- Bowflex PR1000 Review: Is It Worth Buying - July 30, 2022
- The 6 Best Echelon Alternatives to Consider Before You Buy - July 18, 2022
- Mirror vs NordicTrack Vault: Which One Should You Buy? - July 18, 2022
Ready to upgrade from the horizontal bar in the doorway, deepen your push-up range, and let gravity help you strengthen your abs even more? You need a power tower.
In this Body Champ PT600 review, we’ll look at the pros and cons of this particular model, what it offers, the exercises you can do on it, and other power towers you may want to consider if you decide this one isn’t the perfect fit for you, your frame, or your vision for the home gym you’re building.
Even though you may be shocked by how many power tower options there are out there (been there!), we’ll help you know what to look for and narrow down your choice.
The sturdy steel frame offers options for chin-ups, pull-ups, vertical knee raises, push-ups and dips, while box-style cushions keep you comfortable during your workout.
Contents
How to Choose a Power Tower
In many cases, power towers won’t seem that different at first glance. You should be able to do leg raises, pull-ups, push-ups, and dips on most of them. So, what exactly do you need to look for when you’re narrowing your choices down?
How Multifunctional Is It, Really?
You’ll be able to do the basic bodyweight moves with just about any power tower you decide to buy, but some do have additional features. Some will allow you to attach a bench or punching bag, for example, they don’t already come with one.
Think about your long-term home gym and fitness goals. What are you likely to want to add later? If you have limited space or prefer to have your gym equipment be as multifunctional as possible, could purchasing the “right” power tower now make your life easier down the road?
How Comfortable Will It Be?
Any power tower will make you at least a little uncomfortable in the muscle-building sense (it’s supposed to challenge you!), but it shouldn’t be painful or especially awkward to use.
Look for padding on the back that will help you feel supported while you do leg raises, plus thick, secure padding on the armrests that will let you concentrate on the exercises rather than whether the pads are slipping along the arms.
If you’re already pretty strong and comfortable using a power tower, you may be fine without the padding, but in my experience, having that padding gives a sense of stability so it’s easier to focus on getting your form right.
Take your own frame into account, too. Some power towers are narrower than others, and if you have a small or medium frame, that may make dips and leg raises more comfortable to perform. If you have a larger frame, a wider power tower will be more enjoyable to use.
Another thing to look at is adjustability, especially if multiple family members will be using it. Can you adjust the height or any of the bars?
How Much Room Will You Need to Store It? Use It?
Some designs allow you to work out on both sides, while others have everything you need on one side. The Body Champ PT 600 has everything on one side.
Some have benches that fold up when not in use, while others can be detached or stored elsewhere (some may not be detachable). In some cases, there may be a heavy bag to take into account, so you probably won’t want that right up against the wall, either. How much room can you spare, and where do you want your power tower?
Key Features of the Body Champ PT600
The Body Champ PT600 has a lot to offer. As power towers tend to be, it’s a pretty straightforward piece of equipment. However, you can use it to work your back, biceps, triceps, quads, lower abs, and chest. Let’s see what it has to offer:
- It’s sturdy
- Dip station so you can work your triceps
- Chin-up and pull-up bar that allows for multiple grips
- Foot grips you can use as push-up bars
- Leg raise station for working quadriceps and lower abs
- Padding along the back and arms for comfort
- The frame’s height is adjustable
- Grips are designed to keep you from slipping
- Works well on most floors
Pros
Clearly, this is a sturdy, versatile addition to your home gym. Some of the pros include:
- You can use it for several different exercises, from pull-ups to push-ups, tricep dips to knee raises. It does a good job of covering the basics.
- It’s not especially expensive (but it’s not significantly less than other options, either)
- Using the foot grips as push-up bars allows you to get a deeper push-up than you would on the floor.
- The cushions on the back and armrests are thick and stand up to heavy use.
- It’s easy to put together.
- This design can be stored against the wall because everything you’ll need to use in a workout is on the same side. You won’t need to commit as much space to it as you would with some other designs.
- The black and white aesthetic will work well in a variety of home gyms.
Cons
- Nothing is perfect, Body Champ PT600 power tower included. Here are some of the cons:
- You can’t fold this up and tuck it away when you’re not using it (I can’t think of a power tower that does), and it requires a substantial amount of space (it’s 57.5” L x 42.5” W x 84.63” H). That means you’ll need to find a pretty large area for it that won’t interfere with daily life. If it’s a room dedicated to a home gym, this may not be an issue.
- Some reviewers say this is one of the options with grips that are pretty far apart, so if you’re small-framed, it may not be for you.
- Only one person can use this at a time because everything is on one side, so it may not be the best choice for couples or family members that have limited, overlapping times available in their schedules for workouts.
- Some users report wobbling tricep dip bars that require extra tightening.
Alternatives We’d Recommend
While the Body Champ PT600 is a good choice, it’s always nice to look at some other options before making a commitment. Here are a few to consider:
Ader Adjustable Multi-Function VKR Power Tower
The Ader Adjustable Multi-Function VKR Power Tower, in addition to allowing you to do pull-ups, chin-ups, dips, knee raises, and push-ups, has a bench with this one that folds up when not in use, so you can do additional exercises without buying or storing a separate piece of equipment.
Pros
- The bench expands the number of exercises you can do with this single piece of equipment to include additional dumbbell and core work.
- The bench folds up and out of the way when not in use, so you’re not committing much more space to a power tower by making this choice.
Cons
- Because there is a bench, it will be difficult to place this against a wall, so there may not be a perfect spot for it in your home. If you do store it against a wall, you’ll have to pull it out when you use the bench, which could also be annoying to deal with.
- It does cost more, but the difference in price probably won’t exceed what you’d spend on a separate, sturdy flat bench.
Heavy duty steel construction with sliding adjustable back roller. No-slip coated grips and form pad at all stations allows for added safety and comfort.
Century Fitness Training Station
The Century Fitness Training Station is similar to the Ader model, but instead of a bench, there’s room to hang a heavy bag (up to 100 pounds).
It has a minimalist design (no padding or fancy extras), but it’s strong and you can do your pull-ups, push-ups, and dips on it in addition to the work with the heavy bag.
Pros
- The option to hang a heavy bag makes this a good option for people who are interested in boxing or MMA types of workouts.
- It’s made of heavy-duty steel.
- It’s heavier than many of the other options at 93 pounds, which may make some users feel safer using this one as opposed to others.
Cons
- This one’s more expensive (though pricing may vary a lot from retailer to retailer) and doesn’t include the heavy bag.
- You don’t get the padding that other models come with, which may make it uncomfortable for some users.
- It takes up more room than the Body Champ PT600 (86″ H x 54″ W x 66″ L).
Great for all-in-one training. Includes bolt for hanging heavy bag, pull-up bars, dip handles, and push-up handles.
Weider Power Tower
The Weider Power Tower has roughly the same dimensions and functionality as the Body Champ PT600, but there are some major differences in the design that could make or break it for you.
The color scheme is a completely different look, as well, and may fit in well if you have a Bowflex C6 (Full Review Here), Schwinn IC4, or Peloton stationary bike (for example).
Pros
- This one has a nice black and red aesthetic that may match other pieces of your home gym equipment better than the Body Champ PT600 power tower.
- The weight limit is 300 pounds, 50 more than the Body Champ PT600.
Cons
- This design allows you to do some exercises on one side and others on the other side. That means you won’t be able to store it as close to the wall as you might like. You can do leg raises and dips on one side, for example, but will need to go to the other side for pull-ups and push-ups. However, that means two people could use it at once, so it may be good for a couple or family.
Get more out of your push-up workout with the Power Tower’s incorporated push-up station with molded hand grips. Engage and train your lats, biceps, and forearms at the pull-up station.
Kicode Power Tower with Bench
The Kicode Power Tower with Bench costs more than most of the other options on this list (about $60.00 more than the Body Champ PT600), but it has the most to offer.
If you have the space for it and want your power tower to be as multifunctional as possible, this is probably the best option.
Pros
- It’s incredibly adjustable. The height is adjustable from 58.5 to 89 inches (nine levels), the backrest and handles are adjustable (four handle length options accommodate different forearm lengths), and even the bench is adjustable from flat to decline position.
- There’s a bench included, so you can add dumbbell workouts and more to your routine without needing more equipment (other than the dumbbells, of course).
- It supports up to 400 pounds.
Cons
- The bench doesn’t fold up (but you can detach it).
- It costs more than a lot of other power towers.
The removable weight bench provide flexibility during your strength training workout, The sit up bench could be decline, flat and disassemble.
Gartio Power Tower
The Gartio Power Tower is one of the less expensive options and it has a bench, hanging handles, and also comes with four elastic pull ropes.
Pros
- The black frame with red accents on the padding makes it visually interesting.
- The flat bench folds up when it’s not in use and can also be used in a decline position.
- The cushions are made of thick, durable PU leather.
- The weight limit is 400 pounds.
- The additional pull ropes make it easy to get a more varied full body workout (curls, tricep pull-downs, and rows, for example).
- The height is adjustable (72 to 93 inches).
Cons
- Some reviewers say it wobbles (but others have remarked on its sturdiness).
- Some reviewers are skeptical about the claim that it will support 400 pounds.
- The bench is smaller than average.
- There’s no padding against your back when you do leg raises and dips, so it may be uncomfortable for some users.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re new to shopping for a power tower, you probably have a lot of questions about them, so before we start the Body Champ PT600 review, I’ll address some of the things you’re probably wondering about:
Question: Is the Body Champ PT600 Worth It?
Answer: I would say so. It’s reasonably priced, sturdy, and covers the basic exercises you’d expect from a power tower. Are there more robust options on the market that you can do more with? Of course, but they’ll cost more and maybe more than what you need. It really comes down to what type of equipment you want in your home gym and how you want it to be set up. If you want a separate bench or punching bag (or already have one or both), you’ll be fine with the Body Champ PT600.
Question: What Are the Dimensions of the Body Champ PT600?
Answer: It’s 57.5” L x 42.5” W x 84.63” H.
Question: Can You Hang a Punching Bag from the Pull-up Bar?
Answer: I wouldn’t recommend it. The power tower would be likely to topple over if hit hard enough from the right angle since it’s not designed for that type of force and only weighs 70 pounds, itself. I recommend looking for an alternative with a punching bag option if your goal is to have a power tower and punching bag in one place.
Question: What is the Max Weight for the Body Champ PT600?
Answer: Approximately 250 pounds
Question: Can You Use Resistance Bands on the Body Champ PT600?
Answer: I don’t recommend it because it’s not built for use with resistance bands and the power tower itself doesn’t weigh all that much, to begin with. However, very lightweight bands may be okay to use for some exercises. Still, I’d caution against it just to be on the safe side. Some power towers are built to be used that way (in fact, one alternative on this list includes free bands).
Question: Is the Body Champ PT600 Sturdy?
Answer: Yes, it’s sturdy and feels solid.
Body Champ PT600 Review Conclusion
The Body Champ PT600 is an affordable, solid, sturdy addition to a home gym. Its shortcomings, aside from potentially being too wide for some body types, really boil down to personal preference, the equipment you want in your home gym, and the configuration you would like to have it in.
This doesn’t have or support a bench or punching bag, but it covers the basics just fine.
If you want your power tower to stay against a wall or in a corner, this is one of the better options on the market and you’ll likely be satisfied.
If you’re looking for the most versatile piece of equipment you can get at a relatively low cost and aren’t concerned with the space your power tower will require, one of the other options on the list will definitely be a better choice.
The sturdy steel frame offers options for chin-ups, pull-ups, vertical knee raises, push-ups and dips, while box-style cushions keep you comfortable during your workout.
