Brandon Cole's Reviews (16)


(4.67)
6/23/2026
Great dedicated chest press machine, for the money! I've really enjoyed adding back a flat bench machine press and definitely missed this from the commercial gym! The arc from the lever arms feels good and it has a pretty good convergence at the top with a good stretch at the bottom. I knocked a star for performance, given that the supports for the lever arms don't adjust. This hasn't really limited me in getting a great stretch at the bottom, but I can't speak for everyone. If you have the space and budget, this is a welcome alternative to dumbell and barbell pressing! Hopefully someone will come out with a good incline equivelent in the future!
Performance
Value
Build Quality

(3.67)
6/23/2026
I have had and been using this machine regularly for a few months now and I have enjoyed it overall. Pros: This is a relatively affordable way to get a pin loaded preacher curl at just 1699.99 shipped (at the time I bought it anyways). The build quality feels solid and I am not worried about longevity for my the 2-3 people that train in my gym. The seat and preacher pad vinyl feels good quality, and very supportive/comfortable in use. Can double as a preacher pad for dumbell curls and even preacher bar curls if you have a rackable curl bar length! Cons: The ROM bottoms out before you reach full elbow extension. I would say maybe 5 - 10 degrees lacking? Not the end of the world, but I would have preferred to have the option to reach lockout, or just prior, when training with appropriate weight. The tricep extension function is not great. No integrated back support pad limits how stable you can make yourself when trying to rep heavy weight. Honestly, I tried it a few times and decided it feels worse than basically any other tricep variant I can train. Maybe it would work well as a final movement to burn out already cooked triceps with lighter weight? Overall, I do like the machine for bicep work and it gets integrated at least once a week. The ability to isolate and keep tension on your biceps throughout is hard to replicate without a machine like this. If I had to do it again, I think I may pass on this and get a regular preacher curl station with the ability to mount a Voltra. I suspect this would be the best of both worlds for free weight and a cable stack equivalent!
Performance
Value
Build Quality

(4.33)
6/23/2026
I've had this piece, and having been using it regularly for a few months now, amd I'm overall very impressed! Very smooth is use, the lever arm pivot points aren't gritty at all. The cam has a pop pin position all the way back, so ROM on the pec fly movement gives as good of a stretch as you can handle. I will not that the end range of motion on the rear delt fly portion is slightly limited due to the handles having a decent gap between them at the furthest setting. This has not stopped me from getting a great pump, but it is something to consider if absolute ROM in the stretch is a big deal for you. Overall build quailty is very good, but is does lack some of the nicer touches that a more expensive home gym machine that mirrors a commercial piece. I paid 1699.99 shipped to my door, and I think you would be hard pressed to find another pin loaded equivalent for that price! I would 100% buy it again!
Performance
Value
Build Quality

(4.33)
4/12/2026
Great bike for the money! I affectionately refer to it as my "pooraton". The screen primarily functions as a way to mirror what is on your phone screen, so the biggest benefit is no subscription required to use any of your preferred entertainment apps. Bike function is smooth, and the magnetic resistance adjusts appropriately, when turning the knob. I have noticed that the resistance percentage does not update on the screen with smaller adjustments, so I end up going by "feel" vs. the number on the screen. Build quality feels good for it's 400$ price point, and I haven't personally used the more expensive pelaton or nordic track options, but I'd imagine the build quality and materials are a little better suited for heavier use. Overall I think its a really cost efficient way to do cardio and doesn't come with the downside of being locked in to a payment model. Happy with this bike so far!
Performance
Value
Build Quality

(5.00)
4/11/2026
Great piece from Temple of Gainz and has been a staple in my back training program for the last 6 months. It feels solid and stable in use, and the ergonomics are really well thought out, from the adjustable foot plate to the 360 degree rotating handles with a good range of adjustments in/out to vary the width of your grip. It is definitely more expensive than setting up the same movement with a rack-attached chest pad, land mine attachment, and rowing barbell attachement, but more than makes up for it with convenience and ease of use! Overall length is something to consider for a home gym space, coming in at 85.5 inches long. The good news is it's fairly narrow at just under 36 inches with minimal space needed to mount/dismount the machine. I would have no reservations about recommending this piece to anyone who is considering it for their gym!
Performance
Value
Build Quality

(4.67)
4/11/2026
This machine does a great job of replicating the hammer strength equivalent and feels very sturdy and well built, in use. While I'm sure a commercial piece would offer even better build quality and potentially more longevity, nothing about this press stands out fragile or cheap! The movement is smooth and I don't feel any play in the lever arms during the dull movement path. This machine isn't for anyone that is trying to get maximal tension/stretch at the bottom of the movement. Because of the design, it feels hardest at the top with decreasing tension towards the bottom. Despite this, the chest pump in the mid range in gnarly and I love the feel of burning out chest on this piece! It is pretty large in size and certainly lacks the versatility of multiple angles/movements that other machines may offer in a limited space. It does come with removable weight horns, which helped decrease the footprint a little. I would absolutely recommend this piece to anyone that has trained in a commercial setting, and wants to replicate the feel of this specific hammer strength press at a much more reasonable price point.
Performance
Value
Build Quality

(5.00)
2/28/2026
I've owned this piece for about 4 months and have been very happy with it! There are a ton of really cool options on the market for combo units like this, and I would have likely gone with a fringe sport walrus, the ATX variant, or a version that has a functional trainer trolley for max versatility. The two things that made my mind up for this piece was the overall height and a true, seated low row. My basement joists sit at 82" with right around 88" in-between joists this is one of the few options that had an overall height short enough to sit in between! I'd previously been using a REP Ares 2.0, but had to use a decline bench and position a rack mounted foam roller to achieve full ROM. Not a huge deal, but it was annoying enough that I started looking at stand alone units. I can now get full ROM with all my attachments, which has been great to just snap them in and go! I do think if I had pull down attachments with multiple carabiners or long length between attachment at the handle (such as shorty/longy bar with d handles attached, or ROT8 handles with attachment bar) I'd probably still bottom out. For reference I am 5'10 with longish arms. This piece is regularly used by a buddy that is 6'1" with no issues. Secondly, a true seated low row is just really nice to have, compared to decline bench and foot plate on the Ares. The ROM is about the same with the foot pegs, as the Ares at full foot plate extension, but I have found a couple yoga blocks against either gets me the extra stretch I want at the bottom of the movement. Overall, if you have the space, this is a great buy for anyone wanting dedicated functionality and limited ceiling height. Build quality is good, no concerns there. I will note, if the weight stack shifts slightly horizontal, it will rub just enough to make a noise on the weight stack shroud mount. This is easily fixed by pulling the plates just a bit to re-center them. Only happened twice so far. Would buy again!
Performance
Value
Build Quality

(5.00)
2/28/2026
Super pleased with this piece and the compact foot print! My ceiling height is 82" Max, and this comfortably fits in the basement and leaves room for the pull up bar to sit upright. The trolleys are very smooth and I have plenty of height for ez curl bar push downs and even triceps rope if I bend a little at the hips/knees. The pull is very smooth! In fact, it is as smooth as any well-maintained functional trainer at a commercial gym. The 2.5 pound adder weights are a huge plus for me, and are super handy for lateral raises, facepulls, curling, or any other movement where incremental changes make a huge difference. The spacing is fairly narrow, even compared to other functional trainers of similar height. This may be an issue for some, but I personally haven't had any issue getting adequate stretch with bench supported or standing variants of cable flies. No regrets at all, I would happily purchase this piece again!
Performance
Value
Build Quality

16 total