@@BELLSOFSTEEL I will be buying this cable tower because of Matts in-depth review. This is exactly what I've been looking for! Send this guy some more products so he can review them for you!
I literally just talked myself out of buying these last week…. I think you just talked me back into buying them again 😂 thanks for the review and tips! Super helpful
This video helped me build my gym so much. I got the 2 plate loaded towers and secured them to the studs in my basement and use it as a squat rack and functional trainer. This is the best setup I couldve imagined and it takes up so much less space than a rack was going to. I used some red electrical tape and ran it down the uprights to number the holes and it made it alot easier to remember what height I need lol. Benching on this with the spotter arms feels better than the bench setups I had at the gym. For anyone considering this type of setup I highly recommend it, I can do anything I would want to on this that I would use a full power rack for and it takes up so much less space. My only con for these towers is I wish it was possible to upgrade to the weight stacks in the future from the plate loaded.
Keep in mind, the Five stars are based on my needs for this item ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxUHHotQRjIQnfuxEeVotlkHVYWH0DXZoS When I first bought the bike I was going to return it immediately. After trying it out for several days/weeks I came to realize it is actually perfect for WHY I bought it.This is not a workout, the resistance is, eh, it makes a bit of noise, not loud, and it isn’t very stable even with the mat. The mat certainly keeps the bike from sliding but nothing keeps the mat from sliding (if that makes any sense, lol). Mine is place on my hard wood floor. Maybe it would be better with a rug underneath??I sit for long hours for work and wanted something to keep my legs moving. This bike does exactly that! For the price it is amazing, it is compact, easy to use, light weight, keeps track of time, calories etc (not sure how accurate it is) but good little product. I am happy with it.
man. I specifically got the BoS lever arms because of your video. Now I have to get these towers...haha. thanks for your videos. I came to see this one after seeing your latest. Thanks!
I actually discovered that too! I wish I could amend youtube videos when I discover new tricks but I realized shortly after that it makes a world of difference
Great review. It answered all the questions I had about the functionality, especially if/how I'd be able to do lat pulldowns; your solution works for me. The push press with the cables attached at both ends of the bar was an unexpected bonus. I have the same problem with a low ceiling in my basement. Thanks.
regarding the cable system support legs getting in the way of the bench foot, it looks like there are extra holes in the support legs. unbolt and move them outwards, since you have a pair of them, connected at the top, they don't have to be centered under the pulley system, then you'll have extra room to wheel your bench through
Great video! I have an Amstaff rack that these can easily attach to, I was thinking about replacing my rack with those all-in-one racks with a functional trainer & smith machine but you have given me another option! Love it!
Happy to help! There are so many options out there which really makes me love building my own home gym. You can configure the perfect set up based on your space
Great honest and thorough review! Question: does loading up 1 side of the weight stack feel the same as loading up both sides? I'm really thinking about pulling the trigger on this but I'd have to buy more weights if I have to load up both sides of the weight stack.
If it's a significant difference in weight, you'll definitely feel it. You don't notice an imbalance necessarily, but you'll notice the weight does not move nearly as smoothly. 5-10 pounds won't be too noticeable, but if you throw a 45 plate on one side it would not work well. Once you put the same amount on both sides it's night and day.
@@MattRosenman Freaking thanks so much for getting back to me. I could not for the life of me find any info on this. Also your reviews have been INVALUABLE! Thanks for all you do!
@@MattRosenman what's the weight limit on the rack? I am looking into getting one but don't want to buy it only to exceed the weight limit soon after getting it.
I believe your selector is upside down, i just set mines up and the comments in the BOS tutorial mentioned it. You’ll be able to use the top hole that way I believe
Great reviews! Hey man, as of your trolley (smoothness and hight not reaching top) you put the trolley upside down! Ahah Flip it so the knob is on top wich will make it much more smooth, but also will lower your pulley just enough so you'll get that last hole. 💪🏻
Great hack, just added on my men of steel tower. Do you have any tips on the chest press or fly I'm struggling to find a comfortable position. I seen other tower that had extend arm. Do you have any suggestions or adjustments.
Great video, I might be sold on these. Maybe I missed it but what specific brand and model is that rack? Not sure if the cable towers are meant for that exact rack or if they’re pretty universal. Thanks
Would there be enough clearance for bumper plates if mounted to to a stud to the wall? Been wanting to buy this for a long time! Your review is awesome and very helpful
Solid review Matt ! I’m debating buying the single plate loaded tower since I have limited space . Would you say it would be just as good ? Also are you familiar with Synergees cable tower , if so what are your thoughts on it . Thanks dude
The thing I like about BoS over others out there is that the uprights are compatible with attachments (like the dip bar) so when space is limited it really opens up the options. A single tower would still be great- they give you the option to add an upright to the back of it so it’s standalone and you dont have to bolt it to a rack or the wall. Not sure ive seen anyone else offer that. Considering the price is comparable I would choose this one every time over synergee personally
82" generally, but I have it setup where when I do pullups I am between the pieces of wood where the ceiling is about 84". I was concerned I wouldnt be able to do a full pullup but haven't had anyu restrictions!
Howdy, i think you could probably just move those feet to a different holes that way there is more length on the outside. Thus more clearance in the inside? If you look at the squat stand version of this product, it looks like bells of steel has done exactly that.
That's a fair point! I'll look into it. I wanted to make sure I had maximum stability, but I'm sure moving them wouldnt really make much of a difference considering it's attached to the rack
Assuming your lever arms fit on your other rack, do you think it would be possible to still attach the cable handles to the lever arms? Meaning, your lever arms would face the opposite direction. I'm trying to decide if I should buy this BOS cable system and place it like you did next to my rack, but then have the lever arms face the opposite direction and attach cable handles. Thank in advance.
Yeah, I really wish there was a little extra height to it to make it work on a bench. But rep sells replacement bench pads for like $40 and it has worked great for me
Love your reviews! Question on the height of the cable tower. Are you able to do rope tricep push downs? I'm 6'4 and when looking at the height of this being around 82", it seems a little short--my main reservation about getting these. Thoughts? Also, are you still thinking of upgrading to the weight stack version or are you going to go in a completely different direction? Thanks!
At 6'4" you may find it on the short side but it's tough to say for sure. I'm 5'10" and have absolutely no issues and definitely have a few inches to spare, but it may be cutting it close for you. Ultimately I do want to upgrade to the weight stack version but I have a move in my future so I'm waiting for that to see what kind of space I'm working with. I love the value of the plate loaded towers but definitely miss the convenience of a stack
I'm sure you'll find a new space with the move to expand. We look forward to following your next steps. I've been dumbbelling it since the pandemic, along with the ironmaster lat tower...but you've motivated me to upgrade. I want the Bells of Steel cable squat stand but think it is too short. Waiting to see if they come out with something taller or go Rep Athena...c'mon Bells. Thanks for your reviews
Have you noticed if the cables are getting worn down when you link them together to get a 1:1 ratio? Just wondering if the housing cuts into the cables when you link them together like that (either on the initial pull or on the return). Again, great video.
Havent noticed anything yet! But I actually have one slightly larger carabiner now so I hook them both to and then hook the attachment to the larger carabiner and I think that’s the best move. That should eliminate any unnecessary wear
They have a seat attachment, but it's technically a seal row pad, so it doesn't have the leg holders for lat pulldowns. I own that attachment now, but it unfortunately doesnt solve the lat pulldown issue
Are the pulleys 1:1 or 2:1 one problem I have with Athena is the 2:1 pulley if I want to use 150 weight for tricep pushdowns need to put 300lbs on! I'd be spending a ton of time and a workout in itself to setup any heavy lift! I can't stand that and why I'm waiting to buy rack to try to find solution. Band pegs are on it but have never used bands not sure if I can get that much from them. Might have to buy some 1000lb plates to get weight up! $$$
It truly depends on your budget and how much value you place on the convenience. If the price were the same I would absolutely go with the weight stack because it's just so much easier than changing out plates. I'll put it this way: when I move into my next home, my setup will be much more permanent so I'll likely invest in the weight stack versions, but the cheaper towers work really well for my needs right now
Matt, thanks for the review! Quick question. I am building my home gym and put space efficiency and multi purpose high on my list. What would your opinion be of me buying the plate towers that are attached with a pull up bar and bolting them to the wall? My though is that it could then serve as my cable machine as well as my squat/bench rack. I would buy their J cups and spotter arms and be able to do my barbell lifts on their as well. This seems extremely efficient and multi purpose as long as they are sturdy enough to do barbell lifts with. I would appreciate any input!
To be honest, I would buy the additional uprights with these rather than mount them directly to the wall, then you can add your attachments to the uprights to really maximize the towers without getting in the way of the cables. You'd basically turn it into a dedicated rack. I believe it's an extra $80 but IMO would be very worth it, especially because you could move it around then! It would be super sturdy, too. But if you don't want to go that route, you can absolutely just mount these to the wall and use it as a rack that way- it's definitely built to be sturdy enough.
@Matt Rosenman ok great thank you for the input! I'm thinking I'm gonna go this route. I was deciding whether or not to step up to the rep aries. I do wish these towers were a bit taller like the aries but I think for the price you can't beat these. I'll take the savings and buy a nice bar and bumper plates
I have the BOS weight rack pulley system Been looking for foot plates for low row- I like your idea to use dip bar for feet How does the 5/8 bar with cheap cushions work for lay pull downs?
With regard to rolling your bench between the bottom braces, can you move the supports to the outside more to create more space. With the pulley towers bolted to the rack and the pull up bar in between, it seems like it would still have plenty of support if they were bolted in a way to create a wider space in between. It might have been an optical illusion, but it looked like on BoS website there were some pics of the braces bolted in this manner.
They'll only go as wide as my rack, which admittedly is a little bit narrow- I have the a rack with a small overall footprint to maximize my space. With a larger/wider rack, you definitely might be better off
First, great review, very helpful information. I think the issue with rolling the bench out of the way can be solved by offsetting the “feet” of each tower so say 75% of the overall length is outside the tower. BOS website shows a pic of it with the feet (bottom supports) offset
One would still be great. Consider the weight plates you currently have and what else you use them for and that might help make a decision. If you run the risk of not having enough weight plates to do everything you want without constantly removing weights, it might be worth the upgrade
Hey Matt, thank you for your review. Like. What is the actual height of the black plastic ball (or the carabiner) on the pulley once it's secures on the top and bottom positions? Thanks!
The height to the plastic ball at the top position is about 70" off the ground, but once you attach something to the carabiner, the attachment will sit at about 65". Hope that helps!
I am starting from scratch so thank you for all your advice. If I was to purchase your recommended rack, I believe it is a 3x3 where this cable attachment machine is a 2.3 x 2.3. My next question would be for the accessories. Ideally the rack would be the same dimensions as the cable machine, but they do not offer this in 3x3. So would you buy the lever arms for the 2.3 x 2.3? What about the other accessories like a dip rack? Thanks again!
It depends on your needs and how you want to build your setup. If you plan correctly, you can plan to have certain attachments for the pulley towers, and certain ones for the rack. For example, they sell lever arms for the 3x3 rack that are actually an improvement over the current arms in terms of design, so I'd rather have those. I would say that you should think about what exercises you do the most, and then plan to get attachments that won't interfere. If you squat and bench more than anything else, then you don't want to have to rely on rack attachments because you'll be switching them out a lot. Inversely, if you plan to use cables most often, it might make more sense to get a dip attachment for your rack to keep it out of the way. Hope that helps!
And to be clear, they DO offer a 2.3 rack as well, the 3x3 is just the newest model that I really like. If you want to be able to use the attachments on either the pulley tower or the rack, you can snag a 2.3 rack!
Hey are you able to show in a video or explain how you attached these to your rack? I have the BOS residential rack but i don't think these would attach to the front of the rack from my understanding (like how you did w/ titan rack). From looking at the front feet of my rack posts and the cable towers back feet, it looks like they would get in the way of each other.. Not sure if I got the wrong idea.. but I'm been trying to figure this out before buying.
If you go to the 0:58 mark of the video you can see the bracket that bolts right into the rack. They're designed to bolt into virtually any rack so you 100% can with the BoS residential rack. The bracket on the pulley tower has 2 options so you can adjust how far out they are from the rack itself (mine is on the closer setting but at that spot in the video you can see that there's a hole to attach it further out). You'll have a good 6" of separation there so I don't think it will get in the way!
@@MattRosenman Awesome! Thanks for getting back to me. Any additional hardware/bolts required for mounting to the rack? Love seeing all the cool things you did with the BOS pulley towers. Keep em coming!
I'd love to add these to my rack. I have the Bells of Steel light commercial in 72" height (shortest option) and it looks like it would require some fiddling to get that to work. Does anyone have experience with attaching them to this rack?
Not sure if you're still answering questions about this setup but I have a Rogue R-3 which is 2" spacing at the top and 1" spacing at the bench area and 5/8" holes but 2x3" tubing, do you think this would still fit this style of rack?
I don't see why not. You really only need one bolt at the top and bottom to secure it, which you'll be able to do with any hole spacing. Multiple bolts would be ideal for maximum stability, but even with one it would work. You won't have any issue.
@@MattRosenman Awesome, thanks. I have a valor single pulley mounted to the wall behind my rack currently that allows me to do a lot of movements but this looks like one of the most economical solutions for a functional trainer type system. Thanks for posting!
The titan pulleys are definitely a great value, but they are strictly pulleys and nothing more. The BoS version is designed as their own uprights for attachments, which is a huge bonus for me. You can also buy them with a back upright if you dont want to attach the tower to your rack or to the wall, which basically gives you an additional section to add attachments to that's separate from the pulley. If you want a cheaper version, Titan makes great equipment, you just need to know the limitations!
As long as you attach both pulleys, it's very very close to a 1:1 feel. If you use only one pulley, you're only getting half, but I've found this to be very close
@@MattRosenman Yeah I figured it would have a more commerical feel considering the dual rods and aluminum pulleys; the one im using now 120lbs feels like 165lb on a commercial because the pulleys are cheap and it's only a single guide rod.
Instead of installing the pulleys to the back of the rack, Can the pulleys be installed on each side of the rack? Adding additional width and solving the issue with getting the bench in and out?
Rather than that, I've learned that you can attach those feet so they are further out on the sides vs perfectly centered on the uprights and that changes everything. If you were to attach the tower to the side of the rack, you're run into the issue of one of the pulleys (since there are 2 on each tower) being too close to the rack IMO
@@MattRosenman yea I’ve further researched it. I’ve looked at the Hydra series. Can add some uprights to the front of the rack with 17” or 24” crossmembers. Install the cable pulleys on those giving one full extension. Appreciate the reply brotha
@@MattRosenman thanks for the clarification. wish it wasn't so it could be upgraded in the future. If you wanted to chose just one side of the plate loaded posts can you use it like that or the weight always has to be used evenly on both sides?
Is the pulley tower tall enough for single arm tricep pushdowns? It looks like it could be tight avoiding having the weights hit at the top of the rep… Also, how tall are you for reference? Thanks!
Absolutely, I do triceps very often on this and it's plenty tall enough. The weights don't come anywhere close to hitting the top- I've done overhead extensions where I have to take a few steps out and the weights still don't reach the top, so you've got plenty of extra clearance. I'm 5'10"
@@MattRosenman thanks so much! I was also curious about the weight hitting the bottom when at the top of the rep for pushdowns… does it seem tall enough for me at 6’1”?
So I read a comment of yours saying that if you were to do it again, you would purchase the weight stack version of the cable towers now looking at the price for two of the cable towers you’re looking at roughly the same price for what you would pay for the rep functional trainer? Is that an option that you may consider?
So it definitely depends on your setup & your needs. If you have the space, having a dedicated functional trainer might be great. However, it's worth noting that with a functional trainer you can't add any attachments like with these towers, and you're also pretty limited with the top and bottom positions if you wanted to do anything like lat pulldowns or seated rows. Functional trainers are awesome, but I really like the versatility of these towers, plus the stability it adds to my rack. Whenever the time comes for me to upgrade, I'll likely be getting the weight stack version of these towers vs a functional trainer.
I agree that to is my selling point for wanting to purchase the Bells of steel towers due to the attachments that are allowed to go with the rack and given the fact that the towers have dual pulleys, that will allow a one to one ratio will mean I will have more actual weight. To bad now there sold out in my area
That one I got off Amazon and it has been great: amzn.to/3tIx8ka Bells of Steel also sells their own now too. Just search "dual hook straight bar" and you'll have some options. Unless you're talking about the pullup bar, in which case that one is the adjustable pullup bar from Bells of Steel!
Im thinking about getting this as a squat stand version to replace a traditional rack, only concern I have is if an adjustable bench can be placed close between the pulleys legs to do bench press or incline. Would you be able to provide insight on it?
Absolutely, you wont have any issues. I also learned since uploading this video that the legs can be positioned a little bit wider out so you can easily roll a bench through without it hitting. In other words, I attached the legs to be perfectly center, but they can be positioned a little further out without any issues. Regardless, you can definitely use them as a squat stand!
The rack? Mine is 78". The pulley towers are 81". And I haven't reached a weight where I can notice anything off with the pulleys. They're rock solid attached to the rack, even if I'm using the lever arms which are swinging away from the towers I don't feel any movement. For reference, the old functional trainer I used to have definitely had a max weight where the entire unit would start tipping, so I've definitely experienced it before, just not with these
Two questions: Is there a option to load 1 inch plates instead of 2 inch Olympic plates? And it says on the website has to be bolted down, but if I just bought on do you think it would still be stable enough to sustain itself?
Unfortunately no, these only take 2 inch plates. You'd need to find a different company if you need a 1-inch compatible machine. As far as bolting down, you won't need to do that if you're attaching yours to a rack like I did. It's plenty sturdy that way. If its on its own, you CAN get away without bolting it down, but you're obviously taking a risk of it tipping
Wow awesome great in depth review of our gear. We are so happy you are putting it to good use!!! 😁
Absolutely loving them!!
@@MattRosenman Music to our ears! 😃
You guys should promote this setup @bellsofsteel this is a way better setup than the million dollar deal your competitors have
@@BELLSOFSTEEL I will be buying this cable tower because of Matts in-depth review. This is exactly what I've been looking for! Send this guy some more products so he can review them for you!
Any idea when this will be back in stock?
Those lever arm combo exercises are brilliant. I feel like I should be sending you money for value gained from this video. Great job, Matt!
Ha! I'm just happy to help!
Pretty cool that such a simple solution has saved both space, and added versatility to your home gym experience.
Thanks! I'm really happy with it
That last pulldown hack is genius. Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks.
I literally just talked myself out of buying these last week…. I think you just talked me back into buying them again 😂 thanks for the review and tips! Super helpful
Ha! I totally get it because it's really hard for me to pull the trigger on buying new equipment. But these were totally worth it
This video helped me build my gym so much. I got the 2 plate loaded towers and secured them to the studs in my basement and use it as a squat rack and functional trainer. This is the best setup I couldve imagined and it takes up so much less space than a rack was going to. I used some red electrical tape and ran it down the uprights to number the holes and it made it alot easier to remember what height I need lol. Benching on this with the spotter arms feels better than the bench setups I had at the gym.
For anyone considering this type of setup I highly recommend it, I can do anything I would want to on this that I would use a full power rack for and it takes up so much less space. My only con for these towers is I wish it was possible to upgrade to the weight stacks in the future from the plate loaded.
Hey, so if you buy the plate loaded and then decide to get the weight stack you have to rebuy a whole new tower?
The best home gym video ive seen yet. Def gonna set mine up very similar
Keep in mind, the Five stars are based on my needs for this item ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxUHHotQRjIQnfuxEeVotlkHVYWH0DXZoS When I first bought the bike I was going to return it immediately. After trying it out for several days/weeks I came to realize it is actually perfect for WHY I bought it.This is not a workout, the resistance is, eh, it makes a bit of noise, not loud, and it isn’t very stable even with the mat. The mat certainly keeps the bike from sliding but nothing keeps the mat from sliding (if that makes any sense, lol). Mine is place on my hard wood floor. Maybe it would be better with a rug underneath??I sit for long hours for work and wanted something to keep my legs moving. This bike does exactly that! For the price it is amazing, it is compact, easy to use, light weight, keeps track of time, calories etc (not sure how accurate it is) but good little product. I am happy with it.
I greased the upright and guide rods and it slides 100000 times better. Good review
I love how you have your pully tower attached to the rack. It definitely saves space. I will look into this.
Totally worth it, I love the setup
Genius!!! The lat pulldown hack is something I have been looking for!! Thank you so so much!!!
man. I specifically got the BoS lever arms because of your video. Now I have to get these towers...haha. thanks for your videos. I came to see this one after seeing your latest. Thanks!
Leg press with the lever arms and pulley, that is incredibly brilliant as you get a linear resistance curve. Wow. I am sold now.
I love it! I added another video showing that setup specifically FYI, that should help you if you need it!
@@MattRosenman just watched it, very helpful. Thanks! And note to self: skip the Jennifer Aniston bars :p
Great video. You really gave me a lot of ideas even if I don't end up having this exact setup. The OHP cable clearance solve is very cool.
What your opinion on bodysolid cable machine with out weights?
Sir You have some EXCELLENT ideas with the pulley rack and the lever arms, thank You so very much for sharing this video, have a GREAT weekend.
Glad it was helpful!
Hey Matt. Thanks for the review. I noticed that if you put your hand on the back of the handle when pushing up then it moves up smoothly.
I actually discovered that too! I wish I could amend youtube videos when I discover new tricks but I realized shortly after that it makes a world of difference
Great review. It answered all the questions I had about the functionality, especially if/how I'd be able to do lat pulldowns; your solution works for me. The push press with the cables attached at both ends of the bar was an unexpected bonus. I have the same problem with a low ceiling in my basement. Thanks.
This review was absolutely excellent. I’m trying to decide now between Rep and Bells of steel.
Hey Matt how tall are you? Trying to get some perspective on the size of these towers.
regarding the cable system support legs getting in the way of the bench foot, it looks like there are extra holes in the support legs. unbolt and move them outwards, since you have a pair of them, connected at the top, they don't have to be centered under the pulley system, then you'll have extra room to wheel your bench through
Holy shit that lever arm hack is SO smart!
Haha it absolutely blew my mind.
cool video, man. really enjoyed the honest review.
I just ordered two of the BOS cable towers and the Titan X3 Rack. I am mimicking your setup as I feel it’s the best setup for a small home gym
You are the best man. I love this; you have everything you need for barbell training AND function training as well. Thanks a lot for sharing. Best!!!
Happy to help!
New subscriper from the pulley lubricant video! Thanks and nice video man!!
Happy to help!! Welcome.
Very cool Matt! great stuff that you have figured out!
Thanks!
Great video! I have an Amstaff rack that these can easily attach to, I was thinking about replacing my rack with those all-in-one racks with a functional trainer & smith machine but you have given me another option! Love it!
Happy to help! There are so many options out there which really makes me love building my own home gym. You can configure the perfect set up based on your space
That makeshift leg press at 11:16 is absolutely sick.
Thank you! I love it
Do you have a video of how you attached the cable machines to your rack great innovative just brilliant
Very informative n helpful. Ty mate. U deserve more views
Ok that hack you showed was brilliant
Gonna do a full video dedicated to it because it's insanely useful
@@MattRosenman for sure
Your home gym is amazing dude
Appreciate it! It's been a slow build over 2 years, and once I move into a home with a (hopefully) larger basement, I hope to fancy it up a bit more
Would love to see a pulley tower + lever arms 20+ exercises you can do as a follow up to this one!
Great idea!
Great video! How is this at the negative stage? Does it lose resistance during the negative stage or does it maintain it?
Great content man! Any thoughts on the new Centr1 Functional Trainer? Seems like a lot of machine for $900.
Try to spray some gigollo on you tower once in a while so your pulley slide better. Great review thanks.
Great review. How would one of these be for cable flys? Just one unit versus two...?
Great review love your setup and ingenuity.
Thank you!
Hi Matt, what height is your rack's height? 72"?. What is your height?
Great honest and thorough review!
Question: does loading up 1 side of the weight stack feel the same as loading up both sides?
I'm really thinking about pulling the trigger on this but I'd have to buy more weights if I have to load up both sides of the weight stack.
If it's a significant difference in weight, you'll definitely feel it. You don't notice an imbalance necessarily, but you'll notice the weight does not move nearly as smoothly. 5-10 pounds won't be too noticeable, but if you throw a 45 plate on one side it would not work well. Once you put the same amount on both sides it's night and day.
@@MattRosenman Freaking thanks so much for getting back to me. I could not for the life of me find any info on this. Also your reviews have been INVALUABLE!
Thanks for all you do!
@@MattRosenman what's the weight limit on the rack? I am looking into getting one but don't want to buy it only to exceed the weight limit soon after getting it.
The extra work also motivates to keep track on the weight for each exercise.
I believe your selector is upside down, i just set mines up and the comments in the BOS tutorial mentioned it. You’ll be able to use the top hole that way I believe
Great reviews!
Hey man, as of your trolley (smoothness and hight not reaching top) you put the trolley upside down! Ahah
Flip it so the knob is on top wich will make it much more smooth, but also will lower your pulley just enough so you'll get that last hole. 💪🏻
Great hack, just added on my men of steel tower. Do you have any tips on the chest press or fly I'm struggling to find a comfortable position. I seen other tower that had extend arm. Do you have any suggestions or adjustments.
Great review. What size bolts did you use to attach it to your rack?
Great video, I might be sold on these. Maybe I missed it but what specific brand and model is that rack? Not sure if the cable towers are meant for that exact rack or if they’re pretty universal. Thanks
Would there be enough clearance for bumper plates if mounted to to a stud to the wall? Been wanting to buy this for a long time! Your review is awesome and very helpful
Thanks for this great review
Solid review Matt ! I’m debating buying the single plate loaded tower since I have limited space . Would you say it would be just as good ? Also are you familiar with Synergees cable tower , if so what are your thoughts on it . Thanks dude
The thing I like about BoS over others out there is that the uprights are compatible with attachments (like the dip bar) so when space is limited it really opens up the options. A single tower would still be great- they give you the option to add an upright to the back of it so it’s standalone and you dont have to bolt it to a rack or the wall. Not sure ive seen anyone else offer that. Considering the price is comparable I would choose this one every time over synergee personally
Ok awesome brother thanks for the reply I appreciate it !
Appreciate hacks on fixing some of the shortcommings.
I hope they're helpful!
Fantastic review
Thanks!
Great video
Can you show leg exercises if any with these piece of equipment.
Love the set up. How tall is your ceiling? Any difficulty doing pull ups down there?
82" generally, but I have it setup where when I do pullups I am between the pieces of wood where the ceiling is about 84". I was concerned I wouldnt be able to do a full pullup but haven't had anyu restrictions!
What is the depth of the rack with the cable towers attached? Im thinking of doing this and adding the high/low row attachment on the back.
Make a 90 inch version with 3 inch tubing with the weight stack . Then you could offer a seat attachment for lat pulldown etc....
Howdy, i think you could probably just move those feet to a different holes that way there is more length on the outside. Thus more clearance in the inside? If you look at the squat stand version of this product, it looks like bells of steel has done exactly that.
That's a fair point! I'll look into it. I wanted to make sure I had maximum stability, but I'm sure moving them wouldnt really make much of a difference considering it's attached to the rack
thanks for the tips
Assuming your lever arms fit on your other rack, do you think it would be possible to still attach the cable handles to the lever arms? Meaning, your lever arms would face the opposite direction. I'm trying to decide if I should buy this BOS cable system and place it like you did next to my rack, but then have the lever arms face the opposite direction and attach cable handles. Thank in advance.
Man, I wish I knew about the lat pull-down flaw! Now I need to track down a thick bench pad to do the lat pull-down off the floor.
Yeah, I really wish there was a little extra height to it to make it work on a bench. But rep sells replacement bench pads for like $40 and it has worked great for me
is there another option for cable towers that are higher and allow for effective lat pulldowns while sitting on a bench?
Love your reviews! Question on the height of the cable tower. Are you able to do rope tricep push downs? I'm 6'4 and when looking at the height of this being around 82", it seems a little short--my main reservation about getting these. Thoughts? Also, are you still thinking of upgrading to the weight stack version or are you going to go in a completely different direction? Thanks!
At 6'4" you may find it on the short side but it's tough to say for sure. I'm 5'10" and have absolutely no issues and definitely have a few inches to spare, but it may be cutting it close for you. Ultimately I do want to upgrade to the weight stack version but I have a move in my future so I'm waiting for that to see what kind of space I'm working with. I love the value of the plate loaded towers but definitely miss the convenience of a stack
I'm sure you'll find a new space with the move to expand. We look forward to following your next steps. I've been dumbbelling it since the pandemic, along with the ironmaster lat tower...but you've motivated me to upgrade. I want the Bells of Steel cable squat stand but think it is too short. Waiting to see if they come out with something taller or go Rep Athena...c'mon Bells. Thanks for your reviews
did you look into it if you could use the rogue MONSTER (LITE) RACK MOUNT LAT PULLDOWN SEAT + LOW ROW KIT? would be an incredible combination
Do you have link to the pull-up bar?
Yup! www.bellsofsteel.us/all-products/racks/rack-attachments/adjustable-pullup-bar-rack-attachment/#a_aid=matt
Has anyone tried to attach the Bells of Steel rack attach leg extension / curl to the pulley cable same way Matt did with the lever arms?
Have you noticed if the cables are getting worn down when you link them together to get a 1:1 ratio? Just wondering if the housing cuts into the cables when you link them together like that (either on the initial pull or on the return). Again, great video.
Havent noticed anything yet! But I actually have one slightly larger carabiner now so I hook them both to and then hook the attachment to the larger carabiner and I think that’s the best move. That should eliminate any unnecessary wear
@@MattRosenman Cool. Thank you! I appreciate it.
Nice review, do u know if they have a seat attachment so that they can be use as a supported lat pull-down?
They have a seat attachment, but it's technically a seal row pad, so it doesn't have the leg holders for lat pulldowns. I own that attachment now, but it unfortunately doesnt solve the lat pulldown issue
Are the pulleys 1:1 or 2:1 one problem I have with Athena is the 2:1 pulley if I want to use 150 weight for tricep pushdowns need to put 300lbs on! I'd be spending a ton of time and a workout in itself to setup any heavy lift! I can't stand that and why I'm waiting to buy rack to try to find solution. Band pegs are on it but have never used bands not sure if I can get that much from them. Might have to buy some 1000lb plates to get weight up! $$$
Do you think that the cable stack one is worth it?
It truly depends on your budget and how much value you place on the convenience. If the price were the same I would absolutely go with the weight stack because it's just so much easier than changing out plates. I'll put it this way: when I move into my next home, my setup will be much more permanent so I'll likely invest in the weight stack versions, but the cheaper towers work really well for my needs right now
Matt, thanks for the review! Quick question. I am building my home gym and put space efficiency and multi purpose high on my list. What would your opinion be of me buying the plate towers that are attached with a pull up bar and bolting them to the wall? My though is that it could then serve as my cable machine as well as my squat/bench rack. I would buy their J cups and spotter arms and be able to do my barbell lifts on their as well. This seems extremely efficient and multi purpose as long as they are sturdy enough to do barbell lifts with. I would appreciate any input!
To be honest, I would buy the additional uprights with these rather than mount them directly to the wall, then you can add your attachments to the uprights to really maximize the towers without getting in the way of the cables. You'd basically turn it into a dedicated rack. I believe it's an extra $80 but IMO would be very worth it, especially because you could move it around then! It would be super sturdy, too. But if you don't want to go that route, you can absolutely just mount these to the wall and use it as a rack that way- it's definitely built to be sturdy enough.
@Matt Rosenman ok great thank you for the input! I'm thinking I'm gonna go this route. I was deciding whether or not to step up to the rep aries. I do wish these towers were a bit taller like the aries but I think for the price you can't beat these. I'll take the savings and buy a nice bar and bumper plates
Awesome gym 🏋️♂️
Thank you 👍
The fix for your bench is to widen the feet plate on your towers, since it's mounted to the rack it won't destabilize it.
Yup, I figured that out after doing this video! I have it widened now and its significantly better
Hello, what is the name of the room for the leg support? Please
Bro did like 30 excercises lol super dope!
Doing what I can!
I have the BOS weight rack pulley system
Been looking for foot plates for low row- I like your idea to use dip bar for feet
How does the 5/8 bar with cheap cushions work for lay pull downs?
Been doing these pulldowns nearly every week and it has held up really well
With regard to rolling your bench between the bottom braces, can you move the supports to the outside more to create more space. With the pulley towers bolted to the rack and the pull up bar in between, it seems like it would still have plenty of support if they were bolted in a way to create a wider space in between. It might have been an optical illusion, but it looked like on BoS website there were some pics of the braces bolted in this manner.
They'll only go as wide as my rack, which admittedly is a little bit narrow- I have the a rack with a small overall footprint to maximize my space. With a larger/wider rack, you definitely might be better off
@@MattRosenman Thanks for the explanation.
First, great review, very helpful information. I think the issue with rolling the bench out of the way can be solved by offsetting the “feet” of each tower so say 75% of the overall length is outside the tower. BOS website shows a pic of it with the feet (bottom supports) offset
@@johndonahue3203This
really wanting these but only have room for one. Just trying to figure out if the machine with weights is worth the price.
One would still be great. Consider the weight plates you currently have and what else you use them for and that might help make a decision. If you run the risk of not having enough weight plates to do everything you want without constantly removing weights, it might be worth the upgrade
Hey Matt, thank you for your review. Like. What is the actual height of the black plastic ball (or the carabiner) on the pulley once it's secures on the top and bottom positions? Thanks!
The height to the plastic ball at the top position is about 70" off the ground, but once you attach something to the carabiner, the attachment will sit at about 65". Hope that helps!
I hope they can update the pulley tower to 3x3 tube too
That would be great! Would be really cool to be able to use 3x3 attachments on these
I am starting from scratch so thank you for all your advice. If I was to purchase your recommended rack, I believe it is a 3x3 where this cable attachment machine is a 2.3 x 2.3. My next question would be for the accessories. Ideally the rack would be the same dimensions as the cable machine, but they do not offer this in 3x3. So would you buy the lever arms for the 2.3 x 2.3? What about the other accessories like a dip rack? Thanks again!
It depends on your needs and how you want to build your setup. If you plan correctly, you can plan to have certain attachments for the pulley towers, and certain ones for the rack. For example, they sell lever arms for the 3x3 rack that are actually an improvement over the current arms in terms of design, so I'd rather have those. I would say that you should think about what exercises you do the most, and then plan to get attachments that won't interfere. If you squat and bench more than anything else, then you don't want to have to rely on rack attachments because you'll be switching them out a lot. Inversely, if you plan to use cables most often, it might make more sense to get a dip attachment for your rack to keep it out of the way. Hope that helps!
And to be clear, they DO offer a 2.3 rack as well, the 3x3 is just the newest model that I really like. If you want to be able to use the attachments on either the pulley tower or the rack, you can snag a 2.3 rack!
Hey are you able to show in a video or explain how you attached these to your rack? I have the BOS residential rack but i don't think these would attach to the front of the rack from my understanding (like how you did w/ titan rack). From looking at the front feet of my rack posts and the cable towers back feet, it looks like they would get in the way of each other..
Not sure if I got the wrong idea.. but I'm been trying to figure this out before buying.
If you go to the 0:58 mark of the video you can see the bracket that bolts right into the rack. They're designed to bolt into virtually any rack so you 100% can with the BoS residential rack. The bracket on the pulley tower has 2 options so you can adjust how far out they are from the rack itself (mine is on the closer setting but at that spot in the video you can see that there's a hole to attach it further out). You'll have a good 6" of separation there so I don't think it will get in the way!
@@MattRosenman Awesome! Thanks for getting back to me. Any additional hardware/bolts required for mounting to the rack?
Love seeing all the cool things you did with the BOS pulley towers. Keep em coming!
I'd love to add these to my rack. I have the Bells of Steel light commercial in 72" height (shortest option) and it looks like it would require some fiddling to get that to work. Does anyone have experience with attaching them to this rack?
Are your links affiliate links? If so, I want to make sure you get credit for my upcoming purchase!
They are- thanks Scott!
Not sure if you're still answering questions about this setup but I have a Rogue R-3 which is 2" spacing at the top and 1" spacing at the bench area and 5/8" holes but 2x3" tubing, do you think this would still fit this style of rack?
I don't see why not. You really only need one bolt at the top and bottom to secure it, which you'll be able to do with any hole spacing. Multiple bolts would be ideal for maximum stability, but even with one it would work. You won't have any issue.
@@MattRosenman Awesome, thanks. I have a valor single pulley mounted to the wall behind my rack currently that allows me to do a lot of movements but this looks like one of the most economical solutions for a functional trainer type system. Thanks for posting!
Did you look into/have any thoughts on the Titan equivalents? Seem to be priced more competitively, but I imagine there's drawbacks
The titan pulleys are definitely a great value, but they are strictly pulleys and nothing more. The BoS version is designed as their own uprights for attachments, which is a huge bonus for me. You can also buy them with a back upright if you dont want to attach the tower to your rack or to the wall, which basically gives you an additional section to add attachments to that's separate from the pulley.
If you want a cheaper version, Titan makes great equipment, you just need to know the limitations!
14:52 You were using 160lbs for lat pull down, yes? Does 160lb feel similar to 160 on a commercial set up (assuming 1:1 pulley ratio)?
As long as you attach both pulleys, it's very very close to a 1:1 feel. If you use only one pulley, you're only getting half, but I've found this to be very close
@@MattRosenman Yeah I figured it would have a more commerical feel considering the dual rods and aluminum pulleys; the one im using now 120lbs feels like 165lb on a commercial because the pulleys are cheap and it's only a single guide rod.
Instead of installing the pulleys to the back of the rack, Can the pulleys be installed on each side of the rack? Adding additional width and solving the issue with getting the bench in and out?
Rather than that, I've learned that you can attach those feet so they are further out on the sides vs perfectly centered on the uprights and that changes everything. If you were to attach the tower to the side of the rack, you're run into the issue of one of the pulleys (since there are 2 on each tower) being too close to the rack IMO
@@MattRosenman yea I’ve further researched it. I’ve looked at the Hydra series. Can add some uprights to the front of the rack with 17” or 24” crossmembers. Install the cable pulleys on those giving one full extension. Appreciate the reply brotha
Can you add a weight stack in the future if you wanted to?
I don't believe so, I think they are completely separate units with slightly different design
@@MattRosenman thanks for the clarification. wish it wasn't so it could be upgraded in the future. If you wanted to chose just one side of the plate loaded posts can you use it like that or the weight always has to be used evenly on both sides?
Im considering buying the plate loaded version of this, can I attach it to a 90" upright Hydra rack?
Definitely, you can very easily put bolts through at any height so you'll have no problem
Hey matt, how tall are you? It would help me decide if this thing is tall enough to accomadate me with flyes at 6'2. Thanks!
I'm 5'10". Truthfully, if your ceilings can manage a taller piece, it might not be a bad idea
Is the pulley tower tall enough for single arm tricep pushdowns? It looks like it could be tight avoiding having the weights hit at the top of the rep… Also, how tall are you for reference? Thanks!
Absolutely, I do triceps very often on this and it's plenty tall enough. The weights don't come anywhere close to hitting the top- I've done overhead extensions where I have to take a few steps out and the weights still don't reach the top, so you've got plenty of extra clearance. I'm 5'10"
@@MattRosenman thanks so much! I was also curious about the weight hitting the bottom when at the top of the rep for pushdowns… does it seem tall enough for me at 6’1”?
So I read a comment of yours saying that if you were to do it again, you would purchase the weight stack version of the cable towers now looking at the price for two of the cable towers you’re looking at roughly the same price for what you would pay for the rep functional trainer? Is that an option that you may consider?
So it definitely depends on your setup & your needs. If you have the space, having a dedicated functional trainer might be great. However, it's worth noting that with a functional trainer you can't add any attachments like with these towers, and you're also pretty limited with the top and bottom positions if you wanted to do anything like lat pulldowns or seated rows. Functional trainers are awesome, but I really like the versatility of these towers, plus the stability it adds to my rack. Whenever the time comes for me to upgrade, I'll likely be getting the weight stack version of these towers vs a functional trainer.
I agree that to is my selling point for wanting to purchase the Bells of steel towers due to the attachments that are allowed to go with the rack and given the fact that the towers have dual pulleys, that will allow a one to one ratio will mean I will have more actual weight. To bad now there sold out in my area
Shoot them an email and ask when they're coming back in stock, the customer service is usually really good about providing info
how do you connect the pulleys to the rack? some hardware bolts or something? thanks
Just simple 5/8" bolts, the same ones that you use when assembling the tower itself
Who makes the knurled bar you connected the cables with?
That one I got off Amazon and it has been great: amzn.to/3tIx8ka Bells of Steel also sells their own now too. Just search "dual hook straight bar" and you'll have some options. Unless you're talking about the pullup bar, in which case that one is the adjustable pullup bar from Bells of Steel!
Im thinking about getting this as a squat stand version to replace a traditional rack, only concern I have is if an adjustable bench can be placed close between the pulleys legs to do bench press or incline. Would you be able to provide insight on it?
Absolutely, you wont have any issues. I also learned since uploading this video that the legs can be positioned a little bit wider out so you can easily roll a bench through without it hitting. In other words, I attached the legs to be perfectly center, but they can be positioned a little further out without any issues. Regardless, you can definitely use them as a squat stand!
@@MattRosenman Thats great, thanks for the quick reply! All the best.
Any way to use the dip attachment as a lap bar for lat pulldowns?
I tried that and it doesn't work unfortunately, your elbows end up hitting the handles
🤯seeing these hacks!
What's the height of the rack? And how much weight can it hold before starting to feel wonky
The rack? Mine is 78". The pulley towers are 81". And I haven't reached a weight where I can notice anything off with the pulleys. They're rock solid attached to the rack, even if I'm using the lever arms which are swinging away from the towers I don't feel any movement. For reference, the old functional trainer I used to have definitely had a max weight where the entire unit would start tipping, so I've definitely experienced it before, just not with these
Two questions: Is there a option to load 1 inch plates instead of 2 inch Olympic plates? And it says on the website has to be bolted down, but if I just bought on do you think it would still be stable enough to sustain itself?
Unfortunately no, these only take 2 inch plates. You'd need to find a different company if you need a 1-inch compatible machine. As far as bolting down, you won't need to do that if you're attaching yours to a rack like I did. It's plenty sturdy that way. If its on its own, you CAN get away without bolting it down, but you're obviously taking a risk of it tipping