If you watched the entire thing, you rock... Believe it or not I actually cut about 20 minutes worth of stuff. So make sure if you want the deepest of dives, to check out that written review: graymatterlifting.com/beyond-power-voltra-i-review/
If these things were $1000 a pop I think they would completely revolutionize the functional trainer trend in the home gym community. Incredible video, Brandon sent me!
I don't disagree at all. You've got a solid rack option with functional trainer abilities for right around that $2k mark... So if you could get your own rack and spend that, I think we'd be talking to a lot more people .
Yeah I’m thinking it’ll have to come down eventually. The fact that this and the Vitruvian have a similar cost per pound and most of the knockoffs on Amazon are lower weight implies there’s fixed cost of the tech at the moment. But the more the tech is used and advances, it’ll definitely get cheaper eventually.
@@ShawnFumo definitely. We are in that early stage of this stuff, where it's expensive and not fully perfected. Give it 5 years and it'll be half the price and double the execution.
@@balboa0621 I've seen some chats about that. I believe I heard the resistance is much lower, it requires an app at all times, it has a flat retractable cable, and a few other small items that weren't ideal.
@@GlucksGym thanks dude. You and I both know, a 40 minute video was 3 hours of filming the talking park alone, plus B Roll, plus research, plus editing... Yeah, it was a lot.
I bet in the next few years that Milwaukee, DeWalt, etc will come out with their own versions of this for a fraction of the cost and using batteries that can be shared with the rest of your tools.
Started with one and enjoyed it so much that I later bought a second about 2 months later. Initially it was to be able to do things like flys or attach them to a bar for twin mode. What I’ve been happily surprised with is how much I use them in tandem to be able to have two movements setup at the same time. Because it’s so quick to setup and adjust I now use them way more in this fashion vs anything needing/benefiting from twin mode. I probably use my Voltras 75% of the time over my dual Athena setup now.
There is definitely a future where I might consider dropping my dedicated cable set-up and run with Two VOLTRA Is. We use the FT2 in a similar manner as you mentioned, set one for low rows, the other for pulldowns, or curls and triceps, etc.
Bro iam thinkimg about selling my standalone functional trainer and existing rack to buy athenas a d use it like a rack and ft. However, now I'm debating between The voltra and rep wall mount athenas??
This is the same thing I have found with having two cable towers. Sometimes I use both at once but way more often I will set up to different movements and superset. Saves so much time.
Fantastic review mate! The end point with regards to tech in the home gym is also spot on imo. For a lot of people I think that is going to be the main sticking point. Anybody who is even slightly technically inclined knows just how fast things advance and basically become obsolete. On top of that, most things nowadays are only built to last 2-3 years or until the next "newer and better" piece of tech comes along. Breaking that stigma in particular is going to be hard for a lot of people I think. Regardless, great video and great work! Hopefully one day I can get my hands on one and play around with it! I can already imagine a number of uses for them in combination with my lever arms 😅
Thanks man. Yeah I'm a dude who uses tech until it burns up. I had a flip phone well into the 2010s, had a 37in LCD for my main TV up until 2 years ago, etc And even I have the hesitation. These are awesome and do their job exceptionally well, but that piece is still tough. If they last 10 years it might be a different story, but 2 or 3 would be nasty.
As soon as you mentioned PT use cases, I thought, "Hell yeah, this guy has really thought about this." I recently had a bad wrist break and my grip strength is going to be hard to get back, and so PT is exactly what I have in mind for this.
@@panic.attack I appreciate that dude. I'm definitely a meat head who lifts at home first and foremost, but I try and think through the possibilities where I can.
Your best review yet! I think your point about tech in the home gym is an important one especially considering the nature of the industry, where inexpensive copycats are an inevitability.
@@liftsalty appreciate that dude. I just wish it wasn't 107 degrees in the garage and then I would have had some more fancy smancy stuff... Yeah the early adopter price is always rough. Assuming this takes off in any way, you'll have these for $500 in a couple years and they'll have 500lbs of resistance
Thanks dude! I agree. When you take a "TECH" look at these, it makes sense. New tech for TVs comes out? It is TWICE as expensive as the old stuff. Three years later and every company has it, its half the price, we have 25 different options, and you can pick your price range.
Amazingly thorough review, thank you Joe! Thank you for investing the time to try it out and to generate such a helpful review! I love the versatility and upgradeability of this! Probably won’t be one of the early adopters as I got dual Athenas less than a year ago and that’ll work for me for the foreseeable future. But had I not just invested in the Athenas, I probably would be one of the early adopters.
hey thanks man! I appreciate that. These things are pretty awesome, but I definitely wouldn't want anyone to jump in on $4k worth of equipment without truly thinking it through.
Loved the review and felt that it was positive with some understandable reservations. The amount of time and dedication it took to review Voltra was really impressive. Looking forward to the next one Joe!
Finally got around to watching this, great comprehensive review as always! Love what you said at the end about real iron vs tech. Definitely will be looking to add some version of this in a few years once the price comes down, but I would never want it to be my entire gym.
@@timk8258 yeah I agree. I could see if you were just trying to "get in a workout". But if you are a meat head of any kind, weights and bars still have their place. I think we are already seeing a lot of innovation in this space, as I've got my eyes on two direct competitors to the VOLTRA. And you know once someone makes it affordable, it'll wind up in the hands of REP or Fringe or someone and end up being cooked right into a rack and full home gym build.
Wow! Very thorough and helpful review, Joe! These things seem to be game changers, but obviously, the price is a tough pill to swallow-- especially for two. I appreciate the time and effort you put into this video.
@@TheCarterHomeGym thanks dude! Yeah they really did a fantastic job, and I think with a few more firmware updates you'll see them kick even more butt. Appreciate the kind words dude
@@TheKurtlocker thanks dude! Appreciate it. Yeah I think these things are awesome. But people need to really think about what they are buying before they jump in.
Awesome review Joe! I also love having the reps and sets counted for me on the device. Being able to take this on and off my rack to keep the rack a bit cleaner was nice. I think being able to mount it on the rack, on the wall, from the floor makes a device that really doesn’t have a clear competitor right now. Loved the review man!
Thank you! Yeah it does come on and off super easy. I only find for myself that if it isn't right there, there is a good chance I won't use it 😂 problem of having too many toys
Lol, I saw this video coming back for a few days in my watchlist. I just watched it and my comment (Hesje) just showed up. Didn't expect that. Thanks for doing the test. As for the weight difference when the weight will drop, I guess it is because the motor needs a kickstart to pass the first resistance barier.
@@PVinken right on dude! I tried to include a lot of the questions that inspired testing and answers. I appreciate yours for sure. Yep, that was kind of my thought too. You needed enough force to "break" that initial hold and get the motor going.
These are so damn cool but unless you have serious space issues I don’t think the lifetime value proposition will ever be there. Maybe if they get really cheap. I can use a functional trainer for 20 years with minor repairs that I can do myself and sell it for probably half of what a new trainer would go for after all that time. Edit: your conclusion at 36:30 sums it all up.
@@n00dle_king yep! I think that's a really hard one. The only flip I have is... Let's say I went with two of these on my rack. I have the space for a functional trainer, but I could sell it and now I have space for a Leg Press, or I can add my Powertec Levergym back in, etc. So it's also space you could use in a different way
I have been considering pulling the trigger on this piece for a while, but I just know they'll come out with a black 2nd gen that you can attach to a tree or post for travel immediately after I receive the gen 1.
I mean, the longer you wait, the longer you are postponing that release for the world. We are waiting on you to buy the Gen 1 so we get what we want in a 1.2 version 😂
These do look pretty impressive. If I had more room and a squat rack already, or if they had a better floor system (like that box you mentioned), I’d seriously consider it. The fact that they are so portable, have a built-in UI, and can be used for pull downs, etc makes them really flexible. But for my particular needs, am definitely leaning toward the Vitruvian’s Trainer+. For $3700 total (w/ Pro Pack, discount code, taxes) you get up to 440lbs with much lower connection points for better ROM, as well as a bunch of accessories including a bar, squat belt, bench that folds up, etc. I think it’d end up being a lot faster to use than what I’m doing now with spin lock DBs. Especially for things like RDLs where you need a bunch of plates and warmups. And DB squats are kinda eh. I have an X3 which is nice in some aspects but you’re limited to the force curve of bands, harder to have granular control of the force, etc. I’m hoping the Vitruvian and a pullup bar (and Freak Athlete Hyper GHD) will cover all the bases well enough. I do like the idea of a full workout that fits under your bed.
@@ShawnFumo yeah these are definitely made for a specific audience. I wouldn't be looking at these for a portable gym solution inside permanently. Keep me posted on where you land. If you don't have your Nordic Hyper GHD yet, I've got a pretty detailed video and write up and discount code.
Coops ad on this has been flooding Facebook. Then I saw a short of it with Basement Brandon. But your review is the most detail and I am tempted to buy this after your review. Probably will wait until Black Friday to see if there is some discounts; I also need a few month to save up the dough for this unit.
GGR does a great job of promoting products and they do something every week. Hard to go into detail when you are moving so fast. My goal is to fill that gap and spend a little more time with things and provide some detailed views. Let me know if you get it, and if you remember, that affiliate link is a huge help.
agreed about the adjustable strength curve. that should be a simply firm ware update. Also would like to see it measure range of motion so that it could be used for measuring jumps and also more information on the VBT portion so that it could give you more information, similar to the proteus motion where it tells you what portion of the lift you are weak or slow and hopefully with the app could give you recommendations on how to train to improve those things.
Best review on the voltra out there. Waiting for this to be wayyyy cheaper so then i can buy one to move around to all my plate loaded machines so basically make it a selectorized version. Also an android user so don't plan to support them til that gets sorted too
One thing about battery life.. I use mine most workouts but only turn them on for the movement I need them for. So for example if it’s a back day and all I use my Voltra for is low rows I turn them on for that movement and then off when I’m done. Chest day if I all use them for is a cable chest press I turn them on for that and then off when I’m done. All that to say for someone who isn’t trying to build an entire workout around them I feel like you should get closer to a month of battery rather than a week.
@@airgordo4 100%... I could have probably been clearer on the 1 week note. Basically was trying to say that you'd get a week without any questions. So people weren't going to need to charge these daily, or run into issues of them running out of juice during a workout. But you are correct, if you had a day with a light cable workout you might use 2 to 5%.
If you want a more consistent force curve on the lateral raise, besides lowering the device you can also angle your body away from the load which will change the angle of the moment arm
@@PhantomMaxx_ it is hard to explain, but it's legit different than doing the same exercise on a cable machine. Regardless of how I stand, manipulate height etc.
Wow just saw their app has drop sets now which I love and use a lot. Have you tried these? I'm thinking this would be great after barbell or dumbbell workouts to just completely fatigue the muscles having it drop weight automatically would be incredible and also for days you want to workout but don't have time do 3-4 drop sets and that should be pretty good!
@@chrisdonnell2575 unfortunately the app is only for iOS, and I'm an android user. So I haven't touched that stuff yet. The drop sets look to be CLOSE to perfect. You have to pre program the reps and drops. Which is a little funky. Typically I'd want the drop set to happen when I'm about 2 to 3 reps shy of failure, not necessarily after 5 reps or whatever. Otherwise great idea
@@GrayMatterLifting Yeah coded by people who don't lift. We are some days a lot stronger and other days can't manage the last 3-5 reps due to sleep, diet, stress, injuries, fight with nagging wife etc! I'm really thinking about getting this vs jammer arms which are still far from perfect PRX looks perfect except for handles and weight horn and cost. Do you use the feature that increases eccentric weight a lot? Sounds incredible 20lbs side laterals up and 35lbs down slow would torch side delts! After heavy shoulder presses do 15-20 reps of lighter weight up and 2x weight down! I can see some amazing uses for this thing! So glad I remembered your video and watched it again 8 months later.
@@chrisdonnell2575 I mix and match a lot of it in. I'm highly debating making a pretty drastic move towards the VOLTRAs being my only cable solution, and connecting them into a number of other rack attachments and systems in my gym.
Great review. How does the twin mode perform?i know coop said it wasnt there yet and was a little jittery in operation as the motors werent synced. Id love them to come out with a dual mount so you can mount 2 side by side on the same point on your rack then use a 2:1 carabiner adapter to connect them together. Then they can share the load for multiple exercises. 400lbs max resistance or just sharing the load for battery life and potentially longevity of components.
@@EngJimmyJ I only used it a few times. I actually connected two together WITHOUT the Twin Mode for a barbell and it worked ok. It wouldn't be my go to for a big heavy triple or 1 Rep max, but I think it worked OK for higher rep work. I think they'll probably nail it here soon, and I've seen your request pop up a couple times, especially for things like heavy belt squats or deadlifts. So it'll probably be here soon.
Glad to be the first comment. Where you were talking about the cam option I thought they had a “reverse band” setting that would do something like that. Is that not actually a feature?
Nope! At least not yet. The band setting is its own function outside of the weight training mode, which for me makes it something I just won't use. It should probably be baked inside the weight training mode and it needs more features / function.
Hi I appreciate this video and your channel. I have a Rep rack with dual athena cable system and love it getting into great shape but want more variety in my workouts. I might be nuts but was considering lever arms like Crandall or Rogue's with Vendetta for hammer strength type movements. But today remembered this device after seeing Kurt talk about flywheel trainers. I'd like more chest and shoulder variety and remembered this could do heavier eccentrics. What are your favorite exercises with this do you ever use it for chest or shoulders? I'm thinking it could be awesome for rear and side shoulders and have far heavier eccentric parts. Do you use this in almost all your workouts?
@@GrayMatterLifting Voltra I but curious if you could only have one would you pick the kbox or voltra and why? I think the Voltra looks so much more powerful but have never used either! Thanks for your replies.
@@chrisdonnell2575 the VOLTRA can be used in any way a cable system can, but with more options since it can detach and move and be placed in different areas. So you get a compact cable machine with a ton of different features that can be combined easily with other things
@@GrayMatterLifting Thank you that's what I figured! Thanks for your video saved me from buying PRX or Crandall Fitness jammer arms. I suspect I'll love this more and can take it with me to in laws and workoff big dinners.
Can you do a video where you use dual mode for pull downs and cable rows. I want to see how you'd set it up where you can use 250, 300 lbs for this excercise. How would you do pull downs with attachments that way? Would you stack 1 unit ontop of the other?
Beyond Power had me send back the Pre-Release model a couple weeks ago. I'm supposed to get a replacement, but I can't do that RIGHT now. That said... You could likely do it a couple ways. I think the easiest process would be to get a horizontal crossmember, and set them both up there. Then they would work similar to my Inspire FT2, where you just need something to connect the two carabiners together, to connect to one attachment, and good to go.
So is it able to actually match the strength curve? Or just the opposite of it like chains style? Tonal has the same issue, can match the opposite of the strength curve but not the actual strength curve. Pretty annoying. Otherwise hoghly interested in this. Except i have no where to mount it
@@clmb511 check out 32:55 of the review. I discuss "Twin Mode" and then discuss using two VOLTRAs for crossover and stuff. In general, no issues for basic cable exercises for two. Crossovers, rear delts, triceps extensions, etc. all good.
@@bold2013 I mean, cable systems in general have been proven over the years by basically every great lifter to be a solid addition to their programming. Arnold, Ronnie, Ed Coan, all these guys used cable machines. So I don't think there is a debate here for whether these are an effective muscle building machine... If used correctly and programmed to do so. But that is on the end users side of the equation to tackle.
I'd really like to see an auto-drop set function. You could set something like start at 100lbs and reduce 3lbs every 3 reps or whatever you wanted and then just do one giant set that you keep going until you gas out or your arms fall off. Everyone knows that when your arms fall off is when maximum hypertrophy happens!
@@davidcooper2516 oh yeah, $4k for two boxes is a tough sell. It's definitely a hurdle, and they know they aren't for everyone. It's a premium product and they are charging a premium price.
@@GrayMatterLifting Yep. I'll stay with my power racks, free weights, and REP Arcadia functional trainer. But these do look interesting, and I appreciate your in-depth anaysis. IMO, your reviews are the best and most reliable to be found in this space...
@@MIKE_BLM_BDS_ACAB the problem is that the Band Mode is its own mode. It isn't in the Weight Training mode. So you can't use reverse bands AND weight. It is one or the other.
Thank you for the detailed review! Do you have any thoughts about which rack mount works best? They each seem to have their own pros and cons - but for general use and if the voltras will stay on a rack and only will move up or down the upright for movements, is the sliding rack mount the way to go? Thanks!
@@calledminime I only have two of them, the sliding mount and the fixed mount. I have very few complaints for the sliding mount. It occasionally has some hiccups, since it is meant to accommodate a number of rack sizes it has to be tightened and loosened every time. But overall it's solid, it does what it's meant to do. I know Coop liked one of the other mounts better, I haven't used it so I can't comment.
I’ve been wanting the Ancore forever and just discovered this. They are completely different but essentially have a very similar function. If you had to choose which would you go with?
I have not used the Ancore, so this is based purely on specs. For MY home gym, the Ancore wouldn't get much use. The total resistance is too light. The VOLTRA I with the 200lb resistance profile is really the money maker. If you don't see yourself exceeding the Ancore weight limits, it is certainly a cheaper option.
It would be great if you could set 3 memory values for resistance, then select between them at a touch of a button. I think this is a user interface rather than capability issue?
@@kazarenko6300 what are you thinking there? To be able to run multiple exercises in a superset? Like... If I down pulldowns, low rows, and curls as a super set?
@@eddiecalder5436 I reached out to them. They said they are not sending any units out right now as it is in Beta testing. So we'll see what happens when it launches.
@@futbol1972 if you had two, they could. I used my two for crossovers and various functional trainer style movements. And since they can adjust up and down a rack like an adjustable cable column, it is definitely possible to replicate basically everything a functional trainer would do. Add in that each goes to 200lbs and you've got a lat pulldown and low row as well.
@@geofftsjy if you had two, or could figure out a way to have a pull up bar above your head and stand in something for one, yep! The reverse band might work well there.
@@GrayMatterLifting as a 330 pound man, I could do pull ups! haha. I work a lot and I'm eyeballing 2 of these to turn my office into a covert gym. I have a nice gym membership down the street but I have started doing home workouts while in meetings and when waiting on processes. I'm thinking of putting in a pull up bar on the ceiling above my desk and hanging and maybe using these to do some assisted pull ups. Seems like I could hook them up to one of those cable squat belts or something and avoid getting the elatic band mishaps. Great video. I bet I'm overthinking it but it's at least a fun thought.
Wouldn't the chain and the band options be ment to be opposite weight profiles with fancy names? One is heavy at the top and the other at the bottom? Would not make sense if they are the same thing, which is what I got from the video. I think this system is too expensive for me. But If I was to get it, I would get two extra uprights to mount at each side of my rack. That way it would still be kind of compact and the sliders would not conflict with everything else on the rack. The distance between the extra uprights could be 2,5 meters such that a barbell fits in between. The total space used would not really increase much, because I need space for that barbell anyway. I forgot what they call it, but Rep has a seat with rollers that attaches to the rack upright and that would be perfect for this.
@@BaldurNorddahl bands and chains are both heaviest at the top. Think about if you stretch a band out, it'll fight back the most, the more you stretch it. And chains get heavier the more that get pulled off the ground. The band mode, keep in mind, is NOT part of the weight lifting mode. So you can't use the bands and the 200lb resistance profile, it is either or. Not a bad solution idea, to create a BatWing style rack for these. You know I have seen that REP seat. I think it popped up on my ads after searching for the Darko one lol
@@GrayMatterLiftingI get what you are saying. But bands can do both because they can also be used to assist a movement. For example for pull ups or dips, where most stretched band = the least force on your muscles. Obviously they should have both, whatever they choose to call it. Very strange that they didn't think of that. It appears to be obvious.
@@BaldurNorddahl typically I would call that a "reverse band" set up but I'm with ya. They do not have it and I think they need it. Personally they should just abandon the bands and chains terminology and implement a custom resistance curve feature
@@sgarvagh you could, there is always a retrofit solution to make things work. But when these cost $2k a piece and the board is another couple hundred bucks, plus you need a belt/harness... Having to DIY a solution is kind of annoying.
@@Omnis2 really just depends on your space, needs, etc. the VOLTRAs are portable. I've been using mine with my Hyper Pro for back extensions, something I can't do with a rack. It also has the smart tech, will continue to update, have build in drop sets, custom resistance curves, etc. If none of that matters to you, then yep, these are just expensive cable systems. But they have a lot of features that can definitely be a big win if they matter to you and your training
@@GrayMatterLiftingrows, vertical pulls, lunges, belt squats, leg curl/leg extensions, pull overs, hyper extension This piece is super badass I just can’t afford it. Coop has a really bad ass setup that actually sent me down this rabbit hole. He has 2 of them mounted on 2 jammer arms with a Prime back support in the middle making dual arm free motion style trainer. Probably a 10k set up but that might be the cost not object best of the best. Gym80 also has a universal pulley dual arm that goes up to 215 kg at a 1:1 ratio of you are a real hoss
A huge benefit in my mind to these is being able to put them on plate loaded machines. For example this mounted to the bottom of a hack squat with the cables attaching to the plate holders would be sick
@@Cd11998 the VAST majority of people will never exceed 200lbs for anything but belt squats on this. I squat 550 and deadlift 630 and I'm not maxing it out in anything row or leg curl/ext related. Sure you can get there. But I just don't see that being an issue for 99.9% of the population. And if you are one of those people, that's just the reality of life. Being bigger and stronger costs more money.
you know it's not even necessarily the cost as everyone is upset about because they've come to market and have proven to work. my concern is battery life, system life and future subscription firewall. i got burned on my $3ktreadmill already.
Resistance bands and free weights combo does well. And cost way less. This is not worth what they are selling it for. It's nice but not needed at that price.
@@NoctiLucent81 if you are comparing things to the basics, it will never be worth it. The basics are the basics because they get the job done at an affordable price. That was never the idea behind the VOLTRA I. It would be like saying you don't need a Lamborghini when a Civic exists. Sure, you don't NEED it, but it might be fun right? And what kinds of things could you do with one that you can't with the others? I've tinkered and tested and moved the VOLTRA around a lot. And I'm not even considering building an entire rack section dedicated to them and running multiple other pieces. They open a door that the basics can't. Not saying the basics aren't where everyone should start, but these are just freaking cool.
@@mreverybody1150 if you ONLY look at the VOLTRA for the total resistance, I agree. But if you look at the space saving factor, the idea that it can be used in combination with other machines, that it has smart tech to do all kinds of fancy stuff, that it will continue to receive upgrades and updates to do MORE fancy stuff... It begins to be a much different idea. This isn't just a 200lb cable stack.
Let's be real here -- almost everyone watching vids like these, are not buying equipment to last 30 years. Most here will buy the newer better thing every 3-5 years. That's why all these gear influencers keep making content. If everyone bought once cried once, most influencers would wither on the vine, cuz home gymers would buy once then go away forever. So with that in mind, how long does gear really need to last? We don't expect our cars to last 30 years, so why expect our exercise gear? After all, who is still using their 30 yr old schwinn airbike, or their 1990s stationary bike, or their first gen concept2 rower? Most of the cool stuff most of us shop for didn't even exist 20 yrs ago, let alone 10 years ago. So why do we hold our gear to a false standard that it should last decades, when we won't even want it for decades?
My goal is that after watching/reading my stuff, that I have put forth a Pro and Con list that helps you avoid buyers remorse and be happy with your purchase, or avoid purchasing entirely. If anyone clicks my link and buys something, I want them to know that I gave them everything I had. This was a constant item that popped up in my head. So I shared it. And others have shared that they have the same concerns. I'm not saying that it is realistic to expect the new fancy thing to last 30 years, by any means. Just that it is an idea to ponder before purchasing. What is your goal for your home gym? Make that the central decision making factor and you'll be good.
I feel like if you’re reviewing a product you should take time to explore the resistance band mode and damper mode even if it’s not something YOU would use
@@Xaxaxa43 let me try this in two different ways. The resistance band mode I did use, which I mentioned. But I didn't find it useful. For me, how I use bands, they are often used outside of the rack for warm ups. So the VOLTRA and the band mode isn't something I found useful. And because it is its own mode outside of the weight training mode, it can't be used WITH the weight training. So again, just not a useful mode in my space. I didn't feel the need to spend 5 minutes covering something that I didn't find useful. The damper mode is not functional in my space. I have about 22ft total in my gym, from rack to wall is about 12ft. So I'd have maybe 8ft of room to sprint? I just honestly have no space for this, and since my target audience is normally home gym owners, most of us wouldn't have that space either. I get what you are saying. But I promise this wasn't a cop out. It was simply a, these two features don't work or add anything to my space, so instead of making a 40 minute video 50 minutes, I chose to keep that segment short.
I love the idea of this portable cable system but it doesn't fit the bullet proof tried and true equipment that will last forever. This type of equipment is perfect for tiny home gyms that don't have the additional space for a functional trainer but comes at a heavy cost. These items are $5181 not including tax/shipping for 2 units. That costs more than my rack and standard functional cable trainer combined. I appreciate all the testing and time you spent to let us know how the voltra is and it's definitely not for me. For the average joes I recommend getting a standard functional trainer save the extra $4000 to your child's education. You can still have your kids workout with a standard functional trainer. If the voltras sold for $1000 shipped then everyone would have these in their home gyms including me.
@@MetalsForBrunch totally fair. I think in the future we'll see competition, pricing will come down, execution will get better, etc. and it'll be difficult to argue a $500 smart piece vs a $1000 dedicated functional trainer. Today you are paying the early adopter price, just like you do with any new tech. It's currently standing on a mountain top by itself, so they can charge a premium. A premium that like you said, works well for some, but not for most.
Dont mean to troll but how can this review be objective if you received these for free? There is conflict of interest if you speak about product's shortcomings. The fact that as you know this product is very expensive makes this conflict of interest every more of an issue
@@emersonyang1485 totally valid question. I try to be up front and honest about how I get equipment, if I can make money on it (affiliate links and codes), and anything else I think goes into the equation. That way you can be informed about it and factor it into your view of the video. I could have easily skipped that part, or shoved it in the description, or otherwise hidden those facts. But I try and make sure they come right at the beginning. So you have the right frame of context to the review. You can see on my website I put that piece right up front as well. Because yes, there can be a tendency to be less transparent, and more positive about equipment you receive in those manners. If someone sees the potential to make thousands of dollars off affiliates, they might leave out some pertinent details. They will be more likely to rush videos, to put out information that simply serves one purpose, to get you to click their link. Hopefully after 40 minutes of me covering pros and cons and even spending a solid chunk of time debating if smart technology is worth the investment in a home gym or not... This video would come off as authentic, transparent, and real. I think at the end of the day, you as the cunsumer or watcher or whatever term is accurate here, has to decide what aligns with your view of the world. If I covered here doesn't jive with you, I hope you can find it on another channel to help you make a solid decision.
Yes you deserve a lot of credit for being honest. These days there are probably lots of reviews whereby the content creator neglects to include such important information.
@@emersonyang1485 thank you. And yes, there is a total lack of transparency. I think a lot of them THINK it might be obvious. Or just don't care. I'm of the mind that I'd rather you leave knowing I told you the truth, than stay because I lied.
A conflict of interest is only present where our man is set to GAIN anything by the review. In this case he is not, he has already received the item, and has no economic incentive - ie no more to gain from them, by giving a specific review. That is a real conflict of interest, but one he handles very well and gives fair warning about.
@@zber9043 it'll be interesting to see where they land. He had said a $500 early adopter price, but that's without a battery I believe. And official pricing was going to be about $900 if I remember correctly, add in a $400 battery and we are getting closer. Still significantly cheaper, but closer.
If you watched the entire thing, you rock... Believe it or not I actually cut about 20 minutes worth of stuff. So make sure if you want the deepest of dives, to check out that written review: graymatterlifting.com/beyond-power-voltra-i-review/
If these things were $1000 a pop I think they would completely revolutionize the functional trainer trend in the home gym community. Incredible video, Brandon sent me!
I don't disagree at all. You've got a solid rack option with functional trainer abilities for right around that $2k mark... So if you could get your own rack and spend that, I think we'd be talking to a lot more people .
Yeah I’m thinking it’ll have to come down eventually. The fact that this and the Vitruvian have a similar cost per pound and most of the knockoffs on Amazon are lower weight implies there’s fixed cost of the tech at the moment. But the more the tech is used and advances, it’ll definitely get cheaper eventually.
@@ShawnFumo definitely. We are in that early stage of this stuff, where it's expensive and not fully perfected. Give it 5 years and it'll be half the price and double the execution.
Unitree is coming out with something very similar which will retail for 1k each. Currently, the Kickstarter is 500 usd
@@balboa0621 I've seen some chats about that. I believe I heard the resistance is much lower, it requires an app at all times, it has a flat retractable cable, and a few other small items that weren't ideal.
The amount of work that went into this is incredible. Well done Joe.
@@GlucksGym thanks dude. You and I both know, a 40 minute video was 3 hours of filming the talking park alone, plus B Roll, plus research, plus editing... Yeah, it was a lot.
I bet in the next few years that Milwaukee, DeWalt, etc will come out with their own versions of this for a fraction of the cost and using batteries that can be shared with the rest of your tools.
I'm on board!
Joe out here dropping 40 min videos and all i can muster is
Also thanks for the shout out!
To be fair, you'll get more views on your Reel than my video 😂
Started with one and enjoyed it so much that I later bought a second about 2 months later. Initially it was to be able to do things like flys or attach them to a bar for twin mode. What I’ve been happily surprised with is how much I use them in tandem to be able to have two movements setup at the same time. Because it’s so quick to setup and adjust I now use them way more in this fashion vs anything needing/benefiting from twin mode. I probably use my Voltras 75% of the time over my dual Athena setup now.
There is definitely a future where I might consider dropping my dedicated cable set-up and run with Two VOLTRA Is. We use the FT2 in a similar manner as you mentioned, set one for low rows, the other for pulldowns, or curls and triceps, etc.
Agreed I think the two Voltra set advantage is able not just do flys but set up two completely different movements that can super set.
Bro iam thinkimg about selling my standalone functional trainer and existing rack to buy athenas a d use it like a rack and ft. However, now I'm debating between The voltra and rep wall mount athenas??
This is the same thing I have found with having two cable towers. Sometimes I use both at once but way more often I will set up to different movements and superset. Saves so much time.
@@timk8258 did this yesterday with Triceps and biceps
Love these deep dive reviews
Appreciate that dude. I actually cut stuff to keep it just a LITTLE shorter lol
Fantastic review mate! The end point with regards to tech in the home gym is also spot on imo. For a lot of people I think that is going to be the main sticking point.
Anybody who is even slightly technically inclined knows just how fast things advance and basically become obsolete. On top of that, most things nowadays are only built to last 2-3 years or until the next "newer and better" piece of tech comes along. Breaking that stigma in particular is going to be hard for a lot of people I think.
Regardless, great video and great work! Hopefully one day I can get my hands on one and play around with it! I can already imagine a number of uses for them in combination with my lever arms 😅
Thanks man. Yeah I'm a dude who uses tech until it burns up. I had a flip phone well into the 2010s, had a 37in LCD for my main TV up until 2 years ago, etc
And even I have the hesitation. These are awesome and do their job exceptionally well, but that piece is still tough. If they last 10 years it might be a different story, but 2 or 3 would be nasty.
As soon as you mentioned PT use cases, I thought, "Hell yeah, this guy has really thought about this." I recently had a bad wrist break and my grip strength is going to be hard to get back, and so PT is exactly what I have in mind for this.
@@panic.attack I appreciate that dude. I'm definitely a meat head who lifts at home first and foremost, but I try and think through the possibilities where I can.
Your best review yet! I think your point about tech in the home gym is an important one especially considering the nature of the industry, where inexpensive copycats are an inevitability.
@@liftsalty appreciate that dude. I just wish it wasn't 107 degrees in the garage and then I would have had some more fancy smancy stuff...
Yeah the early adopter price is always rough. Assuming this takes off in any way, you'll have these for $500 in a couple years and they'll have 500lbs of resistance
Very in depth! In a few years and price cuts, I could see these becoming very popular.
Thanks dude! I agree. When you take a "TECH" look at these, it makes sense. New tech for TVs comes out? It is TWICE as expensive as the old stuff. Three years later and every company has it, its half the price, we have 25 different options, and you can pick your price range.
Amazingly thorough review, thank you Joe! Thank you for investing the time to try it out and to generate such a helpful review!
I love the versatility and upgradeability of this! Probably won’t be one of the early adopters as I got dual Athenas less than a year ago and that’ll work for me for the foreseeable future. But had I not just invested in the Athenas, I probably would be one of the early adopters.
@@leftyrighty6059 you bet! And yeah, hard to argue when you've got the space saving built in rack features of the Athena.
Great review Joe. Covered everything I wanted to know about the VOLTRA I and the closing remarks are spot on.
hey thanks man! I appreciate that. These things are pretty awesome, but I definitely wouldn't want anyone to jump in on $4k worth of equipment without truly thinking it through.
Loved the review and felt that it was positive with some understandable reservations. The amount of time and dedication it took to review Voltra was really impressive. Looking forward to the next one Joe!
Hey thanks! I didn't even know this was a thing. Thanks so much for being the first. More good stuff coming.
Super high quality review, great and in depth on a product a ton of people are curious about. Well done!
@@CloaknDagger thank you! Appreciate it. Yeah I had a LOT of good questions over the last year. Tried to tackle as many as I could.
Finally got around to watching this, great comprehensive review as always! Love what you said at the end about real iron vs tech. Definitely will be looking to add some version of this in a few years once the price comes down, but I would never want it to be my entire gym.
@@timk8258 yeah I agree. I could see if you were just trying to "get in a workout". But if you are a meat head of any kind, weights and bars still have their place.
I think we are already seeing a lot of innovation in this space, as I've got my eyes on two direct competitors to the VOLTRA. And you know once someone makes it affordable, it'll wind up in the hands of REP or Fringe or someone and end up being cooked right into a rack and full home gym build.
Nice review and great to see you bonding with your daughter, they grow fast!
@@kq9l115 just the other day she was watching me squat from her bouncy chair, no she's lifting weights. It's crazy.
Wow! Very thorough and helpful review, Joe! These things seem to be game changers, but obviously, the price is a tough pill to swallow-- especially for two. I appreciate the time and effort you put into this video.
@@TheCarterHomeGym thanks dude! Yeah they really did a fantastic job, and I think with a few more firmware updates you'll see them kick even more butt.
Appreciate the kind words dude
In depth and well peroxide as always. Completely agree with your final thought
@@TheKurtlocker thanks dude! Appreciate it. Yeah I think these things are awesome. But people need to really think about what they are buying before they jump in.
Awesome review Joe! I also love having the reps and sets counted for me on the device. Being able to take this on and off my rack to keep the rack a bit cleaner was nice. I think being able to mount it on the rack, on the wall, from the floor makes a device that really doesn’t have a clear competitor right now. Loved the review man!
Thank you! Yeah it does come on and off super easy. I only find for myself that if it isn't right there, there is a good chance I won't use it 😂 problem of having too many toys
I use the Exxentric harness plus elevation blocks with the Voltra I on the travel platform for squats. Works nicely.
What elevation blocks are you using? Got a link?
@@GrayMatterLifting The Exxentric elevation blocks which they sell as accessory to their k-box.
@@rw1592 I'll check em out!
Helpful review. Thanks.
@@artmuir thanks for watching and dropping a comment!
That intro was so good as was the rest of the video, but that intro!
Thanks! I had a few different ideas in my head and ended up going kind of science fiction thriller theme... like Alien.
Great review!
@@Hyephen thank you!
Great in depth review!
Thank you!
Nicely done!
Appreciate that.
Lol, I saw this video coming back for a few days in my watchlist. I just watched it and my comment (Hesje) just showed up. Didn't expect that.
Thanks for doing the test. As for the weight difference when the weight will drop, I guess it is because the motor needs a kickstart to pass the first resistance barier.
@@PVinken right on dude! I tried to include a lot of the questions that inspired testing and answers. I appreciate yours for sure.
Yep, that was kind of my thought too. You needed enough force to "break" that initial hold and get the motor going.
@@GrayMatterLifting Great videorevieuw you made! You got a viewer extra!
@@PVinken thanks dude
These are so damn cool but unless you have serious space issues I don’t think the lifetime value proposition will ever be there. Maybe if they get really cheap. I can use a functional trainer for 20 years with minor repairs that I can do myself and sell it for probably half of what a new trainer would go for after all that time.
Edit: your conclusion at 36:30 sums it all up.
@@n00dle_king yep! I think that's a really hard one.
The only flip I have is... Let's say I went with two of these on my rack. I have the space for a functional trainer, but I could sell it and now I have space for a Leg Press, or I can add my Powertec Levergym back in, etc.
So it's also space you could use in a different way
I have been considering pulling the trigger on this piece for a while, but I just know they'll come out with a black 2nd gen that you can attach to a tree or post for travel immediately after I receive the gen 1.
I mean, the longer you wait, the longer you are postponing that release for the world. We are waiting on you to buy the Gen 1 so we get what we want in a 1.2 version 😂
They also just announced a mounting strap to allow mounting to arbitrary posts or even trees… no gen 2 needed!
@@djbakasan I knew I'd finish this and it would be outdated almost immediately :)
Great review.
@@ommaigod thank you!
These do look pretty impressive. If I had more room and a squat rack already, or if they had a better floor system (like that box you mentioned), I’d seriously consider it. The fact that they are so portable, have a built-in UI, and can be used for pull downs, etc makes them really flexible.
But for my particular needs, am definitely leaning toward the Vitruvian’s Trainer+. For $3700 total (w/ Pro Pack, discount code, taxes) you get up to 440lbs with much lower connection points for better ROM, as well as a bunch of accessories including a bar, squat belt, bench that folds up, etc.
I think it’d end up being a lot faster to use than what I’m doing now with spin lock DBs. Especially for things like RDLs where you need a bunch of plates and warmups. And DB squats are kinda eh. I have an X3 which is nice in some aspects but you’re limited to the force curve of bands, harder to have granular control of the force, etc.
I’m hoping the Vitruvian and a pullup bar (and Freak Athlete Hyper GHD) will cover all the bases well enough. I do like the idea of a full workout that fits under your bed.
@@ShawnFumo yeah these are definitely made for a specific audience. I wouldn't be looking at these for a portable gym solution inside permanently.
Keep me posted on where you land. If you don't have your Nordic Hyper GHD yet, I've got a pretty detailed video and write up and discount code.
Coops ad on this has been flooding Facebook. Then I saw a short of it with Basement Brandon. But your review is the most detail and I am tempted to buy this after your review. Probably will wait until Black Friday to see if there is some discounts; I also need a few month to save up the dough for this unit.
GGR does a great job of promoting products and they do something every week. Hard to go into detail when you are moving so fast. My goal is to fill that gap and spend a little more time with things and provide some detailed views.
Let me know if you get it, and if you remember, that affiliate link is a huge help.
@@GrayMatterLifting your video and write ups are great.
@@TheGhu123 I appreciate that
agreed about the adjustable strength curve. that should be a simply firm ware update. Also would like to see it measure range of motion so that it could be used for measuring jumps and also more information on the VBT portion so that it could give you more information, similar to the proteus motion where it tells you what portion of the lift you are weak or slow and hopefully with the app could give you recommendations on how to train to improve those things.
Solid ideas. I think the VBT concept is a huge gap that they could tackle especially with their athlete population.
Best review on the voltra out there. Waiting for this to be wayyyy cheaper so then i can buy one to move around to all my plate loaded machines so basically make it a selectorized version. Also an android user so don't plan to support them til that gets sorted too
@@ak-zw8jv appreciate that. Keep an eye on the MAIAK GO if you haven't already. Might be in the ballpark and cheaper.
Well done Joe. Personally I’m going to wait and try the MAIAK which seems like a potential cheaper clone of this.
@@BrandonSchwartz1 not a terrible choice... It'll be interesting to see when they actually deliver the product
One thing about battery life.. I use mine most workouts but only turn them on for the movement I need them for. So for example if it’s a back day and all I use my Voltra for is low rows I turn them on for that movement and then off when I’m done. Chest day if I all use them for is a cable chest press I turn them on for that and then off when I’m done. All that to say for someone who isn’t trying to build an entire workout around them I feel like you should get closer to a month of battery rather than a week.
@@airgordo4 100%... I could have probably been clearer on the 1 week note. Basically was trying to say that you'd get a week without any questions. So people weren't going to need to charge these daily, or run into issues of them running out of juice during a workout.
But you are correct, if you had a day with a light cable workout you might use 2 to 5%.
If you want a more consistent force curve on the lateral raise, besides lowering the device you can also angle your body away from the load which will change the angle of the moment arm
@@PhantomMaxx_ it is hard to explain, but it's legit different than doing the same exercise on a cable machine. Regardless of how I stand, manipulate height etc.
Wow just saw their app has drop sets now which I love and use a lot. Have you tried these? I'm thinking this would be great after barbell or dumbbell workouts to just completely fatigue the muscles having it drop weight automatically would be incredible and also for days you want to workout but don't have time do 3-4 drop sets and that should be pretty good!
@@chrisdonnell2575 unfortunately the app is only for iOS, and I'm an android user. So I haven't touched that stuff yet.
The drop sets look to be CLOSE to perfect. You have to pre program the reps and drops. Which is a little funky. Typically I'd want the drop set to happen when I'm about 2 to 3 reps shy of failure, not necessarily after 5 reps or whatever. Otherwise great idea
@@GrayMatterLifting Yeah coded by people who don't lift. We are some days a lot stronger and other days can't manage the last 3-5 reps due to sleep, diet, stress, injuries, fight with nagging wife etc!
I'm really thinking about getting this vs jammer arms which are still far from perfect PRX looks perfect except for handles and weight horn and cost.
Do you use the feature that increases eccentric weight a lot? Sounds incredible 20lbs side laterals up and 35lbs down slow would torch side delts! After heavy shoulder presses do 15-20 reps of lighter weight up and 2x weight down! I can see some amazing uses for this thing! So glad I remembered your video and watched it again 8 months later.
@@chrisdonnell2575 I mix and match a lot of it in. I'm highly debating making a pretty drastic move towards the VOLTRAs being my only cable solution, and connecting them into a number of other rack attachments and systems in my gym.
Lateral raise feels smoother when bent over a decent bit
Probably because like you said it has less cable travel
Good note! Yeah I think the long cable travel and the crazy strength curve mess with it as an exercise all together.
Great review. How does the twin mode perform?i know coop said it wasnt there yet and was a little jittery in operation as the motors werent synced. Id love them to come out with a dual mount so you can mount 2 side by side on the same point on your rack then use a 2:1 carabiner adapter to connect them together. Then they can share the load for multiple exercises. 400lbs max resistance or just sharing the load for battery life and potentially longevity of components.
@@EngJimmyJ I only used it a few times. I actually connected two together WITHOUT the Twin Mode for a barbell and it worked ok. It wouldn't be my go to for a big heavy triple or 1 Rep max, but I think it worked OK for higher rep work.
I think they'll probably nail it here soon, and I've seen your request pop up a couple times, especially for things like heavy belt squats or deadlifts. So it'll probably be here soon.
Glad to be the first comment. Where you were talking about the cam option I thought they had a “reverse band” setting that would do something like that. Is that not actually a feature?
Nope! At least not yet. The band setting is its own function outside of the weight training mode, which for me makes it something I just won't use. It should probably be baked inside the weight training mode and it needs more features / function.
Hi I appreciate this video and your channel. I have a Rep rack with dual athena cable system and love it getting into great shape but want more variety in my workouts. I might be nuts but was considering lever arms like Crandall or Rogue's with Vendetta for hammer strength type movements. But today remembered this device after seeing Kurt talk about flywheel trainers. I'd like more chest and shoulder variety and remembered this could do heavier eccentrics.
What are your favorite exercises with this do you ever use it for chest or shoulders? I'm thinking it could be awesome for rear and side shoulders and have far heavier eccentric parts. Do you use this in almost all your workouts?
@@chrisdonnell2575 just making sure we are talking about the same thing. Was this comment meant for the kBox Flywheel, or the VOLTRA I?
@@GrayMatterLifting Voltra I but curious if you could only have one would you pick the kbox or voltra and why?
I think the Voltra looks so much more powerful but have never used either! Thanks for your replies.
@@chrisdonnell2575 VOLTRA over the kBox for sure.
@@chrisdonnell2575 the VOLTRA can be used in any way a cable system can, but with more options since it can detach and move and be placed in different areas. So you get a compact cable machine with a ton of different features that can be combined easily with other things
@@GrayMatterLifting Thank you that's what I figured! Thanks for your video saved me from buying PRX or Crandall Fitness jammer arms. I suspect I'll love this more and can take it with me to in laws and workoff big dinners.
Can you do a video where you use dual mode for pull downs and cable rows. I want to see how you'd set it up where you can use 250, 300 lbs for this excercise. How would you do pull downs with attachments that way? Would you stack 1 unit ontop of the other?
Beyond Power had me send back the Pre-Release model a couple weeks ago. I'm supposed to get a replacement, but I can't do that RIGHT now.
That said... You could likely do it a couple ways. I think the easiest process would be to get a horizontal crossmember, and set them both up there. Then they would work similar to my Inspire FT2, where you just need something to connect the two carabiners together, to connect to one attachment, and good to go.
So is it able to actually match the strength curve? Or just the opposite of it like chains style? Tonal has the same issue, can match the opposite of the strength curve but not the actual strength curve. Pretty annoying. Otherwise hoghly interested in this. Except i have no where to mount it
@@Reconstruction-d1b currently it can NOT match the strength curve. I have heard rumors of an update coming. But nothing yet.
Great review but how is using both units together for things like cable flies etc? Do they feel the same when set to the same weight?
@@clmb511 check out 32:55 of the review. I discuss "Twin Mode" and then discuss using two VOLTRAs for crossover and stuff.
In general, no issues for basic cable exercises for two. Crossovers, rear delts, triceps extensions, etc. all good.
@@GrayMatterLifting haha thanks, I listened to it while lifting and must have been a bit too into my set.
@@clmb511 you mean you didn't fully retain all 40 minutes of my video? I'm personally offended.
My question is have they helped you get stronger or bigger?
@@bold2013 I mean, cable systems in general have been proven over the years by basically every great lifter to be a solid addition to their programming. Arnold, Ronnie, Ed Coan, all these guys used cable machines.
So I don't think there is a debate here for whether these are an effective muscle building machine... If used correctly and programmed to do so. But that is on the end users side of the equation to tackle.
I'd really like to see an auto-drop set function. You could set something like start at 100lbs and reduce 3lbs every 3 reps or whatever you wanted and then just do one giant set that you keep going until you gas out or your arms fall off. Everyone knows that when your arms fall off is when maximum hypertrophy happens!
the App has that! I just can't use the app... I've heard from a few people that the App is really cool.
Excellent review, as always. Hella expensive tho...
@@davidcooper2516 oh yeah, $4k for two boxes is a tough sell. It's definitely a hurdle, and they know they aren't for everyone. It's a premium product and they are charging a premium price.
@@GrayMatterLifting Yep. I'll stay with my power racks, free weights, and REP Arcadia functional trainer. But these do look interesting, and I appreciate your in-depth anaysis. IMO, your reviews are the best and most reliable to be found in this space...
@@davidcooper2516 don't blame ya. My old school stuff isn't going anywhere. And I do appreciate the kind words.
Have you tried the reverse band mode for your rows? I think that provides the resistance curve you were asking for.
@@MIKE_BLM_BDS_ACAB the problem is that the Band Mode is its own mode. It isn't in the Weight Training mode. So you can't use reverse bands AND weight. It is one or the other.
Thank you for the detailed review!
Do you have any thoughts about which rack mount works best?
They each seem to have their own pros and cons - but for general use and if the voltras will stay on a rack and only will move up or down the upright for movements, is the sliding rack mount the way to go?
Thanks!
@@calledminime I only have two of them, the sliding mount and the fixed mount. I have very few complaints for the sliding mount. It occasionally has some hiccups, since it is meant to accommodate a number of rack sizes it has to be tightened and loosened every time.
But overall it's solid, it does what it's meant to do. I know Coop liked one of the other mounts better, I haven't used it so I can't comment.
@@GrayMatterLifting awesome thanks for the insight; appreciate it!
I’ve been wanting the Ancore forever and just discovered this. They are completely different but essentially have a very similar function. If you had to choose which would you go with?
I have not used the Ancore, so this is based purely on specs. For MY home gym, the Ancore wouldn't get much use. The total resistance is too light. The VOLTRA I with the 200lb resistance profile is really the money maker. If you don't see yourself exceeding the Ancore weight limits, it is certainly a cheaper option.
It would be great if you could set 3 memory values for resistance, then select between them at a touch of a button. I think this is a user interface rather than capability issue?
@@kazarenko6300 what are you thinking there? To be able to run multiple exercises in a superset?
Like... If I down pulldowns, low rows, and curls as a super set?
Do a comparison to the Unitree Pump Max please.
@@eddiecalder5436 I reached out to them. They said they are not sending any units out right now as it is in Beta testing. So we'll see what happens when it launches.
@ seems like they sent them out strategically to people with little experience in reviewing equipment or experienced heavy lifters.
@eddiecalder5436 pretty funny how companies do that, huh? Sometimes they don't want the truth.
Will these really replace a fundlctional trainer?
@@futbol1972 if you had two, they could. I used my two for crossovers and various functional trainer style movements. And since they can adjust up and down a rack like an adjustable cable column, it is definitely possible to replicate basically everything a functional trainer would do. Add in that each goes to 200lbs and you've got a lat pulldown and low row as well.
Are you able to charge the battery outside of the unit? I want to know if I could switch batteries out during a training day as I coach people.
@@Robert-ze6vd no you can not. The battery is on one side and the charging port is on the other side.
@@GrayMatterLifting thank you
could you use this like a resistance band for assisted pullups?
@@geofftsjy if you had two, or could figure out a way to have a pull up bar above your head and stand in something for one, yep!
The reverse band might work well there.
@@GrayMatterLifting as a 330 pound man, I could do pull ups! haha. I work a lot and I'm eyeballing 2 of these to turn my office into a covert gym. I have a nice gym membership down the street but I have started doing home workouts while in meetings and when waiting on processes. I'm thinking of putting in a pull up bar on the ceiling above my desk and hanging and maybe using these to do some assisted pull ups. Seems like I could hook them up to one of those cable squat belts or something and avoid getting the elatic band mishaps. Great video. I bet I'm overthinking it but it's at least a fun thought.
@@geofftsjy definitely possible. I'm supposed to get a 2nd production unit here soon. I'll test the pull ups for ya
@@GrayMatterLifting awesome! thanks!
Cool but soooo expensive 😢
Sums up the entire video right there
Wouldn't the chain and the band options be ment to be opposite weight profiles with fancy names? One is heavy at the top and the other at the bottom? Would not make sense if they are the same thing, which is what I got from the video.
I think this system is too expensive for me. But If I was to get it, I would get two extra uprights to mount at each side of my rack. That way it would still be kind of compact and the sliders would not conflict with everything else on the rack. The distance between the extra uprights could be 2,5 meters such that a barbell fits in between. The total space used would not really increase much, because I need space for that barbell anyway.
I forgot what they call it, but Rep has a seat with rollers that attaches to the rack upright and that would be perfect for this.
@@BaldurNorddahl bands and chains are both heaviest at the top. Think about if you stretch a band out, it'll fight back the most, the more you stretch it. And chains get heavier the more that get pulled off the ground.
The band mode, keep in mind, is NOT part of the weight lifting mode. So you can't use the bands and the 200lb resistance profile, it is either or.
Not a bad solution idea, to create a BatWing style rack for these. You know I have seen that REP seat. I think it popped up on my ads after searching for the Darko one lol
@@GrayMatterLiftingI get what you are saying. But bands can do both because they can also be used to assist a movement. For example for pull ups or dips, where most stretched band = the least force on your muscles. Obviously they should have both, whatever they choose to call it. Very strange that they didn't think of that. It appears to be obvious.
@@BaldurNorddahl typically I would call that a "reverse band" set up but I'm with ya. They do not have it and I think they need it. Personally they should just abandon the bands and chains terminology and implement a custom resistance curve feature
Like if you stayed til the end 👍
@@TheCarterHomeGym woop woop
Can't you just add wood blocks on the platform to increase the user height?
@@sgarvagh you could, there is always a retrofit solution to make things work. But when these cost $2k a piece and the board is another couple hundred bucks, plus you need a belt/harness... Having to DIY a solution is kind of annoying.
Hard for me to justify this vs a functional trainer that costs less than 2 Voltra units and doesn’t have the same warranty concerns
@@408Machine totally fair
All these functional trainer racks are like $2500 and up. Not sure why you wouldn't just get one of these.
@@Omnis2 really just depends on your space, needs, etc. the VOLTRAs are portable. I've been using mine with my Hyper Pro for back extensions, something I can't do with a rack.
It also has the smart tech, will continue to update, have build in drop sets, custom resistance curves, etc.
If none of that matters to you, then yep, these are just expensive cable systems. But they have a lot of features that can definitely be a big win if they matter to you and your training
You have to buy 2 of them to have enough resistance. Hard to spend 4k plus for this
@@Cd11998 what are you doing that you need over 200lbs consistently with?
@@GrayMatterLiftingrows, vertical pulls, lunges, belt squats, leg curl/leg extensions, pull overs, hyper extension
This piece is super badass I just can’t afford it. Coop has a really bad ass setup that actually sent me down this rabbit hole. He has 2 of them mounted on 2 jammer arms with a Prime back support in the middle making dual arm free motion style trainer. Probably a 10k set up but that might be the cost not object best of the best. Gym80 also has a universal pulley dual arm that goes up to 215 kg at a 1:1 ratio of you are a real hoss
A huge benefit in my mind to these is being able to put them on plate loaded machines. For example this mounted to the bottom of a hack squat with the cables attaching to the plate holders would be sick
@@Cd11998 yep, I mention that in the video
@@Cd11998 the VAST majority of people will never exceed 200lbs for anything but belt squats on this. I squat 550 and deadlift 630 and I'm not maxing it out in anything row or leg curl/ext related.
Sure you can get there. But I just don't see that being an issue for 99.9% of the population. And if you are one of those people, that's just the reality of life. Being bigger and stronger costs more money.
ok. so these or dialed motion?
@@ckPinson-n4j hard choice. I'd personally lean towards the VOLTRAs, but the Dialed Motion seems to be a very well thought out piece.
you know it's not even necessarily the cost as everyone is upset about because they've come to market and have proven to work. my concern is battery life, system life and future subscription firewall. i got burned on my $3ktreadmill already.
@@ckPinson-n4jyeah that is definitely a tough one. At any point they could change their business model and lock you out.
Resistance bands and free weights combo does well. And cost way less.
This is not worth what they are selling it for. It's nice but not needed at that price.
@@NoctiLucent81 if you are comparing things to the basics, it will never be worth it. The basics are the basics because they get the job done at an affordable price.
That was never the idea behind the VOLTRA I. It would be like saying you don't need a Lamborghini when a Civic exists. Sure, you don't NEED it, but it might be fun right? And what kinds of things could you do with one that you can't with the others?
I've tinkered and tested and moved the VOLTRA around a lot. And I'm not even considering building an entire rack section dedicated to them and running multiple other pieces.
They open a door that the basics can't. Not saying the basics aren't where everyone should start, but these are just freaking cool.
My civic is turbo charged. 😆
@@NoctiLucent81 well then you got it all covered lol
For £2,049.00 GBP, 200 lbs (90 kg) is nowhere near enough resistance...
@@mreverybody1150 if you ONLY look at the VOLTRA for the total resistance, I agree. But if you look at the space saving factor, the idea that it can be used in combination with other machines, that it has smart tech to do all kinds of fancy stuff, that it will continue to receive upgrades and updates to do MORE fancy stuff...
It begins to be a much different idea. This isn't just a 200lb cable stack.
Let's be real here -- almost everyone watching vids like these, are not buying equipment to last 30 years. Most here will buy the newer better thing every 3-5 years. That's why all these gear influencers keep making content. If everyone bought once cried once, most influencers would wither on the vine, cuz home gymers would buy once then go away forever. So with that in mind, how long does gear really need to last? We don't expect our cars to last 30 years, so why expect our exercise gear? After all, who is still using their 30 yr old schwinn airbike, or their 1990s stationary bike, or their first gen concept2 rower? Most of the cool stuff most of us shop for didn't even exist 20 yrs ago, let alone 10 years ago. So why do we hold our gear to a false standard that it should last decades, when we won't even want it for decades?
My goal is that after watching/reading my stuff, that I have put forth a Pro and Con list that helps you avoid buyers remorse and be happy with your purchase, or avoid purchasing entirely. If anyone clicks my link and buys something, I want them to know that I gave them everything I had. This was a constant item that popped up in my head. So I shared it. And others have shared that they have the same concerns.
I'm not saying that it is realistic to expect the new fancy thing to last 30 years, by any means. Just that it is an idea to ponder before purchasing. What is your goal for your home gym? Make that the central decision making factor and you'll be good.
I feel like if you’re reviewing a product you should take time to explore the resistance band mode and damper mode even if it’s not something YOU would use
@@Xaxaxa43 let me try this in two different ways.
The resistance band mode I did use, which I mentioned. But I didn't find it useful. For me, how I use bands, they are often used outside of the rack for warm ups. So the VOLTRA and the band mode isn't something I found useful. And because it is its own mode outside of the weight training mode, it can't be used WITH the weight training. So again, just not a useful mode in my space. I didn't feel the need to spend 5 minutes covering something that I didn't find useful.
The damper mode is not functional in my space. I have about 22ft total in my gym, from rack to wall is about 12ft. So I'd have maybe 8ft of room to sprint? I just honestly have no space for this, and since my target audience is normally home gym owners, most of us wouldn't have that space either.
I get what you are saying. But I promise this wasn't a cop out. It was simply a, these two features don't work or add anything to my space, so instead of making a 40 minute video 50 minutes, I chose to keep that segment short.
I love the idea of this portable cable system but it doesn't fit the bullet proof tried and true equipment that will last forever.
This type of equipment is perfect for tiny home gyms that don't have the additional space for a functional trainer but comes at a heavy cost. These items are $5181 not including tax/shipping for 2 units. That costs more than my rack and standard functional cable trainer combined.
I appreciate all the testing and time you spent to let us know how the voltra is and it's definitely not for me. For the average joes I recommend getting a standard functional trainer save the extra $4000 to your child's education. You can still have your kids workout with a standard functional trainer.
If the voltras sold for $1000 shipped then everyone would have these in their home gyms including me.
@@MetalsForBrunch totally fair. I think in the future we'll see competition, pricing will come down, execution will get better, etc. and it'll be difficult to argue a $500 smart piece vs a $1000 dedicated functional trainer.
Today you are paying the early adopter price, just like you do with any new tech. It's currently standing on a mountain top by itself, so they can charge a premium. A premium that like you said, works well for some, but not for most.
Dont mean to troll but how can this review be objective if you received these for free? There is conflict of interest if you speak about product's shortcomings. The fact that as you know this product is very expensive makes this conflict of interest every more of an issue
@@emersonyang1485 totally valid question.
I try to be up front and honest about how I get equipment, if I can make money on it (affiliate links and codes), and anything else I think goes into the equation. That way you can be informed about it and factor it into your view of the video.
I could have easily skipped that part, or shoved it in the description, or otherwise hidden those facts. But I try and make sure they come right at the beginning. So you have the right frame of context to the review. You can see on my website I put that piece right up front as well.
Because yes, there can be a tendency to be less transparent, and more positive about equipment you receive in those manners. If someone sees the potential to make thousands of dollars off affiliates, they might leave out some pertinent details. They will be more likely to rush videos, to put out information that simply serves one purpose, to get you to click their link.
Hopefully after 40 minutes of me covering pros and cons and even spending a solid chunk of time debating if smart technology is worth the investment in a home gym or not... This video would come off as authentic, transparent, and real.
I think at the end of the day, you as the cunsumer or watcher or whatever term is accurate here, has to decide what aligns with your view of the world. If I covered here doesn't jive with you, I hope you can find it on another channel to help you make a solid decision.
Yes you deserve a lot of credit for being honest. These days there are probably lots of reviews whereby the content creator neglects to include such important information.
@@emersonyang1485 thank you. And yes, there is a total lack of transparency. I think a lot of them THINK it might be obvious. Or just don't care. I'm of the mind that I'd rather you leave knowing I told you the truth, than stay because I lied.
A conflict of interest is only present where our man is set to GAIN anything by the review. In this case he is not, he has already received the item, and has no economic incentive - ie no more to gain from them, by giving a specific review. That is a real conflict of interest, but one he handles very well and gives fair warning about.
@@andersbjrnsen7203 to be fair, I do have an affiliate link where I make money if you choose to buy these with the link.
But I appreciate that
the maiak is a bit cheaper
@@zber9043 it'll be interesting to see where they land. He had said a $500 early adopter price, but that's without a battery I believe. And official pricing was going to be about $900 if I remember correctly, add in a $400 battery and we are getting closer. Still significantly cheaper, but closer.