It's been one year (actually 49 weeks) since I bought this piece, the Powertec Workbench. I got it for a deal locally at $680.00 dollars (which included tax). Excuse my writing and spelling, I am just trying to impart the ideas clearly. I have been training for 21 years, and am I training for the Masters Florida, 2004, this October 2. I have been dieting for 7 months and use the Powertec for 85% of my training.
I also have a dip and chin station and a cybex older superpullover machine in my garage with the Powertec station. I want to get a leg press, soon. Once a week I go to a local gym to do legs only.
The core of the gym is the Powertec station. Here are some of the unique things I have been doing that may help others.
Back: latpulls close to bench, laying back almost like a row. After I got close to 300 lbs my hips began to hurt holding me down. My hips could not handle the weight! I devised a solution. I wrap a 6 foot chain around (and through) the bottom of the bench and around my waist/ hips (I have a towel across my lap to protect my legs) and clip it tight with a steel clip. When I lat pull the chain holds me tight to the bench.
I can use a ton more weight now that my hips are not holding me in place. I atually hurt my hip very badly lat pulling heavy one day and had to devise this a s a solution. It led to other experiments tieing myself at different places on the bench with the chain. Try it, the angles are incredible.
Upright Lat pulls for upper lats: sitting way back on the end of the bench (facing the machine, about 18 inches from the lat bar) I do lat pulls upright and slightly forward. Again the chain holds me down.
Upper lats are blown away on these. The angle is like the hammer front iso lat pull.
Seated and supported Heavy Rowing on the POWERTEC. Set the incline bench as you would a normal incline or slightly lower. Lay face down on the bench (facing toward the machine). Grasp the bench handles and row. The angle is perfect. Find the right incline hieght for you and make the row a smooth arc. It really works well. I always wanted a row machine and this is a good copy.
This position (laying face forward on an incline bench) also allows for a great shrug movement. I do Kelso shrugs with as much weight as I have in the house in this position. It built my inner traps and back up quite a bit. More than any other exercise except deadlifts. If you need traps or an inner back, this is the one.
The leverage in this position allows for an excellent row movement. I have used 220 lbs an arm in this postion (which for me with a bad back is great). The bench supports my back 100%. It's really is just like a row machine.
Smith squats. Snap a MANTARAY neck support onto the squat bar, set the bar at halfway up) and face away from the machine. PLace your traps into the MANTARAY and walk forward with your legs. Now you can squat just like a smith machine. I don't even put my hands on the bar, I place them on my hips or in the air. The cross bar and machine weight allows me to lean backwards (like on a smith machine) and squat. I do 6 inch partial squat in this position sometimes with 500lbs.
The great thing about the machine is you can do such heavy work in saftey. This is a great heavy duty piece. If you were thinking of getting one I say get it. The best thing I ever did for my bodybuilding. Now I can train at home and get a real workout.
Of course partial deadlifts are good on this machine as well. I don't like the full deadlift on this machine, as the curve of the rotation at the bottom pulls me too far forward and hurts my lower back. But the partial deadlifts are good.
Leg slides. Set the bench at a decline. Sit on the bench (like a deadlift) and grasp the handles. Put your feet on the support beams and push upwards (sliding on the bench). It's like a hack press or Jefferson squat. You can shrug in this positon as well (laying flat on the decline). It supports your back. It's a very different shrug than a normal one in this position.
One arm lat pulls. Use the single handle and attach it and a 5 inch length of chain (to add some length to the cable) to the high lat cable. Grab the single handle, facing the machine, lay back, put your feet up on the big cross beam if you want, and do one arm rows. This one works great and again better than standard one arm dumbbell rows for me because I can use more weight and my lower back is not a factor. The bench is supporting me, not my back supporting the weight (like in a one arm dumbbell row where you stand up).
I hope some of these ideas help someone. Have a good idea to use the Powertec? Let me know!

:tu:

Great post! I printed it out so I've got it on paper. I've got the same machine at home, and I can't wait to try some of the ideas you've suggested. I had thought about installing the Manta Ray on the crossbar for squats, but hadn't gotten to actually trying that yet. I typically face the machine instead of away, because the pad just didn't seem to sit right for the entire motion. I've been doing machine squats exclusively since my hip implant dislocated while doing barbell squats a couple of months back. Luckilly I was in my rack when it happened, so I wasn't seriously hurt. I don't look at that instance as a reason to stop doing squats and working my legs though.
I was considering getting a leg press myself to work my quads, but couldn't see bringing a 400lb machine into my 3rd floor apartment so that I could throw another 7-800lbs+ on it, ending up with over 1000lbs in a small area of my downstairs neighbors bedroom ceiling. :lol: (I'm an equipment junky) Instead I just ordered Larry Scotts (http://www.larryscott.com/) Quad Ham Roaster yesterday. I know somebody who owns one, and stated it "is the single best piece of leg equipment" he owns. (20+ year natty BB'r)
Which federation are you competing in come Oct? I know alot of people that are doing different upcoming shows through the next 3 months. (NBI ProAm, USBF NYS Masters Pro, NGA Olympia) I would love to be able to see Sully and Aram on the same stage together this October.
The two of them have been a huge influence on my training this past year.

Seated and supported Heavy Rowing on the POWERTEC. Set the incline bench as you would a normal incline or slightly lower. Lay face down on the bench (facing toward the machine). Grasp the bench handles and row. The angle is perfect. Find the right incline hieght for you and make the row a smooth arc. It really works well. I always wanted a row machine and this is a good copy.
This position (laying face forward on an incline bench) also allows for a great shrug movement. I do Kelso shrugs with as much weight as I have in the house in this position. It built my inner traps and back up quite a bit. More than any other exercise except deadlifts. If you need traps or an inner back, this is the one.
The leverage in this position allows for an excellent row movement. I have used 220 lbs an arm in this postion (which for me with a bad back is great). The bench supports my back 100%. It's really is just like a row machine.


Well, I finally got a few minutes to experiment with some of your ideas. I'm absolutely blown away by the fact that I can do supported rows on this. I had actually contemplated buying a bent over row machine at one point. I was knocking around the idea of putting my hyper extention at the front of my rack, and pulling the bar up off of the pins while stretched across the pads. I never would have even thought of trying this movement like this...I've even got different grip options. :lol: Unbelievable!!! I can see I'm going to be having much soreness through my back in days to come... :lol:
Tried the leg slide real quick just now, but I'm bare foot, so that felt kind of odd for the first go around. I'll try some of the other ideas over the next few days. This is great though...
Thanks so much for your post...you really made my week! :tu:

I am glad some of my ideas are working for you. The rowing is great isn't it? You can LOAD it up, the leverage is perfect.
I love the POWERTEC. A very good investment for me. I will write up some more of the stuff I have been doing on the machine next week.
I love tinkering around with various angles.
I am competing in the NPC league here in Fla, which is really the only viable league here.
I am competing this weekend August 28, at the NPC Southearstern USA, in the over 40 class. It's being held in Orlando, Florida. It's a warm up for my contest in October (The NPC Master's FLoirda).
I purchased a FLEX leg press today. It reminds you of a bodymaster or cybex leg press. $3,000 new, this one is 3 years old, I got it for $600. It's in perfect shape. I am thrilled. I now have a complete gym in the house.

Have you got your Quad Ham Roaster yet? I am wondering how it works and how you use it. Is it used to do glute/ham raises? I've ordered a glute/ham bench so if it's used for glute/ham raises then I wouldn't need it, but if it provides a unique exercise that can't be done on the glute/ham bench then I might get one.
Thanks for any advice.

Hi Danartman,
I was wondering if you would tell me how you put your gym together? Did you tighten the bolts as you put each part together or did you leave that till last?

I think that Dan's poofed a while ago... Get all you pieces together first, then start tightening. If you try tightening as you go, you'll notice that the parts on the other side appear to have no way at all to fit into place the way they're meant too.

tag

tag
What the heck are all these "tag" posts in the equipment forum?

What the heck are all these "tag" posts in the equipment forum?

I'm guessing it's somebody shopping for Powertec equipment, that doesn't want to take the time to just ask whatever question they have outright.
:lol:

actually....its me cruising the forums at like 12 am and realizing i cant possibly spend the time at 12 reading a dozen threads, but was worried id lose them tomorrow. sorry!

About holding yourself down with chains.. another idea, which I tried, is to get an old safety belt from a car... maybe go to a car wrecking place... I got mine from the back seat of an old car I used to own...and fasten one end of the safety belt to something on one side of the bench and the other end of the safety belt to something on the other side of the bench. Perhaps you can fasten them to your squat cage, or whatever.. anyway, you then just sit on your bench and buckle up! :)