Buying a new home gym can be a daunting experience with all of the options on the market. One has to consider space availability, budget, which machine best matches the training needs, and many more. The Marcy MWM-990 Home Gym is popular enough that it should be on your radar for consideration. We decided to do a deep dive into what it offers to see how it stacks up to other comparable models.
Unlike many other suspension gyms designed for the home, the Marcy MWM-990 has a regular weight stack and cable system. It provides various attachments and accessories, such as a lat pulldown bar, to provide the user with multiple avenues for body-part-specific training and/or full-body workouts.
A versatile full-steel total gym that provides 150 pounds of resistance and the capacity to support the performance of over 30 exercises. Potential exercises include chest flyes, lat pulldowns, cable crunches, and more.
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Marcy MWM-990 Key Features
The Marcy MWM-990 is a standard weight-stack machine and is visually what many might think of when imagining a standard home gym. This machine allows the user to perform over 30 exercises. That’s pretty good for a single-weight stack machine. There are lower and upper-body attachments, so users can target multiple muscle groups and even perform supersets as they see fit.
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The weight stack provides up to 150 pounds of resistance. In some instances, the pulleys can be adjusted to increase that resistance even further. For example, the cable for the push press can be adjusted to add another 50 pounds for a maximum weight of 200 pounds. For beginners or those just trying to maintain their fitness level, 200 pounds of resistance will most likely suit their needs and then some. Serious strength athletes will probably max out this machine fairly easily and might be better off finding a home gym that offers a higher maximum resistance.
Durability-wise, this machine is pretty sturdy. It has a strong steel frame that weighs approximately 217 pounds, fully assembled.
Who Should Buy The Marcy MWM-990 Home Gym
- Anyone who wants to train at home with a versatile machine that can support over 30 different exercises.
- Folks looking to maintain or improve their fitness level with strength training via a weight stack and pulley system that offers 150-200 pounds of resistance.
- Those who don’t want to travel to a gym, share their equipment with strangers, or spend money on a gym membership.
Who Shouldn’t Buy The Marcy MWM-990 Home Gym
- Anyone who needs access to specific powerlifting movements such as the deadlift and squat. This home gym is more suited for accessory movements.
- Those who need more resistance than the 150-pound weight stack with pulleys that provide slightly more varied resistance.
- Anyone who will want to add additional weight to the stack over time. The stack provided is not upgradeable.
It is worth noting that for those considering adding this home gym to their shopping cart, assembly tools are not included. If you do not have access to the assembly tools, consider that in the purchase’s overall cost.
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Ease of Use
This is a pretty basic home gym that can assist a variety of gym-goers. There’s a list of exercises provided with pictures and descriptions, so it’s decently easy to navigate the machine. The attachments are designed similar to bigger box gym equipment, so anyone who’s worked out at a commercial gym or used them before shouldn’t have too steep a learning curve.
A seasoned strength athlete may not get enough resistance out of this machine due to the limited weight stack, but the newer athlete could benefit from the resistance this machine offers. Compared to other home gyms, the Marcy MWM-990 is about the middle of the road when adapting to the equipment itself.
Possible downsides to this machine are the weight and height recommendations to use. Someone who’s taller, or a little heavier, may have a more difficult time using it. For example, someone over 6-foot-1 and 300 pounds may have a bit more trouble using this machine.
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Versatility
This piece of equipment is slightly on the lower end when it comes to all-in-one home gyms. In this respect, it’s a machine that could be labeled with medium versatility. It offers over 30 exercises, which is pretty good for one piece of equipment, but it’s not the best in the industry. However, if you’re looking to achieve a full-body workout or even body part-specific work, then this machine could be useful to you.
Below is a list of some of the body parts and muscles you can target with this machine, along with some movements it allows for.
- Legs — Leg extensions, hamstring curls.
- Chest — Chest press, chest flye.
- Back — Lat pulldown, reverse flye, standing row.
- Arms — Tricep pushdown, preacher curl, standing curl.
- Shoulders — Delt raises (front, lateral, rear).
- Abs — Cable crunch.
[RELATED: Best Leg Exercises]
This specific model is decent when it comes to saving space as it doesn’t require a ton of room. The space requirements for this piece of equipment come in at a length of 68 inches, a width of 36 inches, and a height of 79 inches. This machine could be a good option for someone with limited space, but keep in mind it’s tough to move when fully built, as it weighs over 200 pounds.
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Price
The price of this machine starts at $1,199.00. For a basic weight stack machine that allows for over 30 exercises, this model’s starting price is pretty fair compared to the rest of the market. It isn’t the most inexpensive model out there, but the price is reasonable for what it offers compared to more deluxe competitors.
Wrapping Up
The Marcy MWM-990 is your standard weight stack-based piece of home gym equipment. It offers most of the traits you’d want in a home gym and can meet a variety of fitness asks. Also, the price is pretty good for what the machine provides. A potential downfall for this piece of equipment is for the weathered strength athlete, as they may feel slightly limited by the resistance that comes with this model.
If you’re in need of a decently versatile home gym that offers moderate resistance, then the Marcy MWM-990 could be a good choice for you.
[Related: 3 Ways To Find Your 1-Rep Max (Beginner, Intermediate, And Advanced)]
Other Great Home Gym Reviews
If you are curious to see BarBend‘s reviews of other home gyms, you can check them out below:
- Powerline BSG10X Home Gym Review – Rating: 8.9/10
- Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE Home Gym Review – Rating: 9/10
- Tonal Home Gym Review
- BodyCraft Xpress Pro Home Gym Review – Rating: 8.6/10
- BodyCraft Galena Pro Home Gym Review – Rating: 8.9/10
It is likely better to know your preferences before looking at each home gym, so they are easier to compare to each other. Comparing each home gym directly to another may not help you decide. However, comparing each to your personal needs likely will.
Marcy MWM-990 Home Gym
$1,199.00
Pros
- Decent Warranty
- Moderate Versatility
- Fair Price
Cons
- Limited 150 Pounds Resistance
- May Not Fit Everyone
