Work Out Without Compromise By Peter Novak on Oct 31, 2007 - Updated Oct 15, 2011

I love this machine! I too liked the unattached FID bench that comes with a leg extension/lying leg curl attachment and grab handles on the bench assembly. I guess I'm in the minority regarding my opinion of the press arm station, but if you position yourself slightly further away from the rotating press arms than normal, all pressing motions feel excellent. The pivoting arms allow you to press straight upwards instead of having to following an arc. You must also balance forward and rearward as you press, so you use some stabilizer muscles, more like you would using an olympic bar.

The lat pulldown station also has pivoting arms that allow you to pull straight down. I purchased metal rings and S hooks from a hardware store,push the pivoting arms up over the top of the arm assy, attach the rings and S hooks to the arms, and then suspend a length of chain between the arms. This allows me to do close grip pulldowns and tricep pulldowns.The lat station has an arched bench pad that allows you to prestretch your abs and contract them through a full range of motion, holding the ab straps attached to the one cable and pulley on the Powerlift.