GMWD Arete 3 in 1 Hack Squat Leg Press: Best Budget Leg Press?

[@GMWDFitness]

Hi Mike, Thank you for reviewing our latest leg press machine! This model is exclusively available on our website. You provided a comprehensive review covering the space it occupies, assembly process, price, and overall user experience, even comparing it to products from other brands. In the end, you praised its great value, compact footprint, ease of assembly, mobility with wheels, solid performance in basic movements, and high weight capacity. We also appreciate your suggestions, such as making the footplate and calf block adjustable. We've shared your feedback with our product development team, and we look forward to future improvements! Thank you once again!

[@hybridresistance]

@@GMWDFitness thanks for the opportunity and consideration.

[@asdfsdfawefssfdfdfd]

How much for a 2 in 1? I have an old brick I can use as a calf block

[@grantliu9185]

Fix those two things and you have an absolute perfect slam dunk at this price point. Make it happen fast plz!

[@NICURN]

@GMWDFitness - I'm on the hunt for this machine in May '25 when my new home completes. I want your machine, but the single slide-bolt on the foot plate is a deal killer. Larger foot plate = yes also, but that pin needs a partner; the kinetics and weight forces applied to that pin scream disaster. I'm waiting on your update; please tell everyone you're fixing that pin. "I'm all-in with a 2nd pin!" Please and thanks; respect and love :)

[@cs1375]

As someone who works up to the mid 700s on leg press I dont trust that pin.

[@killerkhatiby009]

Great review! Seems like a solid option too! Honestly only major deal-breaker for me was how small that foot plate was for leg press. AFAIK there isn't anything around this price point (or less) that has a nice large foot plate like many may be used to at a commercial gym. If they fix that and make the calf block a little taller it'd be a home run for an entry-level home gym option!

[@hybridresistance]

Thanks my friend. I think you covered the same thoughts I was having with this.

[@sevenw5]

Having used both I would go with the GMWD ARETE. You are going to be hard pressed to find 1k more in features with the Force USA. GMWD is at a great price point.

[@murdog04]

I have had my eye on the ForceUSA leg press/hack squat combo for a little over a year now. I know it’s almost double the price of this one, but the quality is some much better. How smooth the pursuit is on the ForceUSA is worth the money. Thanks for the great review.

[@hybridresistance]

Thanks for sharing that.

[@grantliu9185]

The force one is better in every way except a huge one: they missed big time on lower back support. For that reason I’m getting the gmwd

[@grantliu9185]

Great review. A few more data points for folks - 5'7'' no ATG even when pulling out the stopper. Thinking of sawing off part of the "safety" stop. Also, none of the reviewers online seem to mention this but the linear bearings feels slightly "crunchy" and not completely smooth. I can feel the many ball bearings jangling about. One big plus vs alternatives like force at this price point is the back pad supports all the way down to my lower back, which is kinda the point of hack squats. full support.

[@hybridresistance]

Definitely not a smooth ride. That I noticed right way as well. Great comment.

[@robcampbell2621]

Your reviews are the most informative and practical in the home gym space. Thanks and please keep it up. A while back, I believe mentioned a pending review of the Force USA C10 Sliding Bench. I'm really looking forward to that. For a half rack, I use a pair of the Bells of Steel weight stack cable towers and - as a mechanical engineer - I'm pretty confident I could adapt that to work with that bench to do leg press, squat, and everything else it does. It would be an amazing, space saving upgrade to my gym. I've sketched up DIY versions of a cable tower/weight stack leg press, but there is no way anything I could do from scratch could match the functionality and quality of the C10 bench for $800. Thanks again.

[@hybridresistance]

@@robcampbell2621 thanks so much, Rob. I was actually on the fence about posting my comments about the C 10 because I wasn’t sure how many people would be interested. I definitely have some pros and some cons. I personally feel about the product. But I likely will post something in the near future or at least early November. Is it more the sliding bench aspect that attracts you to it?

[@robcampbell2621]

Yes, I'm interested and especially in the sliding bench. For those of us with weight stacks, the sliding bench seems like an incredible deal (in terms of money and space) for adding leg curl and extension with a decent resistance profile and leg press. I have a bad lower back, so squats are a problem for me. To use it as a leg press with a weight stack, I know you'd have to "start in the hole", but stability is a bigger limiting factor for me. All in the same space as a functional bench. Thanks again.

[@jberg3118]

Great review! I really like this unit, if the leg press plate was a little larger with a couple different angles to chose from I would have it ordered already. Still deciding. I don't have a ton of 45's so I like the fact that this feels heavier than the Force USA. My worry is paying extra for the force then needing to pony up more dough for additional plates.

[@hybridresistance]

The force is pretty heavy feeling as well. Best advice I can give is really think how much you'll use it. I went to using my leg press all the time to barely using it.

[@jberg3118]

@ I went ahead and bought the GMWD slightly different version. About 80% of my workouts are done at home so I think it will get some good use🙏

[@Crabdust1]

Nice that this unit is more compact for smaller home gyms. Were you able to get those wheels moving smoothly? Honestly sounds like a lot of friction. Wonder if that will hurt durability.

[@hybridresistance]

They still moved up and down the sled about the same.

[@rossdax47]

Anyone have thoughts or experience with the Arete for taller folks? I am 6'4 and my son is 6'6. Most machines we've tried don't work great for our girafee-esque statures.

[@hyg71886]

Was between this and the forceusa

[@RonMexico527]

Any plan to review budget smith machines?

[@hybridresistance]

I've reviewed a couple smith machine all in ones. If you're talking a stand along smith let know. I kind of feel at the end of the day these cheap all-in-ones I've reviewed really get the job done for the price. Not to mention you don't sacrifice the space.

[@RonMexico527]

@@hybridresistance Yeah stand alone with or without cables, like the body solid ones. Tons for sale on marketplace near me.

[@hybridresistance]

@@RonMexico527 I'll check some out Ron.

[@joe112000]

What if you do one leg at a time? You think you could get a better angle/feel more comfortable than doing two legs at a time? Good review BTW.

[@hybridresistance]

Appreciate it Joe. I don't think the single leg would make much of a difference (at least to me). It honestly wasn't bad, just not for my liking having to position some of my feet off the stand for the standard leg press. I could for sure deal with it. Hack squat was no problem though.

[@emilyng2523]

Hi Mike, for beginners who go to the gym and use machines and barbells, how do they get over the fear of injury? Im asking because the few times I've went to the gym and used leg machines, I've always been scared of breaking my knee or pulling something because my form may be wrong

[@hybridresistance]

Appreciate the honest question. I'd say watch a few informative videos on the machines or exercises you're concerned with, start with a lighter weight to get used to the movement, and then just listen to your body. Usually the body will give you some warning signs before something serious, but best ideal situation is to hire a competent trainer who can coach you through the lifts you're concerned with. Hope that helps.

[@flixalicious2424]

Would you say the rom for the hack squat is nuch better than the force usa? Thats the only quirk i had with the force usa. I was going to custom fab some foot plates to allow for a greater rom

[@hybridresistance]

It seems a tad deeper than the Force USA one, but I personally don't think that one is bad either. But I'm 6'

[@James-dy6zh]

that cheap foot pad is a no go what were they thinking there? IT's literally wobbling and at the end your feet are halfway off the pad because it's so narrow, No way i'd buy it

[@DingusSquatfordJr.]

A review focusing on the positive lol, It Sounds a lot like CCP.

[@hybridresistance]

@@DingusSquatfordJr. I don’t know what to tell you, brother. I mentioned the calf block has limited range of motion, leg press plate is on the small side, and materials feel cheap. I also compared it to a product and said it was inferior to that.

[@DingusSquatfordJr.]

@@hybridresistance let’s focus on the positives alright 😹

[@hybridresistance]

​@@DingusSquatfordJr. Appreciate it brother.