Don't let its basic, simple design fool you. With a functional trainer, you can perform literally countless varieties of your favorite exercises, giving your full body a workout and hitting your fitness goals from the comfort of your home.
We've tried and tested these machines below, and here is our review of the 8 best functional trainers in the market right now.
What is a Functional Trainer?
The concept of a functional trainer is very straightforward: A relatively compact machine made up of two cable columns, one or two weight stacks, and a chin-up/pull-up bar. With these basic features, you perform all your favorite movements, including:
Balanced work: Feel like one side of your body is stronger than the other? When you use equipment like a barbell, your body often overcompensates with your stronger side/limb. But because a functional trainer lets you adjust the weight stacks independently, you can make sure each side of your body is pulling its weight (pun intended).
Isolateral and isolation work: Whether you’re in the midst of physical therapy and working on an injury, or you want to hone in and focus on a specific body part, isolateral (single leg/single arm) exercises on a functional trainer get the job done.
Full-body work: Functional trainers can be used for every major and minor muscle group, from your legs to your abdominal muscles to your upper body and back.
Other benefits of a functional trainer include multi-plane movements so you can hit your muscles from literally every angle and plane of motion, and keeping your muscles under continuous tension (cables, unlike barbells/dumbbells, maintain tension on your muscles during the complete movement and not just when you’re fighting gravity).
However, these benefits are only fully present when you buy the best functional trainers with all the bells and whistles you need.
1. MULTIFUCTIONAL TRAINER A-3017
Technical details:
• Dual angled pulley system offers 22 easy to adjust positions for each column offering a total body work out.
• Adjustable hand grips and multi position chinning bar for multiple exercise.
• Ergonomics neoprene handle designed for maximum control and efficiency.
5/16" diameter weight selector pin magnetically locks in place and includes a lanyard to prevent injury.
• Length : 1050 mm.
• Width : 1760 mm.
• Height : 2250 mm.
• Machine weight : 454 kg.
• Weight stack : 190 kg.
2. XMark Functional Trainer Cable Machine
Technical details:
• Weight limit of resistance: 200-lb dual weight stacks
• Shipping Weight: 827 pounds
• Assembled Dimensions (Length x Width x Height): 43.5 x 65 x 83 inches
Attachments:
• Includes: Hand straps, tricep rope, short bar, long bar, leg extension, leg curl/leg curl strap, ankle strap
• Optional add-ons: A half rack for squats, a 3-way adjustable bench, a dumbbell 2-tier rack, etc.
3. Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer
Technical details:
• Weight limit of resistance: 165-lb dual weight stacks
• Shipping Weight: 731 pounds
• Assembled Dimensions (Length x Width x Height): 57.9 x 61 x 87.8 inches
Attachments:
• Includes: Tricep rope, hand straps, straight bar, EZ curl bar, ankle straps, water bottles, multi-function belt, two 5-lb. add-on weights
• Optional add-ons: Preacher curl attachment kit, leg extension conversion kit, adjustable bench