When I started my journey to get fit again after falling out of my routine for a while, I knew that I had to build my own home gym. I am a busy guy, and I don’t always have the time to head to the local fitness center between work and everything else going on.
There was some research required to discover exactly what I was going to need to build one that was going to get me the results that I was looking for. One of the products I found that I wanted was the Fitness Reality 810XLT Power Rack.
A power rack was on my list of equipment to get, but I had to do my research to find out what I could afford. Along with cost, the squat cage had to be able to hold my 150-pound body easily and stay firmly planted on the ground. I wanted something that was easy to assemble because I’m not the best when it comes to directions.
If you are in the market for a power rack, take a look at this fitness reality 810xlt review to discover how it might work best for you in your own personal home gym.
Overview
The fitness reality 810XLT super max power cage is one for those that are looking for any sort of workout including heavy lifting to build and tone muscles. It is constructed with a tubular frame from 2” x 2” sturdy steel making it heavy-duty and durable. The chrome plating gives it extra toughness as well.
There is an abundant amount of space for walking in so that you can maneuver through various side exercises. The walk-in area is 50.5” in length, 46.5“ in width, and 83.5” in height. Total weight of the machine is 133.5 pounds when fully assembled. With the size of the fitness reality 810xlt, there is a need for quite a bit of space to store it.
It’s not going to be ideal for a room with a low ceiling, or one that has a lot of other machines in it. With the plate storage on the back, it is going to require even more room than some other power racks that have the same feature, because it can’t be stored close to the wall.
Assembly
Speaking of assembly, this is one that is fairly simple to put together. There are no directions that explain what you have to do to get it constructed, but you don’t need them. All you are required to have to complete the task is a wrench and socket. The diagram that shows what the final product should look like allows you to have it put together in about an hour or so.
Features
The holes that are pre-existing line up exactly with the welding being of good quality as well. The bars and hooks on the fitness reality 810xlt are solid making it ideal for any lifter from the novice to the professional.
When considering the purchase of a power rack, safety should be at the top of the priority list. When working out in your home gym, chances are you are going to be doing it alone. There isn’t going to be anyone there to help you if something goes wrong. With the two 23” catches for safety that are dual-mounted and two 3.25” safety pins, everything stays in place.
You can move the safety bars around to various holes that are available on both sides of the uprights so that a plethora of exercises can be completed for a full body workout. The catches used for safety are compatible with a 7-foot long Olympic weight bar.
Along with completing heavy lifting workouts, grip bars for pull-ups are available so that back muscles, shoulders, and arms can get the work that you want to strengthen those areas. Two stability bars are made for the back of the fitness reality 810 xlt machine, and that boosts the stability factor of this piece of gym equipment as well.
Compared to other machines, this one has a reasonably low selling price. That doesn’t mean that they have skimped out on the quality by any means. You can still complete an excellent work out on a piece of sturdy equipment without having to pay top dollar.
Special Features:
- 28 holes for 28 different positions for completing various exercises
- Combine with the optional fitness reality 1000 super max weight bench and increase the number of maneuvers possible with the cage
- Safety bars and safety pins included
- Tools for assembly included
- Chrome plating
Pros & Cons
- The fitness reality 810xlt super max power cage can hold up to 800 pounds
- Affordable compared to other power racks
- Sturdy structure
- Built-in plate storage
- Quick and easy assembly
- Comes with one year of limited warranty
- Requires a lot of space and with the plate storage it must be stored away from the wall
- Transitions between switches of plates are slow due to the location
- Fitness reality 810xlt super max power cage attachments must be purchased separately
- Might be too short for people over 6-foot tall
The Titan T-2 Series Power Rack in Comparison to the Fitness Reality 810XLT
Another power rack that I reviewed before making my decision was the Titan T-2 Series Power Rack. This unit is a bit more expensive for a squat cage, but it still possesses the 2” x 2” steel uprights for durability and stability. There are a variety of exercises that can be performed with it including: military presses, shrugs, curls, bench presses, and squats.
This power cage has a little less of a weight capacity at just 700 pounds which is less than that fitness reality 810xlt. It comes with J-hooks that are heavy duty and plates can be stored on the storage plates on the back.
Summary
4.5 / 5
After I reviewed the fitness reality 810xlt, I concluded that with all it had to offer, it was the best machine for my needs and my budget. The safety features were essential to me considering I live alone and would be performing my routines without any spotter.
The cage is nice and wide with plenty of adjustments available so that I can get a full body workout almost with using just one machine. It being easy to put together was important, and the fact that it comes with a 1-year warranty was a nice bonus.
Everything surrounding the machine is a pro as far as I am concerned minus the fact that the plate switching is slow because of where they are stored. I have solved that issue by just keeping my plates in front of me when working out and using the back only when storing.