Marcy MD 5191 Smith Cage Home Gym Review

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The Marcy MD 5191 smith cage home gym is one example of a complete, full-featured Smith machine with many incredible features that make it a great addition to any gym.

This machine helps you perform deadlifts and squats without worrying about balance or stability. 

In addition, this machine is beneficial for beginners to learn the basics and achieve maximum gains, making it a significant investment.

So, in this article, we will review the Marcy MD 5191 with its most standout features. 

About Marcy MD 5191 smith cage home gym

If you’re looking for a bargain-basement home gym that will deliver significant value and quality, look no further.

The Marcy MD5191 is an excellent basic home gym that offers all of the basics, including a smith machine, adjustable weight bench, and enough space to add a few more exercise machines if you want to. 

It’s not the most technologically advanced home gym you can buy, but it gets the job done in a simple fashion that doesn’t require any additional equipment or expertise. 

At $229.99, this is one of the best bargains you'll find in a home gym, and it beats many "name brand" home gyms that are often more than twice as expensive.

Features

Design

The 5191 Smith machine home gym comes with a 7-foot barbell that accommodates regular and Olympic weight plates.

In addition, you can obtain a great discount on weight plates because you are not restricted to a specific diameter or manufacturer.

Linear bearings are also helpful for the Smith machine. Unlike nylon brushings, Linear bearings have an excellent reputation for producing a smooth lifting motion because of their friction-reducing capacity.

Free weight rack

Including a squat rack and a Smith machine in the same training, the system is convenient and saves money. On the other hand, this free-weight rack is a bit of a mixed bag. 

It has all of the features of a fantastic squat rack—J-Hooks, safety stoppers—but lacks the weight capacity to accommodate intermediate and expert lifters. 

So if you intend to lift more than 135kg now or in the future, you should look elsewhere. However, beginners can still benefit from the Marcy Olympic Weight Smith Machine. 

Station for pulling ups

The pull-up station, like the squat rack, can support 135kg. However, it’s more durable than the free weight rack because most individuals are weaker on pull-ups than Romanian deadlifts.

In addition, you may strengthen your back by emphasizing different sections of your lats with both overhand and underhand grips—a broad grasp prioritizes the lower lats. On the other hand, medium and close grips emphasize the top fibres.

Cable crossover

In contrast to the pec deck, the cable crossover system has a relatively restricted 50 percent ratio, which means that for every 10kg you place on the machine, you only get 5kg back in resistance. 

However, if you use both pulleys simultaneously, you can hack the system and gain 100% weight. Nonetheless, the resistance ratio makes going heavy on popular exercises like triceps pushdowns difficult.

Low pulley

The low pulley offers a one-to-one weight ratio and a footplate for added stability during cable rows.

While the obvious benefit is stability, a less evident one is that the footplate promotes a better stretch in your lats by increasing your range of motion.

Leg developer

The Marcy MD 5191 Smith Machine Home Gym leg developer attaches to the weight bench and provides resistance up to 45kg.

Unlike some other home gyms, the bench acts as stomach support, allowing you to practice reclining hamstring curls.

Marcy MD5191 parts and frame

The Marcy is made of 14 gauge steel, as previously stated. While not the most lasting material, its steel strength is more than adequate for most home workouts.

The frame is also powder-coated to boost its scratch resistance and help it maintain its attractive colour scheme. 

In addition, foam cushioning is included at key contact places, such as the leg developer and pec arms, for added comfort and limb safety.

This cushioning is especially beneficial for quad extensions, which can cause shin bruises if done too hard.

The chrome guide rods, in addition to the linear bearings, enable the Smith press to maintain a fluid lifting motion by providing a preset bar route. For this price, don’t expect commercial quality.

Safety features

Although it has a limited weight capacity, the MD5191 lacks safety features. The Smith machine, for example, has adjustable safety catches that prevent the bar from moving past a certain point, limiting injuries.

Similarly, the adjustable bar catches on the free weight rack allow you to execute barbell workouts without a spotter breathing down your neck.

Pros

• Provides a decent workout for the price
• Works decently well for beginners and intermediate level lifters
• Leg developer is an excellent addition to the weight bench and Smith machine
• Good value for money if you’re looking for an affordable home gym.

Cons

• Limited weight capacity will only be suitable for beginners and intermediate-level lifters with a limited budget or light goals. 
• This machine will not allow you to lift heavy weights or become strong enough to compete in bodybuilding competitions.

Customer reviews

There is overwhelmingly positive customer feedback for this machine, with over 1000 reviews at writing. The Marcy MD5191 Smith Machine Home Gym has an average rating of 3.2 stars out of 5. 0 stars. 

All of the reviews mention how much they like the Smith machine and how fully convenient it is to have both a free weight rack and a Smith machine in the same system. 

In addition, there are extremely few negative comments, which suggests that all parts of this machine are generally well-made and will last for years.

Alternatives

The Marcy MD 5191 Smith Machine Home Gym is a popular model because it’s cheap, effective and reliable.

But if you are looking for something a little more powerful or training with heavier weights, there are other worthy alternatives.

We will focus on three of the best alternative home gym models in the market.

Marcy MWM-990 Home Gym Workout Machine

This machine is the better version of the Marcy MD5191, as it offers a far better weight capacity. 

In addition to accommodating an individual up to 300 pounds, it also has a 50% greater weight capacity than the MD5191 and can handle up to 90KG. 

It means that you can use this machine for many years without going over its weight limit.

Bowflex RMX Home Gym (Rack Only)

This home gym offers a robust selection of exercise machines that can be used for home use and commercial purposes.

Bowflex Supreme Select Home Gym

The Bowflex Supreme Select is a very powerful and fully-loaded home gym that offers all of the best innovative features from the Bowflex line, such as smart technology and exclusive exercises.

In addition, it features a weight selection of 500 lbs, allowing you to perform most activities efficiently.

Conclusion

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In conclusion, if you’re looking for an affordable home gym with good built quality, the Marcy MD5191 Smith Machine Home Gym is a good choice.

It's very effective and will suit the needs of beginners and intermediate-level lifters.

However, if you’re looking for something more powerful or training with heavier weights, then you may consider one of the alternatives mentioned above. 

Depending on your budget, the Bowflex RMX Home Gym, the Marcy MWM-990 or the Bowflex Supreme Select Home Gym will be the best option for your needs.