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Stevie Richards 5/12/23 Stevie Richards 5/12/23

Force USA X15 Review: Multi-trainer beast

With its 11-guage 3x3 uprights, the X-series of products from Force USA offers a beefier alternative to the other models the company has to offer. In fact, when looking at the X15, it visually appears to be almost twice the size of the standard 2x2 design. But extra steel and toughness is not all that the X15 has to offer. This versatile machine is essentially six strength training machines in one, with notable features being the aforementioned 3x3 uprights as well as the new cable pulley rails, innovative pull-up bars and high-quality weight stacks.

GET THE FORCE USA X15 HERE(SAVE USING MY LINK): https://www.forceusa.com/stevie

OVERVIEW

3x3 Uprights

The depth and width of the uprights on the Force USA X15 are truly impressive and serve as just another example of how much the company truly listens to its customers. While many were asking for 2x2 uprights to be standard on the machines, the X15 offers even more with its 3x3 uprights and its 11-gauge rolled SteelForce tubing. Thanks to this extra steel, the X15 can withstand any punishment that it receives, whether used in a residential or professional setting.

In addition to offering extra beefiness, the uprights on the X15 also feature Westside Spacing with 42 adjustment points. These points are one inch in diameter with 1 ½ inch spacing on the lower rack and 3 inch spacing on the upper rack. This allows you to quickly and easily adjust height levels to suit your needs. Two barbell storage holders, which can accommodate Olympic barbells, are also located at the back of the rack. Commercial-grade J-Hooks and Safeties are included with the base model to assist with making your adjustments.

New Cable Pulley Rails

Aside from the weight stacks, the new cable pulley rail system used with the X15 is essentially the heart and the soul of the machine. While you should still use two hands when making adjustments in order to ensure your safety, the innovative design of this 2:1 pulley system makes it possible to make adjustments with just one hand.

Like the rest of the machine, the rollers in this cable pulley system have been beefed up, which helps to make the process of making adjustments smoother and easier. Even better, these heavy-duty roller pulleys can be moved to 34 different adjustment points on the front of the half-rack. The system also features a knurled grip handle, which locks into place with the help of a pop pin, while the cables themselves are aircraft grade and rated for 2,000 pounds.

The pulley system with the X15 connects into the dual integrated weight stacks located at the back of the machine, allowing you to perform lat pulldowns, flyes, curls, low rows and more.

Weight Stacks

The weight stacks on the X15 are controlled with the cable pulley system, which has a 2:1 ratio system. This means that 100 pounds of weight put on the system is equal to 50 pounds. The weight stacks with this machine are identical to the G15 Pro in terms of how they look as well as in how much they hold: 289 pounds. The biggest difference between the two models is that the X15 pulley system only offers the 2:1 ratio, whereas the G15 offers the 2:1 ratio with the option to easily convert to a 4:1 ratio.

ncluded Pull-Up Bars

A classic straight pull-up bar system with a straight pull-up and a multi-grip pull-bar is also included with the Force USA X15. This makes it the first of the Force USA trainers to include both types of bars. Thanks to this system, you are not stuck with just a bar or the multi-grip system. Rather, the system can be swapped out depending on what you want to do. The station also features knurled gripping, which allows for overhand, underhand, wide-grip and close grip positions.

As is the case with everything else with this machine, the pull-up bar boasts beefier bolts than in other models. The system also includes a suspension trainer stirrup, which is compatible with a resistance band or heavy bag and allows you to experience more than 50 stability, core strength and muscular endurance exercises.

Plate Storage

The Force USA X15 machine offers four spaces for plate storage on the side with additional plate storage space in the back. A unique feature to the X-series is that the storage slots are adjustable, allowing you to configure the plates in a more personalized manner. In past models, you typically only had three weight holders paired with bumper plates, which could sometimes be problematic. This design is much sleeker and easier to use.

Included Attachments

The X15 offers a number of attachments that were previously only available as part of the upgrade package with other models. Attachments and extras included with the X15 include:

Low Row Footplate (25” x 10”)
Lat Pulldown Bar
Single Chin-Up Bar
Multi-Grip Chin-Up Bar
Aluminum Straight Bar
Close Grip Triangle
Ankle Cuff
Landmine
Extension Chains (2)
Tricep Rope
Tricep Pressdown Bar (V Bar)
Safety Arms (2)
J-Hooks (2)
Plastic Handle (2)

The safety spotter arms that come with the X15 are a little longer than those that came with past models and the hard rubber on the arms is a little bit thicker. Meanwhile, the landmine serves as a swivel arm that can attach to either side of the uprights, where it can hold a barbell and be used for rotational torso training.

Basically, straight out of the box, you are going to get everything that you need rather than needing to purchase the upgrade package with the X15. With the upgrade kit, however, you can add three additional strength training stations to your machine, as well as three functional attachments, four more storage shelves and a TV mount. Items includes in the upgrade kit are as follows:

Lat Pulldown Seat with Knee Holder
Multi-Grip Lat Pulldown Handle
Multi-Grip Landmine Handle
Matador-Dip Handles/Dip Bar
Storage Shelves with Rubber Lining (4)
Jammer Arms (2)
TV Mounting Bracket

Measurement Considerations

As might be expected with increased durability and overall beefiness, it is important to note that the X15 does take up a bit more space than some other models. The measurements on this machine are 71” (W) x 57” (D) x 92” (H) for the exterior and 40” (W) x 43” (D) x 86” (H) for the interior. Many basements are only slightly taller than the height of this machine, which means you may have trouble fitting it into a home gym located in the basement. Keep in mind that you don’t just need clearance for the machine itself, but you also need clearance space for your head when doing pullups.

Conclusion

Whether you are interested in powerlifting, CrossFit or you simply are not interested in having a Smith machine, the Force USA X15 may be what you are looking for. With its extra heavy-duty construction, it is a good option for a household with multiple users as well as for a commercial setting or training studio. With its 2:1 cable pulley ratio and its versatility to serve as six strength training machines in one, this machine is a solid choice backed by a lifetime structural warranty.

- GREAT INTERIOR WORKING SPACE
- LOTS OF INCLUDED ATTACHMENTS
- OPTIONAL UPGRADE KIT ADDS TO FUNCTIONALITY
- EXPENSIVE
- SOME CONSUMERS VALUE THE SMITH MACHINE AND THE X15 DOES NOT HAVE ONE
- FOOTPRINT MAY BE A DEALBREAKER FOR THOSE WITH LIMITED SPACE AND LOW CEILINGS

GET THE FORCE USA X15 HERE(SAVE USING MY LINK): https://www.forceusa.com/stevie

Stevie Richards 4/15/23 Stevie Richards 4/15/23

Top Things to Consider When Building a Home Gym

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Having your own gym space at home has a lot of perks, including convenience and the potential for saving a significant amount of money over paying for a gym membership over a long period of time. When creating a gym in your home, however, there are three main factors that you need to keep in mind in order to achieve the greatest results. These factors include considering budget, space and cleaning while also taking a minimalist approach and considering the type of space that you are working with, especially if you are planning to put a home gym in an apartment.

Determining Your Home Gym Budget

Unless you have an unlimited source of income, budget is probably going to be the number one factor you have to consider before building a home gym. When you first start to consider your budget for a home gym, the process may seem a bit overwhelming. You may also not be sure what is a reasonable amount of money to set aside for a home gym.

To help you with determining a reasonable budget, PRX Performance offers a handy calculator that allows you to get a good idea of what you can expect to pay to go to the gym over a period of time. Armed with this information, you can better compare the cost of a gym membership versus a home gym while also easily seeing how much you would otherwise pay to go to the gym. Instead of spending this money toward a gym membership, the funds can be applied toward your home gym budget.

When determining the cost of going to a commercial gym, the PRX calculator considers a number of factors. These include:

Monthly gym membership cost
Miles to the gym and the average cost of gas
Personal time spent traveling back and forth to the gym
Number of days you travel back and forth to the gym

After gathering all of this information, the calculator can tell you how much it costs you per year to use the gym as well as how many hours you spend each year with travel. It can be a true eye opener that will also help you to see how long it will likely take for you to recoup the investment that you make in creating a home gym.

Considering the Availability of Space

There is no doubt that home gym equipment can take up a lot of space. While there are many models that are designed to minimalize the footprint of the equipment, you will still need to carefully consider the amount of space that you have available in your home. When taking measurements to determine if you have enough room for a piece of equipment, you should keep all of the following in mind:

The actual size of the workout equipment
The space that is needed for any extensions or attachments that are used with the equipment
Space above the equipment to allow for your head, arms and any movements that you may need to make while using the equipment
The clearance that is needed for you to walk around the equipment as you use it or make any necessary adjustments

The bottom line is that failing to have enough space to properly use your equipment is going to be a nightmare, so you should measure and then measure again before placing an order. After all, when they deliver that big pallet of equipment, it is not the time to realize that the machine is not going to fit.

When considering the space needed for your equipment, you should also consider whether or not you are likely to add more equipment to your home gym in the future. Some machines can be difficult if not impossible to move once they have been assembled, so you want to be sure to place the machine in the best possible spot to meet both your current and future needs.

Cleaning Your Home Gym

When considering creating a home gym space, some people fail to think about cleaning and maintaining the equipment. Even with a mat down beneath the machine, you will need to clean the surrounding floor as well as the floor beneath the mat. This process is not always easy. You will also need to wipe down the equipment on a regular basis, not only to help keep your gym looking great, but also to prevent gym odors from permeating your living space.

Remember, commercial gyms have a regular routine for cleaning and disinfecting their workout equipment. You will need to do the same with your home gym if you don’t want your whole house to smell like a gym. The time it takes to clean your equipment as well as the products you need to purchase to clean the equipment and floor on a regular basis should also be considered when calculating your budget.

Taking a Minimalist Approach

The saying of “Buy once, cry once,” is certainly applicable when it comes to creating a home gym. In other words, while all-in-one machines do require paying a high upfront cost, buying these machines rather than several individual machines will save money in the long run while also reducing the amount of space that you have to dedicate to your home gym.

Unless you are creating a workout center that will be used by multiple users at the same time, there is no reason to purchase multiple machines when those machines can be combined into one machine with a smaller overall footprint.

You should also resist the temptation to purchase many different machines all at the same time. Instead, start with a power rack or some other item to serve as the main hub of your home gym. Use this machine for at least a month before adding more items to your gym. This will allow you to truly see what else you need to make your home gym complete. Besides, gradually adding on to your home gym over a period of time is part of the fun of building it!

Special Considerations for Apartments

If you have an apartment in which you want to create a home gym, there are a few special factors that you should take into consideration. For example, having a home gym in an apartment that is on any floor other than the ground floor can be a problem. Many apartment floors are not constructed to withstand the weight of some pieces of equipment, especially bulky all-in-one machines that can weigh up to nearly 1,000 pounds once all of the weights and attachments are taken into consideration.

Even if the weight of your equipment is not a problem in your apartment, you also have to consider the thickness of your walls and floors in terms of the noise that your equipment makes. After all, you want to be sure to be courteous to your neighbors, especially if you are someone who likes to get in an early morning or late-night workout when most people are trying to sleep.

Having your equipment delivered can also be an issue if you live in an apartment. Even ground floor apartments can run into obstacles with deliveries, but this is particularly true of apartments that are located on higher floors. Maneuvering equipment up multiple flights of stairs can be a difficult task, if not an impossible one.

Ultimately, the decision to create a gym in your home is a personal one that will require you to take many things into consideration. In addition, you may want to consider installing your home gym in your garage, but there are a number of other factors that need to be taken into consideration when going this route. Through careful planning and consideration of both your short- and long-term home gym goals, you will be able to make the choice that is right for you, your home and your fitness journey.

Building a gym space? Please consider using our affiliate links: https://bio.site/stevierichardsfitness

Stevie Richards 4/15/23 Stevie Richards 4/15/23