Weider Pro 9930 Universal Gym Information

You must overcome so many hassles when you belong to a big box gym, including limited parking, lines for equipment and the time it takes to get there. Working out at home is far more convenient, especially when you have a multipurpose station that can offer a wide variety of training options in minimal space.

The Weider Pro 9930 Universal Gym is a stand-alone, multi-purpose weight station produced by ICON fitness. If you're considering investing in one, know the exercises offered and the possible benefits of this system.

Exercise Possibilities

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends you train every major muscle group of your body at least two times per week. The Weider Pro 9930 Universal Gym allows you to do just this.

For example, work your chest muscles at the butterfly, or pec deck, station. From this seat, lean your arm against the pad and grasp a low pulley to curl your biceps. A second seat provides a chest press option as well as access to a high pulley to do lat pull-downs. This second seat has a leg raise station to train your thighs and hips.

All of the resistance for the stations is controlled by a weight stack in the hub of the apparatus. It's selectorized, which means you simply insert a pin to "select" the amount of weight you want to use for each exercise.

Assembly and Use

The assembly process is rather detailed and requires you put together the frame, weights, pulley system and attachments. If you're not sure this is something you can do on your own, seek a professional installer, so the equipment is safe to use.

Resistance Possibilities

The very top weight plate on the stack weighs 6 pounds. This is the least amount of resistance you can use for any exercise. Each of the additional plates weighs 12.5 pounds.The actual resistance at each station varies depending on the angle of the move, the friction of the cable and the weight guides. For example, when you use the high pulley for a lat pull-down and only select the top weight, you'll be moving 11 pounds through space. Place the pin into weight No. 5 and you'll be maneuvering 84 pounds.

The manual for the Weider Pro 9930 Universal details the approximate weight for each exercise at varying pin sites.

Selectorized as a Way to Work Out

A selectorized weight machine, such as the Weider Pro 9930 Universal, offers ease of use and control over your form as you work out. But, when you use a machine, you're deprived of some of the micro-adjustments your body makes when using free weights, such as dumbbells and barbells. The American Council on Exercise points out that a machine can be much easier and safer for a beginner to use, however.

If you're already quite fit and accustomed to gym-quality apparatus, the Weider Pro 9930 Universal may not offer you enough variety and resistance to advance your fitness further.

There are a few major muscles that the Weider Pro 9930 Universal misses, too. Your shoulders and triceps, for example, help in the chest press, but aren't exclusively targeted with any one station. Consider adding dumbbell or resistance band presses and kickbacks to train these muscle groups. Also, have a mat stashed nearby to roll out and work your core with planks, crunches and twists.