Marcy Diamond Elite Smith System (MD-9010G) Reviewed

Our Review of the Marcy MD 9010G Smith Machine

Product Specifications

Let’s face it: home gym equipment tends to be flimsy and nowhere near as versatile as the equipment you find when you pay for a membership. But those fees add up!

Let’s say that money isn’t an object for you.

Let’s also say that you want to get a piece of home gym equipment that will allow you to do virtually any type of exercise that you could ever want to do to get a full body workout.

There are many pieces of home gym equipment out there that fit this description, but not all of them are worth the cash.

One such machine that’s well worth your hard-earned money is the Marcy Diamond Elite Smith Machine Home Gym with Linear Bearings.

I wanted to find out if investing in a home system might actually be able to replace my gym membership.

In this Marcy Diamond Elite Smith System with Linear Bearings review, I’ll share my thoughts about it – and let you know my final verdict.

Related Article - Home Gym Vs Gym Membership

It’s Built Like a Commercial Machine

While the Marcy Diamond Elite Smith Machine Home Gym is a serious piece of gym equipment, it’s also a great-looking product with excellent build quality.

It’s got a powder-coated finish, thick upholstery to protect your body, and a sleek design that will look great in your home gym. Some of the other features it includes are:

This Marcy home gym system has a 600-pound capacity - which is more than most home gyms. That means that it’s sturdy and safe to use no matter how big you are – or how much you’re lifting.

My Experience with the Marcy Diamond Elite Smith Cage

Now I want to share my personal experience using the Marcy Diamond Elite Smith Machine with Linear Bearings.

First, keep in mind that this is a powder dusted finish.

The shipping weight is over 300 pounds so depending on where you live – and on who your delivery driver is – they may not be able to deliver these home gyms to your door.

It also takes up a lot of space, but that's not surprising given how big Smith machines are on their own.

The dimensions are 95” high by 79” wide by 86” deep. The depth is due to the weight bench, but it is removable, so you can stow it when you’re not using it.

Assembling of the Marcy Diamond Elite Smith Machine wasn’t easy and took us several hours to assemble, but more on that later on in this review!

But now for the good part – what was it like using the Marcy Diamond Elite home gym?

I decided to try everything for this review – and there was a lot to try because this product comes with a bunch of attachments:

My Exercise Routine and Thoughts

I started out with some leg work on the bench. The action when I was doing leg curls was quite smooth – maybe not quite as good as the machines at my gym, but way better than any home machine I’ve tried.

The bench was comfortable but a little higher off the ground than I’d like. I think it might be awkward to use for women or men of below-average height.

Another note about the bench – I think someone very tall might not be able to get full extension when doing a vertical shoulder smith press while on the bench.

Shoulder presses require you to lift your arms completely overhead, which could be difficult with limited range of motion and height. You may want to look into some overhead press alternatives if you are above average height.

The Smith bar is sturdy – again, maybe not as solid as a commercial smith machine, but the quality is clear.

I didn’t have any problem using the Marcy Diamond Elite Smith Machine home gym, and it seems like it would easily handle more weight than I’m lifting now.

The low cable row handle is nice, but I couldn’t get full range of motion from the low pulley. I guess that’s to be expected – if you want that you should buy a rowing machine.

Overall, the Marcy Diamond Elite Smith Machine gave me a great workout. The best thing about in my opinion is that it’s versatile.

It’s probably the closest you can come to having a complete gym at home – and having it is saving me money on my gym membership every month.

Workout Stations & Versatility

This Marcy Diamond Elite home gym combines the qualities of a smith machines and cable pulley systems with weight stacks. This makes it extremely versatile and great for a full body workout. 

The Smith machine comes with an Olympic bar which can be loaded with Olympic weight plates.

This, combined with the adjustable bench, makes it great for bench press, incline bench press, squats, deadlifts and other compound movements.

You can even remove the bar from the smith machine away from the weight bench to give yourself more space. The safety catches are perfect for doing heavy lifts without needing a spotter.

The cable pulley system, attached to the weight stacks, can be used with various handles and set to low, medium, or high.

This is great for rows and arm exercises, with a specific preacher curl station which can be used for a bicep or leg curl. 

The dual press arms on Marcy home gyms are excellent for training one side at a time, and work best for back and chest exercises. 

There's also a leg development station with a foot plate for leg press, so you can really work your lower body.

There's a lot of options with this Marcy Diamond Elite home gym, and it makes a great alternative to traditional weight lifting. 

Try These Workouts!

Assembly & Maintenance Of This home Gym

This Marcy Diamond Elite home gym is quite challenging to assemble.

The parts come in 3 boxes and are clearly labelled, but the instructions themselves aren't particularly clear.[1]

Unfortunately, Marcy uses diagrams instead of written instructions and doesn't name all the parts needed for each section.

The assembly itself has a few different elements, but you need to start with the frame, then the cable system, then the smith machine, and then the adjustable bench and other parts. 

The cables are the most challenging part of the home gym to put together and you'll need to spend more time on this part. 

I would allow 10-12 hours to assemble this home gym if you haven't done it before, and you may need help from a friend.

The good news is that once it's set up, the Marcy Diamond Elite home gym is fairly low maintenance. Marcy has included a 2-year warranty on this smith machine, which is decent for products in this categories.[2]

You should clean it weekly to get any dirt from the surfaces, and you may need to oil the cables if they start to stick or make noise. 

It's worth keeping an eye on your home gym floor because Marcy Smith machine home gyms are heavy.

If you can, install some durable home gym flooring underneath this Smith machine to prevent any damage.

Pros and Cons of the Marcy Smith MD-9010G

Who Is It Best Suited For?

This home gym is best suited for those with experience looking to build muscle mass at home. 

Smith machines make heavy weight training a lot safer, and the smith machine integration into this Marcy diamond elite home gym gives you a lot of possibilities.

Plus, the fact you load your own weight plates instead of selectorized means you can lift heavy and start building muscle.

The smith machine cage system, Olympic bar, and cable pulley system are all the features which make this machine a great addition for anyone switching from a commercial gym to a home gym. 

There's a lot of versatility in this home gym but it's not as well suited for beginners. 

The freedom of the smith machine and free weights can actually be confusing at first, and simpler home gyms with a cable system may be easier while you learn the exercises. 

Other people who would benefit from the Marcy diamond elite home gym: 

• Intermediate lifters who can't get to the gym regularly 
• Those with home gyms that can't fit multiple pieces of strength training equipment
• Those who don't have room for a full power rack

Conclusion

So, with all that said, what’s our final verdict on the Marcy Diamond Elite Smith Cage Home Gym?

If you’ve been shopping around for the ultimate addition to your home workout setup, this is one of the best options you have.

References:

1. https://www.marcypro.com/content/Product_Manuals/Smith_Machines/20180621MD-9010G%20Owner%27s%20manual.pdf 

2. https://www.marcypro.com/marcy-smith-machine-cage-system-md-9010g