WOLF IN SHEEPS CLOTHING
Do not let the Ironmaster IM2000 fool you. It might look plain and basic. Trust me this first impression could not be farther from the truth. This machine can do more quality exercises than nearly any multi gym with a similar footprint.
Power racks with a lat pulldown attachment are commonplace these days. But very few offer a quality smith machine option. Or weight plate storage. Once you go through all the exercises that this machine can do you will realise it’s true value.
Then you add in an Ironmaster Super Bench Pro and Ironmaster Quick Lock Dumbbells. Your tiny home gym can now do all the exercises you will ever need.
TRIED AND TESTED
The Self-Spotting machine has been built by Ironmaster for over 25 years. The Ironmaster IM2000 represents years of development and refinement. For a piece of gym equipment to last this long in the US market you know that it is both heavy-duty and functional.
The ergonomic lifting bar locks out forwards instead of backwards for a much faster and more natural movement. This makes it easy to activate heavier weights when doing pressing movements like the bench press.
The lockout holes are only 1.7 inches apart. This prevents getting trapped under the lifting bar when working out alone. The Ironmaster IM2000 also features secondary safety stops. Heavy-duty springs act as additional back up for the lifting bar.
GENIUS DESIGN
LIFTING BAR
The Ironmaster IM2000 light weight lifting bar needs no complex counterweight system. This allows a dramatically reduced footprint, greater load capacity and smoother quieter operation. It is constructed from 11 gauge steel and is tested and rated to 1000lbs or 450kg.
PULLEY SYSTEM
The high/low pulley system is one of the smoothest around. The lifting bar serves as the load holder and can support up to 350lbs or 155kg, making it suitable for increasing your strength. The Low Pulley is on wheels so it easily swings into place.
Place your legs under the foam rollers to perform lat pulldowns. Connect the additional cable and perform curls, upright rows, seated rows etc. Here is Mr Universe Lee Priest demonstrating the cable system on the Ironmaster Smith Machine. You can see how smooth and direct it operates.
OPTIONAL ATTACHMENTS
What adds further appeal to the Ironmaster IM2000 platform are the wide range of attachments. You can customise your piece of equipment to best suit your weight training needs. If you want to do more free weight exercises, then add in the j-hooks and spotter arms. Get the Ironmaster Calf Block and you can do standing calf raises.
EASY OR COMPLEX WORKOUT ROUTINES
From my experience with training on the Ironmaster IM2000 it can be super easy or complex. When I started the business, I was working seven days. Plus, I would install gyms after hours. I did not have a lot of time to train.
This was when I fell in love with the Ironmaster IM2000. In the early days I did not have the range of equipment that we do now. At the time I did not sell any equipment with a weight stack. Everything was plate loaded.
If I wanted to do a quick workout, I would always lean towards the IM2000. Having the weight storage on the back made changing weights a breeze. Plus using the lifting bar meant that I did not have to change j-hooks like I would when using a 7ft Olympic barbell.
My workout was simple. Bang out some sets of bent over rows. Then slide under the bar for some bench pressing. That was upper body done. Then finish off with some squats.
Now I know the strength training experts would frown on this. Especially doing it on a smith machine. But these 20 minute workouts were better than nothing.
BODYPART WORKOUTS
If you have the time, you can do the most complex workouts you can dream up. Especially if you have the Ironmaster dumbbells and bench. You can hit bodyparts with barbell, dumbbell, cable and bodyweight exercises. The variations are limitless.
Generally, people who are doing such advanced workouts are experienced lifters. Often, they are using heavier weights. This gym is the real deal. You can use heavy weight and it feels smooth.
Lee Priest had one in his home gym for many years.
FINAL WORD
The main downside with this machine is that there is a bit of set up time for the cable pulleys. No worse than any of the other smith machine and functional trainer combos. It is just more involved than a dedicated lat pulldown machine.
This is a small sacrifice for adding the cable functionality to such a small footprint. If you are tight on space, you are always going to have to compromise.
The other is the cost. If you get the dumbbells and bench, the whole system is not cheap. Sadly good quality gym equipment is an investment. You really get what you pay for.
If you are on a budget you can build out your Ironmaster gym in stages. Start with the IM2000 or dumbbells first. Then make your additions as you get the money. Each new addition will unlock a whole new level of variety.
By taking this approach, you will get a better appreciation of each piece of equipment. If you just have the IM2000 you will learn more about that machine.
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