| Unit | Dimensions | Possible exercises | Weight range | Weight plates | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BodyCraft HFT Check Discounted Price | L:40" W:56" H:82" | 40+ | 2x 150 lbs, 2:1 ratio | Cast iron | In-home: -lifetime Light commercial: - frame: 10 yrs - parts: 2 yrs |
The BodyCraft HFT is a functional trainer similar to the Inspire Fitness FT1 or the XMark XM-7626. It has lighter weight stacks (150 lbs each), but overall, it provides the same spectrum of exercises and superior quality. It’s actually one of the best trainers in this category, as so far it benefits from an almost clean 5-star rating on most websites, despite the fact that it’s not exactly cheap.
Technical Details and Specifications
- Assembled dimensions: 40″D x 56″W x 82″H inches (102D x 142W x 208H cm)
- Assembled weight: 530 lbs (~240 kg)
- Weight resistance system: Steel plate stacks
- Max. weight resistance: 2x 150 lbs (68 kg) (2:1 ratio)
- Possible exercises: 40+
- Accessories: Long bar, short bar, chin bar, pull up strap, 2 extension chains, two D-handles, tricep rope, exercise booklet
- Warranty:
– In-home: Lifetime
– Light-commercial: 10 years frame, 2 years parts
Frame, parts & accessories
The BodyCraft HFT functional trainer features a heavy-duty frame, made 11-ga 3.25″ x 1.75″ ovalized steel tubing. The base bars,
the rear upright bars, and several other parts feature a platinum gray paint finish, while the top pulley covers and the stack covers have a textured black finish. Both types of paint finish are corrosion-resistant. The guide rods of the weight stacks and the adjustment bars of the mobile pulleys are chrome plated.
Compared to other trainers, this BodyCraft home gym isn’t as large. The widest point of its base is ~56″ (142 cm), while its depth is approx. 40″ (102 cm). At the rear bottom section is 22″ (56 cm). Along with these dimensions, it’s recommended to leave at least one foot of clearance on each side and at the rear of the unit, and several feet of clearance at the front, especially if you will be using a bench.
The trainer’s height is approx. 82″ (208 cm). This means it can fit in a room with a 7′ (213 cm) ceiling. However, it the remaining two inches of clearance above will not be enough for the correct execution of most pull-up exercises.
The machine is equipped with multiple fiberglass reinforced nylon pulleys. Each puller incorporates a sealed ball bearing in order to provide a smooth operation of the machine. The cables are 2,000 lbs tensile strength steel ropes, covered by a sheet of flexible nylon to prolong the lifespan of the pulleys.
The front side upright bars of the machine feature 31 adjustment positions for the mobile pulleys. The highest setting is at approx. 78″ (198 cm) above floor level, while the lowest is at approx. 14″ (36 cm). The adjustable pulleys have a pivoting design; they can rotate 180° on their axis, allowing you to perform exercises from multiple angles.
The pull-up bar offers multiple grip possibilities. Its main grip sections are knurled to provide a better hand adherence. Although
it’s weight capacity isn’t specified, users have reported that it’s sturdy enough to hold 300 lbs (136 kg). So, it should be safe to perform pull-up exercises with some extra weight.
The rear mid-section bar of the frame has several supports for hanging the included accessories. It also has a special support for the included booklet with exercises.
Last but not least, there are quite a few accessories included with this home gym. Among them, we can count a long bar, short bar, chin bar, pull-up strap, 2 extension chains, two D-handles, tricep rope, and the exercise brochure.
Weight Resistance
The BodyCraft HFT functional trainer is equipped with two 150 lbs (68 kg) weight stacks. Each weight stack contains 15 weight
plates of approx. 10 lbs (4.5 kg) each. The weight plates are made of top-quality cast iron, and can last a lifetime even with a certain amount of abuse. This is actually one of the reasons this fitness machine is considerably more expensive than a similar one with vinyl/cement weight plates.
Each weight stack of the BodyCraft HFT trainer is upgradable. There are 5-plate upgrade stacks available. In the attached photo here, you can see a fully upgraded weight stack with all the 20 weight plates.
The weight ratio of the machine is 2:1. This means the maximum weight resistance generated for each stack is 75 lbs (34 kg), or 100 lbs (45 kg) with the stack fully upgraded.
Last but not least, the adjustment is done with ease. You simply insert the pin in the plate with the desired weight marked on it.
Possible Exercises
This fitness machine offers the possibility to execute more than 40 exercises for the main groups of muscles. Some of the most important ones are:
Arm exercises
- Bicep curls
- Lateral single-arm biceps curls
- Lying biceps curls
- Close grip pulldowns
- Triceps extensions
- Triceps press-downs
- Kneeling triceps extensions
- Lateral single-arm triceps extensions
- Prone triceps extensions
- Pull-ups / Chin-ups
- Assisted Pull-ups / Chin-ups
Abdominal Exercises
- Cable crunches
- Cable twist crunches
- Seated trunk rotations
- Standing trunk rotations
- Golf swings
Back Exercises
- Back flies
- Back presses
- Prone back flies
- Prone reverse flies
- Lat pulldowns
- Aerobic rowing
- Crossover rowing
- Kneeling rowing
Chest Exercises
- Chest presses
- Single arm chest presses
- Wide grip chest presses
- Close grip chest presses
- Chest flies
- Incline chest flies
- Lateral chest flies
- Single arm chest flies
- Pullovers
- Pullovers with crunches
- Pullovers with twisting crunches
Leg Exercises
- Stand-up leg curls
- Calf raises
- Squats
- Single-leg squats
- Kneeling single-leg squats
- Wide squats
- Twisting squats
- Jumping squats
- Front lunges
- Hip extensions
- Hip adductions
- Hip abductions
Shoulder Exercises
- Shoulder presses
- Upright rows
- Lateral deltoid raises
- Front deltoid raises
- Lying front deltoid raises
- Front deltoid raises with leg curls
- Shoulder extensions
- Lateral arm pulls
- …and more.
The included training booklet actually covers 70 exercises and variations which can be performed on the machine. However, some of them (and some of the ones in the list above) require accessories that are not included, such as an adjustable bench, or a stability ball.
Assembly & Maintenance
This functional trainer comes in several separate boxes and requires complete assembly. It task may take at least a couple of hours as there are many pieces to put together. However, the included manual provides very clear, step-by-step assembly instructions.
For maintenance, it’s recommended to periodically lubricate the guide rods of the weight plates for a smoother operation. The pulleys may also require periodic lubrication, but this can be eliminated if you apply a bit of oil on each one of them during assembly. And finally, checking the machine’s joints from time to time, or before each workout is not a bad idea.
The Pros
- Light-commercial grade sturdiness;
- Smooth pulley and cable movement;
- 31 adjustment positions for its mobile pulleys;
- The mobile pulleys rotate 180°;
- Ergonomic, multi-grip pull-up bar;
- Top-quality cast iron weight plates;
- Weight stack guards on each base;
- Pulley guards on top;
- 150 lbs weight for each stack;
- Upgradable weight stacks by up to 50 lbs each;
- Over 40 exercises available;
- Relatively small footprint for a home gym system;
- Multiple accessories included;
- Little maintenance required;
- Quiet operation;
- Fairly easy to set up;
- Excellent warranty.
The Cons
- The bench is not included.
Summary
The BodyCraft HFT is a functional trainer equipped with 2x 150 lbs cast iron weight stacks. It features a heavy-duty frame, with a multi-grip pull-up bar, and 31 adjustment positions for the mobile pulleys. It includes quite a selection of accessories and offers the possibility to perform more than 40 exercises. In all, it’s a top-quality fitness machine, great for users of all levels.