Body-Solid offer a dazzling array of functional trainers to choose from. In fact, there’s so many models on offer that it can be difficult to decide which Body-Solid Functional Trainer best suits your needs.

Well, don’t worry, I’ve done the hard-work so that you don’t have to. After extensive research, I set out all of the main models available and discuss the pros and cons of each.

This is your ultimate guide to Body-Solid Functional Trainers, so get comfy and read on… we’re going to be here a while!

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Why You Need a Functional Trainer

If you haven’t read our guide to functional trainers, you may want to check that out after you’ve read this article.

But make no mistake, since starting this website I have fallen head-over-heels in love with the functional trainer machine. The reason I long to own one myself is that they are incredibly versatile and offer fast, full body workouts.

While there’s no getting away from the size of the machines, in terms of footprint they don’t take up too much floor space, yet they offer a mind-boggling number of exercise variations.

With a functional trainer you get the benefit of a near-unlimited amount of exercises. The models we will be looking at today all feature dual independent weight stacks which provide considerable resistance across a plethora of movements, from cable crossovers and shoulder presses to pull-ups, hamstring curls, lunges and just about anything else you can imagine.

Because they utilize a weight stack and selector, you won’t be wasting time in between sets while you change plates as you would during a workout with conventional weight lifting equipment. Functional trainers offer exceptionally efficient training sessions.

In addition to all these features, any decent functional trainer will have fully-adjustable, swiveling pulleys which offer complete workout freedom and are especially useful if you need to work around injuries or conditions such as cubital tunnel syndrome.

There’s no doubt about it: if your bank account and your home can accommodate one, a functional trainer will be one of the best investments you will ever make in respect of your fitness.

About Body-Solid and Body-Solid Functional Trainers

Body-Solid are an established and trusted manufacturer of premium quality, commercial grade fitness equipment. They have been key suppliers to the fitness industry throughout the USA and beyond for over two decades and have built an unsurpassed reputation for building quality, durable and ergonomically sound weight lifting machines and fitness stations.

They supply a variety of gyms, institutions and rehab centers and offer tailored advice to create optimized workout stations for the particular setting they are supplying.

Body-Solid are regular attendees at industry Trade Shows – always proud to display their superior equipment. Equipment which is often highly-customizable and available in configurations that will meet your exact needs.

As you will discover throughout this article, as well as offering commercial grade premium fitness equipment, Body-Solid cater for the home fitness enthusiast too with a range of models that are friendly to your bank balance, but no less effective than their commercial counterparts.

Despite having been around for over two decades, Body-Solid are not resting on their past achievements and they continue to innovate and nowhere is the demonstrated more clearly than in their new 3D Room Planner.

So that’s who Body-Solid are, now let’s have a look at their functional trainers.

Which Body-Solid Functional Trainer Should You Buy?

So today we’re going to run through all of the different functional trainer’s that Body-Solid manufacture and we’re going to try to match you to the model which best meets your specific needs.

Everybody is different and we all different priorities when we are buying fitness equipment, so I will try to differentiate between each model and who they would best suit.

Perhaps you’ve found this article because you think you already know which model you want to buy. If that’s you, great – I hope I confirm your choice. But if not, I hope I save you some money and that you end up with the machine that will truly deliver all that you are seeking from a functional trainer.

We’re going to start with the most expensive model and work our way to the most affordable. You’re going to be surprised at the number of functional trainer machines Body-Solid offer – it’s almost as if they are competing against themselves. This is great news for you though, as you’re bound to find the model that meets your precise needs.

In fact, Body-Solid offer such a comprehensive range of functional trainers and have such a good reputation for quality, that you needn’t look at the competition.

I’ll comment more on that later in this article, but suffice to say that the durability and quality of Body-Solid machines appears to be equal to that of any other manufacturer – and far superior to the influx of white-labelled imported fitness equipment that seems to have been flooding the market recently.

As we run though each model I’ll provide a summary of who each model would best suit.

Enough talk. Let’s get to it.

BodySolid S2FT Series II

This is the dream machine!

If I were to win the lottery, this is the machine that I’d buy. At over $5k it’s certainly not cheap, but this is the machine that guarantees a commercial gym experience in the comfort of your own home.

In the S2FT Series II, Body-Solid are offering a fully commercial grade functional trainer with weight stacks of up to 310lbs (comes with twin 160lb weight stacks as standard). This thing is a beast – and all the functional trainer you will ever need.

The stack and pulleys operate at a 2:1 stack to resistance ratio, meaning that if you opt for 310lb weight stacks, you’ll be pulling 155lb (70kg) at the handle. At each handle. That’s a lot for a pulley machine.

Each of the pulleys adjust independently and can be set to 34 different starting positions along the vertical frame.

The S2FT Series II comes with a host of attachments including:

– Revolving straight bar (43″ / 109cm) for squats, deadlift, lunges, curls and chest press

– Revolving straight bar (20″ / 51cm) for curls and rowing

– A padded athletic bar for tennis, golf and baseball drills

– Commercial grade nylon cable handles: ideal for triceps work

– Ankle strap

As with most functional trainers, the S2FT Series II features an integrated chinning bar, but unlike most other machines, it also features ‘rock climber grips’ to develop finger and hand strength.

Being a top-of-the-range model, the S2FT Series II has shrouding around each of the weight stacks which ensures maximum safety as well as the longevity of the weights and pulleys.

Who is The BodySolid S2FT Series II For?

The S2FT Series II is for the individual who is not willing to compromise on quality and is prepared to spend over $5k to buy a functional trainer that will stand the test of time. With up to 310lbs of weight per stack, this machine will grow with you and you’re unlikely to ever even think about needing to upgrade weights.

==> BodySolid S2FT Series II – CHECK PRICE

Body-Solid GFT100

The Body-Solid GFT100 is another high-end functional trainer but it comes in at around half the price of the S2FT Series II.

Crucially, it features the same option to upgrade each weight stack to 310lbs, which makes this another hardcore machine that will meet the needs of just about any fitness enthusiast.

Unlike the S2FT Series II, the GFT100 has open weight stacks that are completely open and without shrouding. I really like the smart, black powder-coated finish to the machine but wonder how long this will last and whether it will be susceptible to flaking over time.

However, there’s nothing about this machine that doesn’t scream quality. This is a great piece of kit that will last many, many years and stand up to the most punishing workouts.

Again, the stack and pulleys operate at a 2:1 stack to resistance ratio for smooth, solid lifts.

Who is The Body-Solid GFT100 For?

The Body-Solid GFT100 is for the serious home fitness enthusiast who isn’t afraid to lay down a significant chunk of cash to get one of the best functional trainers on the market.

At around half the price of it’s big brother the S2FT Series II, the GFT100 is perfect for the savvy buyer who wants the same impressive resistance levels as it’s sibling, but doesn’t care quite so much about owing a machine that truly replicates the look of a commercial functional trainer.

In all other ways however, this machine offers everything that a commercial model can offer.

==> BodySolid GFT100 – CHECK PRICE

Body-Solid GDCC200

The Body-Solid GDCC200 is another high-end functional trainer that would be suited to both light-commercial and home gym setups.

In fact, the GDCC200 comes with the same twin 160lb weight stacks that the Series II S2FT and the GFT100 models come with and these are also upgradable to 310lbs each.

Curiously, this machine is wider than the models above – so you will need to take this into account when planning where to locate your new functional trainer.

However, there is a narrower version of the same machine available at the same cost (check out the Body-Solid GDCC210) if that would better suit your needs.

To be honest, I’m not convinced of the advantages of a wider functional trainer and if the choice were mine, I’d probably go with the GDCC210 out of these two sibling function trainers.

This machine features open weight stacks and commercial grade construction, powder coated for a premium finish. Once again, you have a smooth 2:1 ratio on the pulleys so will enjoy the same smooth workout experience as with the above models.

Personally, I prefer the look of this machine over the black finish of the GFT100 and given that it’s slightly cheaper would probably go for the GDCC200 over the GFT100.

Who is The Body-Solid GDCC200 (or GDCC210) For?

Again, this machine is for the serious home fitness enthusiast who is looking to take their home training to the next level and aren’t afraid of investing a reasonable amount of cash into a functional trainer.

I’d advise the same buyer who is considering the GFT100 to check out the GDCC200 as it’s a few hundred dollars cheaper and in my opinion, looks better.

Plus you’re getting all the functionality offered by the other machines we’ve looked at so far.

And if the wide stance of this model means that you can’t fit it in the space you’re setting aside for your new functional trainer, then check out the GDCC210 which is usefully narrower.

Body-Solid Powerline PFT100

So now we are heading to the more budget-friendly models.

However, please don’t think for a minute that the lower price means a lesser-set of functions or a drop in quality.

The Body-Solid Powerline PFT100, while not designed for commercial settings still comes with a comprehensive 10-year warranty on the frame and 1 year warranty on parts. So you can be confident that this machine will last and will be more than up to the job.

It even features the same dual weight stacks of 160lb each, but unlike the machines above, these can only be upgraded to a maximum of 210lbs each.

Again, the pulleys operate on the same 2:1 ratio so you can expect super smooth movements as you put yourself through demanding workouts.

Who is the Body-Solid Powerline PFT100 For?

The PFT100 is the perfect choice for the home workout lover who wants to take their training to the next level but isn’t concerned about out-growing the dual 210lb weight stacks – which is the ceiling for the weight stack upgrades for this machine.

Keep that ceiling in perspective however!

Taking into account the pulley ratio, if you elect to upgrade to the dual 210lb weight stacks then that’s the equivalent of 105lb per hand which for most people will be perfectly adequate on most exercises.

Additionally, this machine is SIGNIFICANTLY less expensive than the other machine we’ve featured in this overview.

So if you’re looking for a high-end functional trainer, at a huge discount compared to the machines we’ve covered so far, then this is your choice.

Body-Solid BFFT10R

The Body-Solid BFFT10R is the least expensive model that we’re looking at today.

Unlike every other model we’ve considered, this features a single 190lb weight stack which the manufacturer claims will be sufficient for most users.

Aimed at the budget-conscious home workout fanatic, Body-Solid have created a functional trainer that most people will be able to aspire to owning.

By reverting to a single weight-stock, they have been able to keep manufacturing costs down and pass the savings on to their customers.

As a consequence the BBT10R substantially undercuts it’s rivals in terms of price.

But does it also short-change customers in terms of features?

Well, yes and no.

Given that the pulley still operates on a ratio basis, you’re going to be pulling around 45lb at each handle, which may leave many people feeling frustrated as their strength increases and they find themselves outgrowing the BBT10R.

However, it still offers a good quality machine with most of the benefits of the other functional trainers we have looked at, albeit without the commercial gym feel to your workouts.

Talking of quality, while the BBT10R is undoubtedly another quality machine from Body-Solid, it does only come with a 3-year frame warranty which I found to be a little disappointing.

Who is The Body-Solid BFFT10R For?

The BFFT10R is for the home-fitness fanatic who has set his or her heart on owning a functional trainer but simply can’t stretch to the cost of one of the models we’ve looked at above.

As I have already mentioned, it costs substantially less than any other functional trainer I’m aware of and puts pulley-based training in the reach of most people.

It’s also the functional trainer you’d probably want to consider if you’re in my position, where the only place to situate the machine is in a damp garage.

It’s also a suitable machine for a complete newbie to training, or somebody who isn’t looking to necessarily pack on slabs of muscle, but just wants to get the blood flowing into ever muscle group.

For this reason, the BFFT10R would be a sensible choice for the retiree who is looking to maintain and build muscle mass in their retirement.

===> RELATED: Can Muscle Grow After 60?

Which Body-Solid Functional Trainer: Our Recommendation

I wonder whether you have guessed which model I’m going to recommend?

If you’re thinking it’s the Body-Solid Powerline PFT100 then well done, you’re right.

In my opinion, the PFT100 has all the boxes ticked:

It offers substantial resistance;

It will provide a commercial-gym machine experience;

It is extraordinarily good value;

It comes with a reassuring 10-year warranty on the frame.

In fact, I’m so impressed by this machine that I can’t help feeling that Body-Solid have built a functional trainer that directly competes against their other, pricier models.

If money is no barrier to you and you want a functional trainer that will truly bring the commercial gym experience into your home, then sure go for the S2FT Series II, but otherwise the Body-Solid Powerline PFT100 offers the best balance between price and features.

Conclusion

So there you have it: we’ve looked at why you need a functional trainer and then covered everything you need to know about the main Body-Solid Functional Trainers that are on the market.

The only question left to ask is which model are you going to buy?

Be sure to let me know in the comments.

As for me, I have a dilemma: do I go for the Body-Solid BFFT10R and stick it in my leaky garage, or do I put the funds to a new home-extension or garden-room gym so that I can eventually invest in one of their higher end models? Decisions, decisions!