Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer Review

Fit&Me is supported by its readers. If you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain our own.

All in all, in our opinion, this is the biggest and best high end home gym out there. Make no mistake about it. The Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer has a lot of weight behind it and it is meant for the heaviest of lifters out there. This is big time heavy duty full body home gym that will work out every muscle in your body and have you drenched in sweat every time you use it.

Overview

If you would like to watch a little video overview of the Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer, you can check out the below video.

Main Features

The Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer has a few really good features that definitely need to be mentioned. Do keep in mind that this is the fully loaded model with all features included.

  • Integrated Smith bar and weight stack
  • Smith bar lockout and safety catches
  • Features a mid dual pulley system
  • Has dual low pulley for seated rows
  • Comes with dual high pulleys
  • Comes with a pull up bar
  • Has an adjustable bench
  • Comes with leg kit and leg extension attachment
  • Heavy-duty steel frame with powder coat finish
  • Dual 150-pound weight stacks
  • Can upgrade to dual 200-pound weight stacks
  • Force multiplier to double resistance
  • Extremely well made bench
  • Comes with tons of accessories

Dimensions & Weight

One thing that does need to be said about the Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer is that it is definitely big and it is heavy. You will need lots of room to accommodate this bad boy and you surely won’t be moving it around much once it is set up. This size does come with many features, but just be prepared to have a space dedicated to it.

  • Length: 89 inches
  • Width: 61 inches
  • Height: 88 inches
  • Weight: 500+ pounds

Warranty

The Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer does come with a pretty good warranty. It has a limited lifetime warranty on the frame and all parts. In other words, no matter how long you have the Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer for, if something breaks, you can get it replaced or repaired for free.

Assembly

As can be expected from such a huge piece of equipment, the Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer takes quite a long time to assemble. The instructions are fairly clear and easy to follow, but there are a lot of them. You will need some tools like a screwdriver, ratchet, and a rubber mallet. Also, while it is possible to assemble yourself, it is going to take a few hours. It is highly recommended that you have another person helping you. Here is a link to the assembly instructions so you can see for yourself.

What We Like About The Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer

There are quite a few things that we like about the Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer, so let’s get right to it.

First off, we really like the Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer because it is meant for really serious weight lifters. It comes with dual independent 150-pound weight stacks. The fact that they are independent is awesome because you can use both stacks at once or just work on one side of your body. Moreover, the weight stacks can be upgraded from 150 pounds to 200 pounds each. There is even a force multiplier feature that allows you to double the amount of resistance you are faced with. In other words, the maximum weight that the Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer allows you to lift is 800 pounds (including the upgrade and force multiplier). That is more than enough weight for anybody out there. The weight stacks use a magnetic pin to hold them in place, which makes this model quite safe and reliable.

Another thing that we like about the Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer is that it features a Smith bar that has been integrated into a weight stack. Most Smith bars use free weights, which can be quite a pain, but not with the Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer. The Smith bar connects to the weight stack to make doing presses as easy as can be. The Smith bar also features a top lockout feature so you can keep it out of the way when not in use. Moreover, it also comes with various safety catches in case you drop it. When it comes to doing presses, the Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer is one of the safest items around. To do your incline and bench presses, this model also comes with a highly adjustable bench.

Yet another thing that we really like about the Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer is that the frame features heavy-duty rectangular and round tubular steel. The steel also has an electrostatically applied powder coat finish for some extra protection. The wide base of this model makes it very stable, and the high-quality frame makes it about as strong as any home gym could be.

Something else that we really like about the Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer is that it features a dual pulley system that can be used in 32 different positions. This allows for many exercises to be done.

The Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer lets you exercise virtually every muscle in your body. It comes with a leg extension attachment and a leg kit, a tricep rope, a pair of D-handles, a straight bar, an EZ curl bar, an ankle cuff, a multi-function belt, and a swing handle. When combined with the various pulley systems and positions, you can do everything from tricep and bicep exercises to abdominal crunches, squats, presses, and much more. The Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer even comes with an integrated pull up bar too. At the end of the day, the Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer is one of the most comprehensive home gyms out on the market today. Whether you want to work out your leg, back, chest, core, abs, arms, shoulders, or any other part of your body, this home gym will allow you to do it.

What We Don’t Like About The Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer

There are a couple of things which we don’t really like about the Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer, so what are they?

Simply put, assembly is a pain in the butt with this thing. Sure, you could get expert assembly, but that will only cost you several hundred bucks more. Prepare to spend close to a whole day assembling the Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer if you are working by yourself.

Make no mistake about it. The Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer is an excellent machine, but it is very expensive. The fully loaded Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer, with weight upgrades and after taxes, is going to cost you somewhere around $5,000, or even a little more. That is a whole lot of money to be spending on any home gym.

Alternatives To The Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer

To give you some perspective and a point of comparison, let’s compare this model to some of the other high end options out there.

Body-Solid EXM3000LPS Light Commercial Gym

The Body Solid 3000LPS Home Gym is a good option to go with. One thing that needs to be said is the Inspire FT2 is meant more for home use, whereas this Body Solid model is technically meant for light commercial use. The FT2 can provide the serious user with much more weight resistance, mainly thanks to the force multiplier. Also, the FT2 does seem to have a few more workout options to go with. Also, this Body Solid model is very big and heavy, at least bigger and heavier than the FT2. That being said, the FT2 only lets one person use it, whereas the Body Solid EXM3000LPS allows up to 3 users to use it simultaneously. All of this being kept in consideration, the Inspire Fitness FT2 is going to cost you about twice as much as the Body Solid.

Marcy Diamond Elite Smith Cage System MD-9010G

The Marcy Diamond Elite Smith Cage System makes for a good alternative no doubt. What does need to be said is that excluding the weights that need to be bought separately, the Marcy Smith Cage is about a fifth of the price of the Inspire Fitness FT2. On the other hand, the Inspire Fitness Trainer is ideal for home use as it does not take up as much space, but it is very heavy. The Elite Smith Cage does allow for a lot of weight to be lifted, but not as much as the over 800 pounds of resistance provided by the FT2. Also, the FT2 has more exercise options than the Marcy Diamond Smith cage.

Final Thoughts On The Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer

The bottom line is that the Inspire Fitness FT2 Functional Trainer is most likely the best high end home gym out there. Yes, it is definitely very expensive, but it is also extremely durable, it has a ton of function, lots of possible exercises, and a huge amount of weight and resistance that can be provided for you. If you are really serious about strength training, this is a model you really want to consider.