Important Notice To Readers: The Ironmaster IM2000 Self-Spotting System is simply the best guided resistance, smith-machine system on the market. The IM2000 Self-Spotting System outperforms traditional Smith Machines due to its expandability, durability, small footprint and maintenance-free operation. It receives our highest recommendation. However, Total Physique Online is no longer officially endorsing Ironmaster LLC. This is not a decision that was made lightly. It was arrived at after much discussion and consideration.
For the time being, I have decided to allow my Ironmaster posts to remain public. I am doing this for informational purposes only, primarily due to requests from several readers. In addition, as a courtesy to my all readers I am leaving the comments for Ironmaster products in place. These comments are very valuable and serve to help folks make a good choice regarding their purchases. Additionally, my reviews of Ironmaster products will also remain unchanged. It should be noted that at some point in the near future, these pages may be removed or replaced.
For the record, I enjoy the flagship Ironmaster products. I have considered it a privilege to recommend them to you, my readers, for the past three years. Ironmaster Quick-Lock Dumbbells are superb. So is the Superbench produced by Ironmaster. In my view, these two products are in a class of their own.
It is my sincere hope that in time certain concerns will be addressed. If and when that happens, then I will be able to revisit this decision. However, until such a point in time, Total Physique Online will not be reconsidering its position regarding this matter.
Again, it should be noted that these recent changes have nothing to do with the quality of the Ironmaster product line whatsoever. Rather, certain other concerns came to light over the course of a six month period and, as a result of these concerns, a change of direction was decided upon. I truly wish Ironmaster nothing but the best. – Webmaster
[NOTE: The following review of the IM2000 self-spotting system appears in the February, 1991 issue of Ironman. Steve Holman is the senior editor for Ironman and author of the Ironman’s home gym handbook. I have included an in-depth series of photos of the IM2000 as well. Click IM2000 Photo Gallery to view the photos]
Ironmaster: Guided Muscle
By Steve Holman
One way you can tell that home training is becoming more popular is by the growing number of quality in-house training units that are available. Soloflex, along with all of its imitators, is doing booming business, and every time you turn around there’s some new or improved muscle machine claiming to be the latest high tech answer to your fitness needs.
Well, if you’re concerned about real heavy-duty muscle building, then you should be thinking barbells and dumbbells. To heck with rubber-band apparatuses and other “innovative” devices. Something like the Soloflex alone is fine in a pink (see Homebodies, July ’89 for a rundown on the Soloflex), especially for those who just want to put on a little more muscle and then maintain it. But to build really outrageous mass and keep it coming on a continuous basis, you’ve got to add real weights and lots of it.
Which brings us to the Ironmaster, a Smith machine with all the necessary accessories for building real hard-core muscle. This is no wimpy tin contraption, believe me. It’s tough, and according to the manufacturer, the Ironmaster machine with its 1,000 pound capacity, may just be “the strongest weight-training machine on the planet.” These guys make their point by giving you a five-year warranty on all structural parts of this 320-pound unit so you can train hard and heavy without worrying about structural damage.
The machine is relatively compact too – perfect for home training even in an apartment. Its dimensions are: height, 84.5”, width of frame, 48.5”, depth of frame, 42”, width of lifting bar, 77”. Basically, if you have a 7’ x 7’ area, you’re in business. But enough about how the Ironmaster is built. Let’s get down to the real nitty gritty- like what you can actually do on this machine as far as training. To make it easier, let’s break it down by body parts:
- Thighs: squats, front squats, leg presses, leg extensions (with optional leg extension/leg curl attachment)
- Hamstrings: leg curls (with optional leg extension/leg curl attachment), stiff-legged deadlifts
- Calves: standing calf raises, seated calf raises
- Back: hyperextensions, pull-downs, bent-over rows, low-pulley rows, deadlifts, chins
- Chest: bench presses, incline presses, decline presses, pec deck squeezes (with optional pec deck), one arm cable crossovers
- Shoulders: seated presses, upright rows
- Biceps: cable preacher curls (with optional preacher bench), standing cable curls
- Triceps: dips, pushdowns
- Abs: situps, leg raises, Roman chair situps
Add some dumbbells and your home gym is virtually complete-and safer than a regular free-weight gym. With Ironmaster’s self spotting system you can go ahead and push to failure with total confidence; no matter where failure occurs, all it takes is a flick of your wrist to lock the safety stops into place.
Another thing that you’ll really like about Ironmaster is squatting on it. You can put your feet forward and move the resistance with total thigh power and no lower-back involvement. Talk about a quad pump!
The only real negative is the optional plate-loaded leg extension. With this type of device you tend to lose resistance at the bottom of the movement, but then again the top of a leg extension is the most important part anyway, so this complaint is immaterial. It is, however, velvet smooth-no drag- and is comfortable as well. The same goes for the pulldown system.
Price is somewhat of a limiting factor to those whose bank account balance often has a minus in front of it. Luckily, the Ironmaster comes in three models-Two higher priced versions and a low-end one.
The Ironmaster Olympic edition retails for $1295.00. This price includes the main frame, bench, incline seat, Olympic weight holders, lat system and lat bar. It’s for Olympic iron only.
If you’ve already got regular plates in your home gym, you’ll want the Ironmaster I (600-pound capacity), which retails for $1195.00 and includes the main frame, bench, incline seat, lat system and lat bar, or the Ironmaster II (400-pound capacity), which retails for $695.00 and includes the main frame, bench, incline seat, lat system and lat bar. The leg extension/curl, with its new six-pad design, is available for an additional $100, and you can get the pec deck attachment or $250.
Remember, if you’re serious about bodybuilding, think iron. And if you want a complete home-training unit that will give you a lifetime of iron-clad workouts, get Ironmaster. It’s a sound investment in your training future. For more information, write Spartan Mfg., 1719 Grant St. Suite 1, Santa Clara, CA 95050.
Editor’s note: Steve Holman is the author of IRONMAN’s Home Gym Handbook, a complete guide to building your body at home, available for $14.95 plus $3 postage and handling ($ outside the continental United States) from Homebody Productions, 1163 San Vicente Blvd., Suite 337, Los Angeles, CA 90049 or from IRONMAN Books, 1-800-447-0008.
Note: Some information in this article is out of date so please check for current model, address and phone numbers. Spartan Mfg is now Ironmaster LLC. Be sure to check out the Ironmaster web site for current model self spotting weight machine and other home gym products. www.ironmaster.com 1-800-533-3339
Editors Note: The above article was taken from a 1991 issue of Ironman Magazine. Incredibly, the prices for the IM2000 have changed very little over the years, and the design today is virtually unchanged from the original date of this review. I thought this review was very good, and I highly recommend that anyone looking for a heavy-duty smith machine consider the IM2000 from Ironmaster.
[ Another Editors Note added 02/16/09: Have a look at this video I found online. It's a video taken from a web site that belongs to a fitness dealer in Australia - Sam Lucas. He sells the IM2000 as well as the IM QuickLock Dumbbels. His store is here: Sams Fitness and we actually link to his web site now! Thanks for the video Sam! Keep pumpin' dude!]
IM2000 At Work
Popularity: 41% [?]
