| Unit | Dimensions | Possible exercises | Weight stack | Weight plates | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BodyCraft Xpress Pro Check Discounted Price | L:83" W:57" H:82.75" | 50+ | 200 lbs | Steel | Lifetime |
Although the BodyCraft Xpress Pro home gym has been around for a while, and is not exactly one of the cheapest, to this day is one of the weight stack gym systems that benefit from a large number of positive reviews. That’s because it’s quite a solid machine, comes with metallic alloy stack, and it’s backed by a consistent warranty.
Technical Details and Specifications
- Assembled dimensions: 83L x 57W x 82.75H inches (211L x 145W x 210H cm)
- Assembled weight: 570 lbs (258.6 kg)
- Weight stack: Steel plates, 200 lbs (90.7 kg)
- Max. weight resistance: 400 lbs (181.4 kg)
- Possible exercises: 50+
- Warranty:
Residential: Frame lifetime / Parts lifetime
Light commercial: Frame 10 years / Parts 2 years / Wear parts 6 months
Frame construction and parts
As we’ve mentioned above, the BodyCraft Xpress Pro is one of the sturdiest home gyms in this specs and price range. Its frame is made of 2″ x 3″ and 2″ x 2″ heavy gauge steel tubing. All the steel bars in the frame construction feature a Platinum Gray multi-stage electrostatically applied powder coating. This coating is corrosion resistant and scratch/chip resistant. 
The machine has a heavy structure. Its total weight, with the included weight stack, exceeds 500 lbs. Therefore, it’s recommended to be transported and assembled by at least two people. On the other hand, all this weight renders the machine perfectly stable. You won’t need to bolt it to the floor. Also, its bases are equipped with rubberized caps to prevent floor damage. However, due to its impressive weight, it’s recommended to place it on a rubberized mat.
This BodyCraft home gym system takes quite a bit of space. Its assembled footprint is approx. 83″L x 57″W (211 x 145 cm) and on top of that, it is recommended to keep at least two feet of clearance on each side, for unhindered operation. Its highest point is approx. 83″ (211 cm) above floor level. Therefore, it should fit in a room or basement with a 7′ ceiling height, but it will definitely be a very tight fit.
The seat and backrest are both adjustable. The seat offers several upright adjustment positions, while the backrest adjusts front to back. Therefore, the machine can basically accommodate users of all sizes. The seat adjustment bar is spring-assisted so you can easily adjust it to your desired height while seated. Both the seat and the backrest feature two inches of extremely dense and durable foam padding. The upholstery on them is made of heavy gauge vinyl and double-stitched for extra durability. Differently put, with proper care it can last a lifetime.
The BodyCraft Xpress Pro home gym integrates quite an impressive number of heavy-duty pulleys. Each pulley is 4 1/2″ (11.4 cm) in diameter, made of fiberglass reinforced nylon, and spins on a sealed and pre-lubricated bearing hub. The cables feature a 7 x 19 strand construction; they’re steel ropes rated at 2,000 lbs (907 kg) tensile strength. Also, each cable has a highly durable nylon coating which results in a smoother operation of the machine.
Workout stations and included accessories
The BodyCraft Xpress Pro home gym features six distinctive workout stations. These are: chest press, arms cable station, high pulley station, mid pulley station, low pulley station and leg developer.
Chest press – this workout station features handles with a multi-grip design, in order to accommodate the needs of all users and offer the possibility to perform a variety of press 
exercises. As opposed to other home gyms with a chest press, such as the Titan 150 lbs Stack model, for example, the BodyCraft Xpress Pro offers an extra feature for its chest press. It has a unique double-up feature, which increases the resistance to 1:2 ratio for the press, delivering up to 400 (181.4 kg) lbs of weight resistance.
Adjustable arm station – this is another feature that many other home gym systems at this price and spec range do not have. The lateral arms have 10 adjustment positions, similar to the arms of the Bowflex Revolution model. They’re equipped with standard grips and their pulleys have the ability to rotate 180°. They offer the possibility to perform a wide array of arms and chest exercises.
High pulley station – this station opens the possibility to perform a variety of lat pulldowns and other high pulley exercises. It comes with a standard lat bar with curved, high-density foam grips and a chrome finish;
Mid pulley station – this workout station allows you to perform ab crunches. The ab harness accessory is included.
Low pulley station – this station comes with a short extension chain and short pulling handle for low or stand up rows. It opens a wide array of low pulley exercises. The machine also includes a footplate for enhanced stability during stand-up exercises involving the low pulley and an ankle strap for leg abductions or other similar exercises. 
Leg developer station – this element allows you to perform leg extensions and standing leg curls. It is equipped with 4″ foam rollers to provide the optimal comfort for these exercises.
An optional (not included) leg press station is also available for the BodyCraft Xpress Pro home gym. Just as the chest press, it offers a double-up ratio of 1:2 providing up to 400 lbs (181.4 kg) of weight resistance. Other optional accessories for this home gym are triceps rope and sports stick.
Weight stack and weight ratios
The Xpress Pro home gym comes with a 200 lbs (90.7 kg) weight stack, including 20 highly durable plates, at 10 lbs (4.5 kg) each. The weight plates are made of steel, this being one of the reasons this BodyCraft cable machine is a bit more expensive than other similar models. They’re durable plates and can last a lifetime with proper care. Also, they’re precision-milled and integrate nylon bushing for smooth operation.
The weight ratio for most workout stations is 1:1. However, since the chest press has a double-up feature, the weight resistance ratio for it is 1:2 resulting in up to 400 lbs (181.4 kg) of weight resistance. This also goes for the optional leg press attachment.
The machine has a metallic enclosure for the weight stack. This element is noise-dampening, and perforated, delivering maximum safety and improving the overall aspect of the machine.
One last aspect to mention here is upgradability. There aren’t any additional plates available separately for this machine. However, there are optional 5 lbs (2.26 kg) and 2.5 lbs (1.1 kg) add-on weights which offer some diversity in terms of weight increments.
Possible Exercises
Arm Exercises
- Triceps Pushdown
- French Press
- Standing French Press
- Triceps Press
- Triceps Extension
- Cross Triceps Extension
- Rope Pushdowns
- Standing Hammer Grip Curls
- Standing Biceps Curl
- Seated Biceps Curl
- Reverse Grip Tricep Pushdown
- Tricep Kickback
- Reverse Curl
- Biceps Curl
- Seated Wrist Extension
- Standing Wrist Curls
- Standing Wrist Extension
Abdominal Exercises
- Standing Trunk Rotation
- Trunk Rotation
- Standing Oblique Crunch
- Kneeling “Wood Chop”
- Kneeling Low to High Trunk Rotation
- Reverse Crunch
- Seated Abdominal Crunch
- Seated Oblique Abdominal Crunch
Back Exercises
- Standing Wide Angle Lat Row
- Narrow Pulldowns with Hand Grips
- Seated Lat Rows
- Stiff Arm Pulldown
- Standing Lat Row High Pulley
- Standing Lat Row Low Pulley
- Standing Lat Row Alternating Motion-Low Pulley
- Standing Single Arm Lat Row Low Pulley
- Standing Single Arm/ Single Leg Lat Row Low Pulley
- Seated Low Back Extension
- Standing Low Back Extension
- Shoulder Pullover
- Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown
- Wide Pulldowns
Chest Exercises
- Seated Press
- Cable Fly
- Resisted Punch
- Cable Crossover
- Standing Chest Press
- Standing Chest Fly
- Standing Single Arm Chest Fly
Leg Exercises
- Leg Extension
- Prone Leg Curls
- Standing Hip Flexion w/ Knee Flexion
- Standing Leg Kickback
- Standing Hip Extension
- Ankle Eversion
- Ankle Inversion
- Hip Abduction
- Hip Adduction
- Standing Hip Flexion
- Standing Hip Internal Rotation
- Standing Hip External Rotation
- Leg Press (optional)
Shoulder Exercises
- Rear Deltoid Rows
- Standing Lateral Shoulder Raise
- Seated Shoulder Press
- Standing Shoulder Press w/ Alternating Motion
- Standing Shoulder Press
- Front Shoulder Raise
- Standing Front Shoulder Raise
- Shoulder Extension
- Shoulder Shrug
- Scapular Protraction
- Scapular Retraction
- Scapular Depression
- Reverse Fly Cable Cross
- Seated Lateral Shoulder Raise
- Standing Rear Deltoid Row
- Standing Cable-cross Rear Deltoid Row
- Standing Shoulder Extension
Assembly and Maintenance
Just as for most other home gyms, the assembly isn’t exactly a walk in a park. It will take several hours due to the many parts that you will have to connect together. However, the manual does offer step-by-step, detailed assembly instructions. The tools required for the assembly are not included. You will need several adjustable wrenches, Allen wrenches, and a Phillips screwdriver.
On the other hand, once the machine is assembled, it doesn’t require a lot of maintenance. Basically, all you will have to do for this is remove the dust and periodically check for loose bolts and parts. The pulleys may also need lubrication, but the do come pre-lubricated from the factory, so you shouldn’t need to worry about this for a long while.
The Pros
- Sturdy and heavy frame, offering excellent stability;
- Quite an appealing design, which can also serve as a motivation factor;
- Adjustable seat and backrest;
- Durable upholstery and thick padding for optimal comfort;
- 6 workout stations, including press station, adjustable arm station, lat pulldown station, mid pulley station, low pulley station, and leg developer attachment;
- Multiple grip possibilities for the chest press;
- 4″ thick rollers for the leg developer element;
- 10 adjustment positions for the lateral pulley arms;
- 180° rotating pulleys on the lateral pulley arms;
- Heavy duty pulleys and cables;
- Accessories included: two pulling handles, lat bar, short row bar, ab harness and ankle strap;
- Steel, highly-durable weight plates;
- Total weight of the stack is 200 lbs;
- Maximum weight resistance for the chest press 400 lbs;
- Over 50 exercises available;
- Little maintenance required;
- Excellent warranty.
The Cons
- No conventional fly press station, but the lateral arms station offer a much higher versatility in terms of exercises;
- Heavy machine;
- Not too easy to assemble.
Summary
The BodyCraft Xpress Pro is a light-commercial home gym featuring a 200 lbs steel weight stack and 6 workout stations, including press station, adjustable arm station, lat pulldown station, mid pulley station, low pulley station, and leg developer attachment. It’s pretty complete and versatile cable machine, offering the possibility to perform over 50 gym-quality exercises. It’s a machine for users of all levels, including advanced weight lifters. And finally, it may not exactly be an affordable home gym, but the quality in its components, its durability, versatility and overall effectiveness definitely stand up to the price.