Body-Solid SBL460P4 PowerLift Freeweight Leverage Gym

Preferred by Pete rating:

I have used the Body-Solid Freeweight Leverage Gym (Body-Solid SBL460P) for 5 years now giving me ample time to thoroughly review each and every part of this machine. I bought this model in 2010 and it has gotten great use by me and my family.

The Body-Solid SBL460P4 includes:

• SBL460 Mainframe
• FID46 Bench
• LSA50 Leverage Squat/Calf Station

It also carries a Lifetime warranty.

Article Overview:

PROs:

• Low Ceiling Advantage
• Safe – No spotter needed
• Strong solid construction
• Over 50 exercise can be performed on this unit
• 1000lbs rating
• Looks good in any gym
• Comfortable/strong seat padding
• Build to last
• Designed for beginner lifters
• Lifetime warranty

CONs:

• Expensive compared to more simple equipment
• You will not gain real world strength from this unit
• Body-Solid FID46 Bench is way too high
• Designed for beginner lifters
• Most lifts will NEVER meet an advanced lifter’s needs
• Some lifts the user is forced to perform with improper form
• Faulty/inadequate utility bar
• You need 100lbs plates to take advantage of the 1000lbs rating(who will really need this?)

Detailed Body-Solid SBL460P4 Review

Body-Solid SBL460P4 Look and Design

The Body-Solid SLB460P4 has a dark powder grey paint finish with a textured pattern. The padding is a lighter grey and off set the painted finish well. The SLB460P4 is not flashy and will look good in any gym.

Body-Solid SLB460P4’s Low Ceiling Advantage

The Body-Solid SLB460P4 is compact enough to fit in a basement or apartment with 7 foot ceilings. It requires 83 inchs (6’11”) or higher to get full functionality. No other units I looked at when I was considering my purchase accommodated low ceilings. This is a huge advantage the SLB460P4 has over any other unit. They should really use this in their marketing.

Body-Solid SBL460P4 Safety – No Spotter Needed

This unit is extremely safe to operate. I have never hurt myself operating the Body-Solid SBL460P4, nor have I ever been pinned under a station in need of a spotter. The squat station has a safety-pin to catch the weighted bars in the event you fail a rep. The bench press station will return to the start position when reps are failed and so will the Lat station.

Real world Body-Solid SLB460P4 Strength?

Here’s something to think about before you purchase this unit, my 13-year-old son can Squat 400lbs on the LSA50 Leverage Squat station! He only weighs 108lbs and spends more of his time playing on his Xbox 360. With an Olympic Bar he can Squat 150lbs once (his 1RM). My son uses it to show off to his friends, they are amazed to see a skinny boy with no muscle squat 400lbs. So obviously the Body-Solid SLB460P4 does NOT represent real world strength! The muscle you need to preform this same movement in a real life situation will not get strengthened with this machine. That a big disadvantage!

Here is a video of my son squatting 400lbs:

Body-Solid FID46 Bench Height

The FID46 bench height is way too high. It seems it was designed for NBA all-stars. Are you under 6 feet? Then DO NOT buy this unit, or get another lower bench. I ‘am 5’6″ and I cannot put my feet flat on the ground when I Bench Press. Touching the floor is critical when bench pressing, you will not be able to use proper form and you cannot ever expect to achieve a high bench press weight on you tippy toes! Since I switched to an Olympic Bar and a Bench where I can place my feet flat-footed, I have more than doubled my Bench press.

Body-Solid SBL460P4 Strength

The entire Body-Solid SBL460P4 unit is rated at 1000lbs. Although you can not get 1000lbs on the machine without having 100lbs plates handy, you can fit 6 x 45lbs plates with lock collar on any station. That’s 540lbs; 90% of people will never need this much weight.

However, the padded “utility bar” that comes with the Body-Solid SBL460P4 is NOT rated at 1000lbs. I put 300lbs on the bench press station for deadlifing, this resulted in the seat-belt-like strap stitching to pull completely out on one side of the bar. The Deadlift is even displayed on the lifter examples poster that come with this 1000lbs machine. If you plan on performing Deadlifts with the Body-Solid SBL460P4, you will need to keep it under 250lbs. I could find no rating or information on the “utility bar” in the manuals or online. This is a very big design flaw, as Deadlifting is an extremely common lift, every program I have ever followed had a Deadlift set.

Conclusion

Bottom line, the Body-Solid SLB460P4 is designed for a beginner! Although some of the exercises will work well for an advanced lifter, most lifts will NEVER meet an advanced lifter’s needs!

I have moved on to a Power Rack, Olympic Bar and bench; that doesn’t mean you need to. The Body-Solid SLB460P4 could provide you with everything the average lifter needs for years to come; it is certainly built to last! For most people the SLB460P4 has more than enough exercises to keep you fit.

On the other hand, if you plan to get your body to an advanced level, get a Power Rack, Olympic Bar and bench. It’s cheaper ($1200-$1500) depending on models you choose from. The Body-Solid SLB460P4 will run you about $3000, ouch!

Preferred by Pete Body-Solid SLB460P4 Rating

We gave the Body-Solid SLB460P4 4 stars, 1 star is lost for the lack of height adjustments on the FID46 bench. A half star was lost for advertising Deadlifts as a practical exercise on a weight system rated a 1000lbs. However I am rewarding a half star back for its low ceiling advantage.

Preferred by Pete rating:

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