Marcy Pro Smith Cage Home Gym Training System SM-4903

Unit	Dimensions	Assembled weight	Weight capacity	Possible exercises	Warranty
Marcy Pro SM-4903 Check Discounted Price	Smith: D:86" W:73" H:85" Bench: L:48" W:37" H:49"	350+ lbs	Smith: 300 lbs Bench: 600 lbs Carriages: 300 lbs (each)	50+	2 years limited

The SM-4903 is one of the most complete strength training systems from Marcy Pro. It includes a Smith cage with various attachments and a dual pulley system. It also comes with a multi-position bench. Although it doesn’t have an extraordinary weight capacity like a commercial Smith cage or power rack, it still is sturdy enough to support loads up to 300 lbs (136 kg), which should be enough for the average home user.

Key Features and Specifications

• Assembled dimensions cage: 86L x 73W x 85H inches (218L x 185W x 216H cm)
• Assembled dimensions bench: 48L x 37W x 49H inches (122L x 94W x 124H cm)
• Shipping weight: 390 lbs (177 kg)
• Weight capacity:
  Maximum weight for bench: 600 lbs (272 kg) (including user’s weight)
  Maximum weights for press bar: 300 lbs (136 kg)
  Maximum weight for sliding weight trolley: 300 lbs (136 kg)
  Maximum weight for pull-up bar and dip station: 300 lbs (136 kg)
  Maximum weight for bar catch braces and bar catches: 300 lbs (136 kg)
• Compatible weight plates: Olympic & Standard
• Possible exercises: 50+
• Warranty: 2 years limited

Smith cage, parts, and accessories

Needless to say, the main element of the Marcy Pro SM-4903 is the Smith cage. Its frame is made of heavy-duty steel tubing. The main upright posts, as well as the upper and base bars, feature a gray, corrosion-resistant paint finish, while the rear bars that serve as guides for the weight trolleys and the stability bars for the weight bar have a chrome finish. The safety catches of the Smith machine, as well as the catch bars on the opposite side, are painted red. The catch bars also have a rubberized layer on top, to reduce the noise of a bar drop and prevent paint chipping.

The fully assembled Smith cage is fairly large. Its footprint is 86″L x 73″W (218 x 185 cm), while its height is 85″ (216 cm). This being said, the machine won’t fit in a room with a 7′ ceiling, and you will need at least one foot of clearance above it to be able to perform pull-ups correctly. Also, the included lifting bar is 7′ long, so you will need at least a few feet of clearance all around the unit for safe usage and ease of access.

The rear base of the cage consists of a double bar with five weight plate dividers on it. These dividers can also double up as push-up points in case the rear of the cage is not close to a wall.

In terms of safety elements, the Marcy SM-4903 cage comes with a set of two catch bars, a set of two catch braces, and the safety catches of the Smith machine. These are all rated for a weight capacity of 300 lbs (136 kg). The rear upright posts of the cage have 12 adjustment positions, while the front posts have 11 adjustment positions. The highest set of adjustment holes for the catch bars is at approx. 56″ (142 cm) above floor level.

The top front bar of the cage is equipped with a pull-up bar featuring curved lateral grips, and parallel grips at the center so you can perform a wide array of pull-ups and chin-ups. This bar has a weight capacity of 300 lbs (136 kg).

Considering that the Marcy Pro SM-4903 is equipped with a dual sliding weight trolley system, it has several pulley sets on each side. The pulleys are made of heavy-duty nylon material and integrate sealed ball bearings for a smooth motion. The cables are steel ropes tested for 2,000 lbs tensile strength so they can support much more than the specified weight capacity of the carriages. Each cable is coated with a layer of PVC material to prevent the scratching of the pulleys.

In terms of accessories, the Marcy SM-4903 includes a dip station which can be attached to one of the upright bars It features two long rubberized grips and has a weight capacity of 300 lbs (136 kg) like most other parts of the machine. For the high and low pulley systems, a set of two D-handles with rubberized grips are included. This strength training system does not include a short bar for low rows or a lat bar. And finally, both the Smith bar and the weight trolleys have Olympic 2″ removable adapters with spring collars.

Bench

The Marcy Pro SM-4903 Smith cage system includes a multi-position bench. It offers six positions for the backrest and four positions for the seat. However, it is important to mention that the backrest does not offer a decline position. It can only be lowered to 0°.

The bench is fairly large. Its footprint is 48″L x 37″W (122 x 94 cm), while its highest point is approx. 49″ (124 cm) when the backrest is set to its most upright position. The bench does not attach to the cage in any way. Also, its rear base is equipped with two small wheels while its front base has a small lifting handle so you can easily remove it from the cage if you want to perform squats, pull-ups, or other exercises that do not require a bench.

Both the seat pad and the backrest are generously cushioned. They integrate approx. 2.5″ (6.3 cm) of foam padding and have a durable vinyl upholstery. The exact dimensions of the backrest and seat pad are not specified, but as a general idea, they are approx. 14″ (35 cm) wide, offering plenty of support.

The weight capacity of the bench is 600 lbs (272 kg). This, of course, includes the weight of the user, plus the weight of the barbell or dumbbells used for the exercises.

Weight Resistance

The Marcy Pro SM-4903 Smith cage is equipped with a dual sliding weight trolley system. Each weight carriage can be loaded with up to 300 lbs (136 kg), 150 lbs (68 kg) on each peg. The pegs can be loaded with Standard 1″ weight plates, but as we’ve mentioned above, each carriage has a set of Olympic 2″ adapters; so you can use Olympic plates as well.

The machine has two sets of upper pulleys and two sets of lower pulleys. Therefore, you can perform a variety of cross-over exercises. Each pulley side, or each carriage offers a weight resistance of 2:1. In other words, if you load one weight carriage with 100 lbs, you will benefit from a weight resistance of 50 lbs. So, this being said, you can have a maximum of 150 lbs (68 kg) weight resistance per arm when using the pulley system.

Possible Exercises

• Pull-ups
• Wide grip pull-ups
• Muscle pull-ups
• Behind head pull-ups
• Cliffhangers
• Chin-ups
• Close grip chin-ups
• Wide grip chin-ups
• Hanging knee raises
• Hanging leg raises
• Lat pull-downs
• Close grip pulldowns
• Behind head pulldowns
• Dips
• Low cable cross-overs
• High cable cross-overs
• Aerobic rowing
• Kneeling rowing
• Biceps curls
• Triceps press downs
• Incline presses
• Horizontal presses
• Single arm chest presses
• Wide grip chest presses
• Close grip chest presses
• Cable crunches
• Cable twist crunches
• Seated trunk rotations
• Standing trunk rotations
• Calf raises
• Squats
• Single-leg squats
• Kneeling single-leg squats
• Wide squats
• Twisting squats
• Jumping squats
• Hip extensions
• Hip adductions
• Hip abductions
• … and more

Of course, some of these exercises require extra accessories. For example, in order to do rows, it is recommended to use a short bar, but this exercise can also be performed with the two included D-handles. For standard lat pulldowns, a pulldown bar is recommended. Also, the bench can be used outside the cage for a wide array of dumbbell exercises.

Assembly and Maintenance

This Marcy Pro strength training system requires full assembly. The task will take at least a few hours, but it is not that complicated. It is recommended to do this with the help of another person. The included manual provides very clear assembly instructions and schematics. Tools for assembly are not included, and you will need a set of Allen wrenches, two adjustable wrenches, and a rubber mallet.

For maintenance, it is recommended to periodically lubricate the guide rods of the lat attachment and the guide tubes of the Smith machine. A bottle of silicone lubricant is included. Other than this, it is recommended to inspect the machine from time to time, to make sure there are no damaged parts and re-tighten any loose parts.

The Pros

• Heavy-duty steel construction;
• 12 adjustment positions for the bar catches;
• Dual sliding weight system;
• Barbell included;
• Olympic 2″ adapters for both the carriages of the pulley system and the barbell;
• 5 weight plate dividers on the rear base bars;
• Heavy-duty nylon pulleys;
• 2,000 lbs tensile strength steel cables with PVC sleeves;
• Two anchors included;
• Multi-grip pull-up bar included;
• Removable dip station included;
• D-handles included;
• Bar catches and safety catch braces included;
• Multi-position bench included;
• Premium cushioning on the bench pads;
• Transport wheels and handle on the bench;
• 600 lbs weight capacity for the bench;
• Over 50+ possible exercises;
• Quiet operation;
• Little maintenance required.

The Cons

• No preacher pad attachment for the bench;
• No leg developer for the bench;
• Only 300 lbs capacity for the Smith cage (some users may want more);
• Lat bar is not included.

Summary

The Marcy Pro SM-4903 is a strength training system that includes a Smith cage, a dual overhead pulley system, and a heavy-duty, multi-position bench. It also has a pull-up bar, and includes a removable dip station. It offers the possibility to perform more than 50 exercises. It’s great for beginners and mid-range lifters, perfect for any home gym set-up. In all, it offers excellent value for the price.