assembly.

The assembly, although a straightforward process, it can take up to 5-7 hours as there are many parts and pieces to put together. An assembly manual is provided though, which supplies pretty comprehensive step-by-step assembly instructions. Tools for assembly are not included, so you will need an adjustable wrench, Phillips screwdriver and a rubber mallet.

Maintenance requires greasing the pulleys if they begin to squeak. Also, from time to time, it’s best to check the bolts and nuts of the machine, to make sure they hold tight in place, and re-tighten them if required.

The Pros

• Sturdy and heavy all-steel frame;
• Durable upholstery on seat and back support., with 2″ thick padding for optimal comfort;
• Highly durable pulleys, with sealed bearings;
• 4″ roll-pads and stoppers for leg exercises and lat pulldowns;
• Adjustable seats;
• Cast iron weight plates, with a total weight of 210 lbs, great for beginner to intermediate users;
• 6 workout stations, including: press station, lat pulldown station, leg attachment, fly station, low pulley station, mid pulley station;
• Over 30 exercises available;
• Relatively small footprint for a home gym system;
• Quiet operation;
• Easy to setup;
• Excellent warranty plan.

The Cons

• Heavy items of fitness equipment, rather difficult to move once it is assembled;
• Tools for assembly are not included;
• Weight ratios for each workout station are not specified.

Summary

The Body-Solid StrengthTech EXM2500S is a home gym system for beginners and intermediate users. It features a cast iron weight stack with 21 weight plates, 10 lbs each, and 6 distinctive workout stations. It has a solid, steel frame, with fiberglass reinforced pulleys and steel cables tested for 2,200 lbs. It’s a great machine for strength, stamina and cardio training, offering training possibilities for all groups of muscles. It’s not exactly one of the most affordable machines, but considering the quality in its components, number of workout stations and weight stack, we can safely say its value / price ratio is fairly decent. So far, it benefits mostly from 5 star reviews from users all over U.S.