I've watched nearly every review on this attachment, all of the biggest channels and a few of the smaller ones. You my man out shine them with the power of a thousand Burning suns Best damn review You just earned yourself a hard sub, keep it up. And thank you
Great video! Thanks for going so in depth on everything. I think a lot of the analysis will apply to the Athena, which I’ve got on preorder, so this is really help. I do have one thing I wish they would have done differently though. This is really "niche" but if you get the 4 post version of Ares or Athena, you're limited on barbell exercises you can superset due to the cable on the front uprights running directly in front of the front holes. So if you're doing barbell squats, for example, you can't do cable exercises with a low trolley position as the cable would block the j-cup hole for your barbell squat. If the cable above the trolleys ran beside the upright instead of down the middle, you'd have more superset options. Not sure if that design would work well for smooth cable travel, and may have some downsides l'm not thinking of, but would have made a more versatile product I think. Didn't deter me from preordering the Athena though!
I think the Athena will be the more popular attachment, especially if people figure out how to adapt it to other racks 😂 Yeah I’m sure they have a reason why they ran the FT cables they way they did. Just off the top of my head, running them outside of the uprights on the side, plates on a barbell would hit the cable. Running them on the inside the uprights on the side would not allow specialty bars like Rep’s Swiss bar to be used. I think having the cable run in the front and back of the upright had the least amount of trade offs. Although for the 4 post version, they probably could’ve gotten away with having both cables run along the back of the upright to maximize the front upright usage but would mean the would require different pieces than what is already being used on the Ares 🤷♂️
I now have a gym pin 20 inch on the top to replace the original three hole plate and the D handle on the bottom to replace the round bar. Hands down better then what came with the Aries,
Super helpful review. I've never seen a bench with a foot-plate attachment like the one you demonstrate in the low-rows @13:00. Is that a bench attachment or is that part of your bench? Thanks
Yeah, Ares definitely wins. Definitely getting one when I have my more room in the future. As always bro, great job. Thorough, descriptive, and insightful.
I had the same issue with both of my stacks of the headplate not going all the way down. I did the same fix. The response I got from REP was pretty cookie cutter saying to check the cabling and pulleys for correct holes and that the cables may stretch over time. All in all this thing is sweet though not having a functional trainer. Thanks for the info on the updated handles!
Thanks for the thoroughly informative video. Is your Ares on the 80" inch PR5000? If so, have you found any cable exercises where achieving full ROM has been difficult or impossible due to the shorter uprights? Please advise. Thanx.
You are doing exactly the same as I. I have a PR 5000 coming with an Ares and ordered the Rogue Monster monolifts and Rogue Monster Landmine 2.0. Very thorough video review. Also thanks for the tip on the wider attachment. I am glad Rep will replace the D handles. I will hold of from buying two more. Coop of GarageGymReviews told Rep at their place that the D handles were crap.
Those monolifts are Monster Lite but they work well enough lol. The GymPin Pro D-Handle Bar almost feels like it was made for the Ares. I love Coop but they made it look worse than it was lol. The owner had already addressed how bad they were a couple of weeks before Coop made the trip to their HQ 😬
Great video. I especially appreciate the side tips for the accesories. Would be good to revisit this video and compare the Ares 2.0 as well as other budget options like thw Vesta 2 in 1, Vulcan Talos/Forge and the Fringe Sport Dane.
Looks pretty nice! I'm tempted to get this for my REP rack but setting this up in my basement might be more trouble than it's worth-- especially if I ever move. Very thoughtful review! Loving the clear coat rack too btw.
Amazing review! You answered my questions and helped me make my decision to get an Ares. Thank you! Not to nitpick but you kept referring to the ares as a 1:1 ratio. Im pretty sure its a 2:1. Thats why the feel weight of the weight stack is half the actual weight of the weight stack
Great review! The Ares is definitely upping the game for rack-attached cable systems. One small correction, the fixed upper pulleys on the Prodigy do give you a 1:1 ratio if you buy it with a 2:1 ratio on the adjustable pulleys. If the adjustable pulleys are 4:1, then the fixed pulleys are 2:1. The Prodigy isn’t heavy enough for low rows unless you use something like the GymPin D-Handle to connect the two adjustable pulleys. It’s exciting to see all the options out there! I think there will be even more innovation in this space in the future!
Thanks for the correction, I tried to put an annotation on the video with the correction but apparently I don't have that feature??? I agree, can't wait for the innovation that will start to follow!
Awesome review! Seriously considering selling off my existing rack, lat pulldown machine, and two cable towers that I have set up to be a wall mounted functional trainer and getting an Ares to free up some space. Question ... what is that bench you are sitting on at 12:56 to do seated mid rows on?
Great video, thanks for posting so quickly. Are you sure about the 1:1 ratio on the lat pull down? Everything Rep Fitness has said about the Ares is that it’s all 2:1 ratio
I misspoke in the video, the individual pulleys are all 2:1 but paring the two high or low pulleys using the banana or GymPin make the pull 1:1. I’ll add an annotation to the vid clarifying.
Thorough video. Two questions... 1) what bench attachment was that that allowed you to rest your feet while rowing on the outer posts? 2) if you had the choice, would you go with a dual weight stack athena instead of Ares?
1) That was the leg roller attachment but I removed the foam roller. Not a recommended way of doing it, It just helped visualize the row component. 2) I'd go with the Ares 2.0 over both www.flexmarksthespot.com/Ares
1) what is the thing you are hanging the gymnastics ring from 2) is that a dip belt that you used for assisted muscle up? It’s such a cool idea!!!!! 3) I would love to see more videos of creative uses of squat rack like #2!!
This review was very helpful. I'm debating between a 4 post Ares or Athena (and will use as a half rack with safety spotters). Your hack with the 30' Gym pin D handle makes lat pull downs okay using the Athena. The only question I had was: are you able to put the front trolleys as low on a 4 post Athena as you can with the 4 post Areas or do the selectorised stacks on the side of the Athena get in the way of the trolley?
I've noticed that it's *really* easy to forget the 2.5lb micro adjustments are on there. I may try to find some bright yellow tape or something to make them more visible.
In your spreadsheet, you had Rogue Monster Cave as space saving. I don't think the Rogue Monster Cave should be considered space saving. I considered the Monster Cave when I was researching for a home gym and that wouldn't fit in my space in the basement; I had to consider the garage if I were to go the Monster Cave route. The Rep with the Ares is the ultimate space saver. Thanks for the in depth look at the Ares.
Yeah I went back and forth on whether or not to categorize it as space saving. The deciding factor was all of the shelving options to replace other storage options.
I would like to know which version you have 80 inches 6 posts 30+16? I saw in a lot of forums that people were saying cables too short and floating weight stack, especially with the 80 inch, have you encountered this problem?
The Ares is such a great price of engineering, if I didn’t already have the Prime HLP that would probably be the way to go! Just an FYI the HLP does have a 1:1 ratio for the last pulldown pulleys
Yep, I misspoke about the Prime HLP and I can't add an annotation in the video to correct. But either way, glad consumers are getting more options for these all-in-one solutions!
I'm not sure that the gympin for adding weight is good for the rep ares, because the rep ares has a protective guard around the plates, so if we add a weight it will rub against the protective guard, some -ones to confirm?
Thanks, I guess Rep liked the review also. They invited me to HQ before they revealed the Ares 2.0 and said this video inspired a lot of the changes they made on the new version.
Thanks for the helpful video and the gym pin code. Can the rack be pushed right against the wall, or do you have to leave some space to accommodate the cable/pulleys?
In theory you could push the rack against the wall but it might be a little tougher to go through the assembly without a little clearance in the back. You would also need access to the back for the weight stack cover but you could do that as an earlier step instead of towards the end like the instructions advise.
Clear Coat is the best finish in my opinion! Might be a good idea to wait for the Athena to drop before choosing that option. It looks to be a great alternative for someone who wants to still be able to access the back of their rack.
@@flexmarksthespot yeah man. I’m trying to decide if I’ll ever even need access to the back. I feel like the Athena might take away more potential upgrades to the rack in the future but not sure if I’m correct
Thank you so much for the review, I had one question though, where did you pick up that adjustable lat pulldown bar? I’ve never seen one like that, looks cool!
Nice video - thanks for putting it up! So this doesn’t add any additional depth to a 6 post pr5k/4K correct? Side note - how do the rogue monster monolifts fit your rack? I have the old version on my 4K and they definitely don’t fit well and scratched up my paint.
Nope, it doesn’t add any depth to the back. These monolifts were used on my pr-4000 and are the monster lite version. They fit well enough on the pr-5000 but probably not as snug as some would like. If you DM me on Instagram I can send you more videos of the fit.
Great detailed review! Best I’ve seen soo thank you. Is it uncomfortable doing pull ups in the 80? Do your feet hit the floor? is I’m 5’6 and debating between the 80 and 93. I’m not limited by ceiling height but don’t want the rack to high or short. Im concerned the 80 will be to low for pull ups with any bar other then multi grip as well as OHP in the cage. But to high for pull-ups and the ares pull lay down on the 93 lol any advice would be appreciated. Thanks
I'm 5'7" and the 80" is fine for the most part. I don't have issues doing pullups but I do have to kick my legs up slightly. I can't OHP inside of the rack which is the biggest limitation. Once you start with attachments however you have more limitations with the 80". With the Ares you're going to have a lot less clearance on the top pulleys. ISO Arms also remove a lot of the higher hole usability. If you don't have ceiling restraints, I'd 100% recommend the taller rack. But the 80" is fine for the most part if you want the shorter one though.
@@flexmarksthespot Thank you so much for the quick response. Absolutely getting ares in the near future and thought this would be a problem as well since the crossmembers further limit how high you can place the pulleys. Keep doing reviews 👍 you’re extremely thoughtful and it’s difficult to find this level of detail other then first hand experience. Appreciate the time and advice
How do you find the ares with 80" rack height? Any range of motion limitations or limitations in general as a result of the rack height? How tall are you? Great video man!
80" is fine for the most part except I can't OHP inside of the rack but doing it outside of the rack isn't a problem for me. I'm 5'7" and don't really have many other ROM restraints.
Thanks man! This is a PR-4000 leg roller with a 1" adapter. It works well enough but is still a little loose so I wouldn't recommend going out and buying the pieces for this setup. Titan does have a 1" leg roller specifically that has a similar form factor.
How far are the middle uprigjts from tje ares stacks? Iam wondering if I could mount the bully glyder in one of the middle uprights to do belt squats. The bully glider with the extension sticks out 10" and I still have to co sidereal the plates too
I took delivery of my Ares late last week. Got it installed on my 80” 4000 series rack and have been test driving it this week. I got the base weight stacks, which are 240 lbs. per side (480 lbs. total). Taking into account the 2:1 ratio, each stack is effectively 120 lbs. (240 lbs. total). I’m not participating in any strong man competitions anytime soon so this is enough weight for me. If by chance my 52 year old body is able to find the fountain of youth, I can always add the Gym Pin and throw a plate on for additional weight.
Overall, I think it’s a brilliant piece of engineering. The tolerances are pretty damn tight and everything fit perfectly. I’m really impressed that this bolt on “accessory” functions as well as it does. The operation is very smooth. No hanging up, no dragging and no mysterious noises. I honestly can’t believe they are charging this little for it. As mentioned, I have the 80” 4000 in a 24 x 16 configuration with the Ares and it came in under $5K delivered! I don’t have any experience with the other manufacturers that occupy this space as this is my first real home gym, but my guess is Rep could charge an additional $1,500.00 if they wanted (don’t tell them this though!) and be competitive. I understand that Rep and it’s foreign sourcing allows them to be the value proposition though. I had the same experience that you did with cable length. I was only grabbing a couple of threads on the trolley and it made me nervous. They give you additional holes on the double wheel thingy (technical term) but the starting point is too low. They should add another 1”-2” to the cable length and attach the low pully up a hole or two to give more adjustment. I actually dropped the very top back pullies down a hole to gain more cable length. We will see if cable stretch is great enough to where I need to move it back. It’s only been a few days but I like it so far. Time will tell if it holds up under continual use.
thanks for the review. Is that the 80 or 93" rack? Also, any thoughts on how to use the weight stack with their ISO arms to have a more consistent resistance curve?
It’s an 80” rack. It’s gonna be tough to use the weight stacks together with the iso arms since the adjustable pulleys will always need to be above the ISO arms. I’d check out @dkj.fit on Instagram. He’s a big iso arm user and is adding the Ares on his rack also.
I was looking to get the same color scheme. How are the metallic black crossmembers holding up, as far as scratches go? I’m stuck between matte black and metallic black. Great in-depth review!
I'd say it's more personal preference. Most of Rep's attachments will be matte black so the matte black crossmembers will match most of it a little better. I personally prefer metallic black
Thank you for sharing your video. This is one of the pieces of equipment that I really want to purchase. As space is limited, and this appears to help with this issue rather than a standalone system. I have watched multiple reviews and I have heard no complaints about its functionality, just minor suggestions such as your video demonstrates as well.
So I finally got my rack PR-4000 6 post with ARES attachement, I have ran into the same issues with the duel pulley dogbone. I have to place it on the same setting as yours even though it does not show it as a posistion to adjust to. Have you hear anything back from REP Fitness?@@flexmarksthespot
Just finished installing the Ares. Used your code on gympin, thanks for the advice and great review! Did rep ever get back to you on the headplate not laying flat without floating pulley adjustment? Same issue on 80in rack
Their CS was clueless but from multiple people I've talked to with 80" racks you have to use the very last hole on the floating pulley. I haven't had any issues so far using that hole.
Awesome review! I don’t see myself ever getting this but I love that they did this! For now the traditional lat low row is enough for me. The one thing I don’t like is you can’t use every hole since they use one hole on each upright to put “Rep”
@@flexmarksthespot I doubt anyone would need that spot but would still be nice as an option. Still an amazing attachment either way! Oh and that clear grind is amazing!!
@@Nick-1828 Yeah one missing hole isn’t enough to point anyone away from the ares but someone will definitely miss it lol. Thanks man, I love the clear coat!
i just asked this question? I hope he answers. I've searched the web and cannot find that bench he is using, and no one seems to have something similar. I would rather do my low rows like this.
great review. I'm going to wait for the Athena since the gympin D handle can connect both weight stacks for low rows and lat pull downs. was the gympin u used in the video the 30 inch version or is there a longer version?
Once you see it up close, it’s easy to see the amount of thought that went into the engineering. Hopefully Rogue & other manufacturers follow suit and release comparable competitors sooner rather than later 😬
Yo, because of you I just copped the PR-5K and Ares. Funny enough...it's the exact same colors. If you have an affiliate code or anything I'd love to get it applied to my order to return the favor.
Dude the clear coat looks even better in person 😮💨. No affiliate code unfortunately but my affiliate link is in the video description. I don’t think they retroactively apply it to orders tho but no worries, just happy the video helped 🤝
Great job on the video it was very in-depth and well done. I have a question regarding the ability to add a LOGO PLATE CROSSMEMBER to the front of the rack. Rep sells them individually on the Rep website. Do you think it’s possible to add one with the Ares Attachment if you were to move the pull-up bar slightly to the middle of the rack. It would be nice if it’s possible in the sense that you would have extra holes for attachment on the front of the rack. I’m looking at possibly adding the Henny Attachment to the front of rack.
At first glance, I don't see why it wouldn't work since it won't interfere with any of the pulleys or cables. It'd be similar to the compact 4 post version of the Ares.
Can you give me a total measurement from the rear or the back upright to the very front of the front upright ? I know when ordering a 30”x 16” rack that it’s actually more than 46” in total depth.
Hi, thank you for the awesome video! I’ve watched in 3 times 😂. Money is an issue so I’m torn between ares, or just getting 2 side Athena’s without the lat pull down. Since they’re likely very similar, will that 30” gympin attachment allow you to do lat pulldowns with both attachments on the front of the rack? I saw you liked it for lower/mid rows, so I’m thinking yes. What are your thoughts? This makes about a $1k difference on what I decide to order. Thank you again for this awesome video and showing some of your hacks to improve it!!
Yes the gympin dhandle bar will also work to connect the athena pulleys. I demoed a similar setup on the Ares here czcams.com/video/5uwj_2RZwf0/video.html
Awesome video! How difficult would this thing be to move after it's assembled? I really want to get this and the PR-5000 rack but I'll also be moving in about 2 years.
That's a good question. I'm expecting to move within the next year so I'll find out first hand unfortunately lol. I'll probably post about it on IG/TikTok when the time comes if you're curious 👀
Thanks for the review! I have a question about your set up and platform. Do you have the 80" rack? Also, your platform sits on top of carpet - do you feel like it has any "give" when you stand/squat on it, or is it pretty stable? Thanks!
Nice video and I'm going to put that gym pin attachment on my list of things to buy. That looks slick compared to the prime short bar I have now and like you can tie the front uprights together vs using the low row bar like I was doing. Dum question tho, the pulleys on the low and high attachments are really 2:1 right? It's just that you tie them together so it essentially is a 1:1 with them both attached. So if you want 200lbs for a pull down or row youd put the pin on 100 for both stacks
Actually I made a mistake. The fixed pulleys are 2:1 individually but using them together makes them 1:1. I spent way too much time making the video and misspoke 🥲
Lol I feel ya. I think I've recorded 2 time now trying to make a "quick review" and just go off the top of my head and always screw something up or think if something else to say the next workout. Nice video and editing!
Great Review Hit all the details so a consumer can decide on what they want. Didn't try to speak as fast as U could just to get the video over with like Coop from GGR does. Enjoyed the video Only problem I had with the video is the Powerblock adjustable dumbbells in the backgtound, LOL Just a little joke, however I don't like them, they feel like I have a block attached to each hand instead of a dumbbell but that's just my opinion. Very Nice Job I subscribed and look forward to more of your videos
Great video. With that handle you showed that connects the two functional trainers, it makes me feel like the athena is the way to go. With that handle, I can do lat pull downs and seated rows.. What do u think?
Yeah I agree that it makes the Athena much more appealing. I'd only say that if you have an 80" rack that the Ares still might be the better choice bc the adjustable pulleys don't go up as high as the fixed high pulleys, which could limit some movements.
@@flexmarksthespot thanks for the reply. So lat pull downs feel the same on the ares, whether u are using the dedicated pull down or the front pulleys using your special attachment?
@@MrPanthers23 Both feel smooth but the dedicated station is a bit more convenient in my opinion. Plus if you have an 80” rack, I’d suggest doing them inside the rack if you’re 5’9” or above. The outside pulleys are a few inches lower than the fixed high pulleys inside of the rack.
@@flexmarksthespot good to know. I'm 5'10", im going to buy an 93" rack. So maybe I can save a 1000 and keep my rack more open by going with Athena, and using your attachment
Great review! I have a few questions: Can you do pulldowns off the front pulleys? Curious if the angle is weird or there is enough range of motion. when the front pulleys are at their lowest, can you perform a curl? Could you lay on a bench and do cable flys? I'm thinking the range of motion would be too tight.
Pulldowns on the front pulleys are fine on my 80" rack but I'm 5'7" so results will vary depending on how tall you are. Curls feel great when the pulleys are at their lowest. Laying on a bench and doing cable flyes with both sides is to tight but I can't say I've ever done that even with a normal functional trainer, I've only ever done them standing.
@@flexmarksthespot thanks! I am considering skipping the Ares and just a dual Athena and doing pulldowns off the front pulleys. I am 6’2 but have the 93” rack.
@@jordanemery1105 If you don’t mind waiting it’s probably worth waiting to see how the Athena turns out but based on the Ares I’m assuming it’ll be great. Still can’t go wrong with the Ares if you have the extra cash to burn
Honestly the best, most thorough review I have seen so far. Excellent job. Can’t wait to see more videos from you.
I'm post much more regularly on Instagram & TikTok but I'm trying to make more time for full length CZcams videos. Thanks for the encouragement!
Agreed
I've watched nearly every review on this attachment, all of the biggest channels and a few of the smaller ones.
You my man out shine them with the power of a thousand Burning suns
Best damn review
You just earned yourself a hard sub,
keep it up.
And thank you
This is my favorite comment of all time 🥹
Great video! Thanks for going so in depth on everything. I think a lot of the analysis will apply to the Athena, which I’ve got on preorder, so this is really help. I do have one thing I wish they would have done differently though. This is really "niche" but if you get the 4 post version of Ares or Athena, you're limited on barbell exercises you can superset due to the cable on the front uprights running directly in front of the front holes. So if you're doing barbell squats, for example, you can't do cable exercises with a low trolley position as the cable would block the j-cup hole for your barbell squat. If the cable above the trolleys ran beside the upright instead of down the middle, you'd have more superset options. Not sure if that design would work well for smooth cable travel, and may have some downsides l'm not thinking of, but would have made a more versatile product I think. Didn't deter me from preordering the Athena though!
I think the Athena will be the more popular attachment, especially if people figure out how to adapt it to other racks 😂
Yeah I’m sure they have a reason why they ran the FT cables they way they did. Just off the top of my head, running them outside of the uprights on the side, plates on a barbell would hit the cable. Running them on the inside the uprights on the side would not allow specialty bars like Rep’s Swiss bar to be used. I think having the cable run in the front and back of the upright had the least amount of trade offs.
Although for the 4 post version, they probably could’ve gotten away with having both cables run along the back of the upright to maximize the front upright usage but would mean the would require different pieces than what is already being used on the Ares 🤷♂️
WHat a killer review! Thanks for sharing. Your setup looks SICKKKKK
Thanks!
The gym pin suggestion is great - going to put an order in for that now!
It also works great for chest supported rows using the outside pulleys. The video was already too long so that footage didn’t make the final cut 😅
I now have a gym pin 20 inch on the top to replace the original three hole plate and the D handle on the bottom to replace the round bar. Hands down better then what came with the Aries,
Super helpful review. I've never seen a bench with a foot-plate attachment like the one you demonstrate in the low-rows @13:00. Is that a bench attachment or is that part of your bench? Thanks
Awesome detailed walkthrough! Thank you! I have it and just learned a couple new things!
Thanks! Glad it provided some value!
Yeah, Ares definitely wins. Definitely getting one when I have my more room in the future. As always bro, great job. Thorough, descriptive, and insightful.
Thanks man! I really appreciate it!
Ended up doing the pulley hack you came up with. Brilliant!
Nice! Glad it worked for you!
I had the same issue with both of my stacks of the headplate not going all the way down. I did the same fix. The response I got from REP was pretty cookie cutter saying to check the cabling and pulleys for correct holes and that the cables may stretch over time. All in all this thing is sweet though not having a functional trainer. Thanks for the info on the updated handles!
Yeah their CS doesn’t seem to be very helpful with the Ares from what I’ve heard from a handful of people 😬
Great video. Have mine coming for my PR 4000 in a week or two! Dreading the assembly a bit, but that video will help.
It’s not a hard assembly, just kind of tedious 🤷♂️
Great review Mark; very thorough! It is a great piece of equipment and addition for any Rep rack, especially those desiring dual pulley systems.
Thanks!
Good call on the d handle, I missed that in my vid. Great job on this one!
Thanks! Looks like we’re in agreement on the overall verdict.
Thanks for the thoroughly informative video. Is your Ares on the 80" inch PR5000? If so, have you found any cable exercises where achieving full ROM has been difficult or impossible due to the shorter uprights? Please advise. Thanx.
Excellent coverage, thanks for taking the time!
You are doing exactly the same as I. I have a PR 5000 coming with an Ares and ordered the Rogue Monster monolifts and Rogue Monster Landmine 2.0. Very thorough video review. Also thanks for the tip on the wider attachment.
I am glad Rep will replace the D handles. I will hold of from buying two more. Coop of GarageGymReviews told Rep at their place that the D handles were crap.
Those monolifts are Monster Lite but they work well enough lol. The GymPin Pro D-Handle Bar almost feels like it was made for the Ares.
I love Coop but they made it look worse than it was lol. The owner had already addressed how bad they were a couple of weeks before Coop made the trip to their HQ 😬
Great video. I especially appreciate the side tips for the accesories.
Would be good to revisit this video and compare the Ares 2.0 as well as other budget options like thw Vesta 2 in 1, Vulcan Talos/Forge and the Fringe Sport Dane.
Looks pretty nice! I'm tempted to get this for my REP rack but setting this up in my basement might be more trouble than it's worth-- especially if I ever move. Very thoughtful review! Loving the clear coat rack too btw.
Mine is setup in the basement and I’m planning on moving within the next year so we’ll see how that goes 😬
@@flexmarksthespot Good luck!
@@TheCarterHomeGym Thanks! I’ll need it 😓
@@flexmarksthespothave you had the need to move it yet? If so how bad was it to disassemble and move it?
You did a great job with your review. Subscribed
Amazing review! You answered my questions and helped me make my decision to get an Ares. Thank you!
Not to nitpick but you kept referring to the ares as a 1:1 ratio. Im pretty sure its a 2:1. Thats why the feel weight of the weight stack is half the actual weight of the weight stack
You're 100% correct
Great review! The Ares is definitely upping the game for rack-attached cable systems. One small correction, the fixed upper pulleys on the Prodigy do give you a 1:1 ratio if you buy it with a 2:1 ratio on the adjustable pulleys. If the adjustable pulleys are 4:1, then the fixed pulleys are 2:1. The Prodigy isn’t heavy enough for low rows unless you use something like the GymPin D-Handle to connect the two adjustable pulleys.
It’s exciting to see all the options out there! I think there will be even more innovation in this space in the future!
Thanks for the correction, I tried to put an annotation on the video with the correction but apparently I don't have that feature???
I agree, can't wait for the innovation that will start to follow!
Have you used the prodigy what do you think?
@@asianrulez201 I haven’t, I’m just familiar with some specs. I don’t love that it only has a half rack option.
@@fwiffo42 yeah I’m fan of half racks. I like that lay pull down on the prodigy better. But both are real similar
this review is so good I am commenting for first time on a video lol. great job
Thanks so much! You have no idea how cool it is to hear that. Glad you liked the video! 😎
Awesome review! Seriously considering selling off my existing rack, lat pulldown machine, and two cable towers that I have set up to be a wall mounted functional trainer and getting an Ares to free up some space. Question ... what is that bench you are sitting on at 12:56 to do seated mid rows on?
Great video, thanks for posting so quickly. Are you sure about the 1:1 ratio on the lat pull down? Everything Rep Fitness has said about the Ares is that it’s all 2:1 ratio
I misspoke in the video, the individual pulleys are all 2:1 but paring the two high or low pulleys using the banana or GymPin make the pull 1:1. I’ll add an annotation to the vid clarifying.
Great video man. Really like how you put together the spreadsheet for the competition. Keep it up!
Thanks bro!
Marvellous Review
Dissertational in depth and comprehensive
Thank you, I really appreciate it!
Thorough video. Two questions...
1) what bench attachment was that that allowed you to rest your feet while rowing on the outer posts?
2) if you had the choice, would you go with a dual weight stack athena instead of Ares?
1) That was the leg roller attachment but I removed the foam roller. Not a recommended way of doing it, It just helped visualize the row component.
2) I'd go with the Ares 2.0 over both
www.flexmarksthespot.com/Ares
I am going to throw you a sub because I know how hard the youtube grind is
Thanks man, I appreciate it!
I am just starting my garage gym. This is on my want list. Right now I just have a treadmill 5-50 DB and a rep bench and some kettlebells.
BEST review on the Ares on youtube, thank you!
Thank you for watching!
Nice work! I like all the details!
Awesome job pointing out all the little details about fit & compatibility!
what kind of bench was that, that had the place to put your feet up against, allowing you to do the back pulls?
Nice review! Subscribed and looking forward to more content. Keep up the good work 👍
Thanks for the support, I really appreciate it! 🤝
1) what is the thing you are hanging the gymnastics ring from
2) is that a dip belt that you used for assisted muscle up? It’s such a cool idea!!!!!
3) I would love to see more videos of creative uses of squat rack like #2!!
1) Rapid Rings
2) Reverse Hyper strap but any dip belt should also work
3) I'll do my best!
Wow, this is really an outstanding review, ultra thorough. Thank you so much for taking the time!
Thank you for watching
This review was very helpful. I'm debating between a 4 post Ares or Athena (and will use as a half rack with safety spotters). Your hack with the 30' Gym pin D handle makes lat pull downs okay using the Athena. The only question I had was: are you able to put the front trolleys as low on a 4 post Athena as you can with the 4 post Areas or do the selectorised stacks on the side of the Athena get in the way of the trolley?
I've noticed that it's *really* easy to forget the 2.5lb micro adjustments are on there. I may try to find some bright yellow tape or something to make them more visible.
Lol yeah I haven’t taken them off of the wright stack at all since putting it together 🤷♂️
In your spreadsheet, you had Rogue Monster Cave as space saving. I don't think the Rogue Monster Cave should be considered space saving. I considered the Monster Cave when I was researching for a home gym and that wouldn't fit in my space in the basement; I had to consider the garage if I were to go the Monster Cave route. The Rep with the Ares is the ultimate space saver.
Thanks for the in depth look at the Ares.
Yeah I went back and forth on whether or not to categorize it as space saving. The deciding factor was all of the shelving options to replace other storage options.
I would like to know which version you have 80 inches 6 posts 30+16? I saw in a lot of forums that people were saying cables too short and floating weight stack, especially with the 80 inch, have you encountered this problem?
This is an 80" height, 30"+16" version. The floating stack is addressed at the 3:40 mark of the video
The Ares is such a great price of engineering, if I didn’t already have the Prime HLP that would probably be the way to go! Just an FYI the HLP does have a 1:1 ratio for the last pulldown pulleys
Yep, I misspoke about the Prime HLP and I can't add an annotation in the video to correct. But either way, glad consumers are getting more options for these all-in-one solutions!
I am trying to decide between ares, athena and prime hlp. Any suggestions.
I'm not sure that the gympin for adding weight is good for the rep ares, because the rep ares has a protective guard around the plates, so if we add a weight it will rub against the protective guard, some -ones to confirm?
It works fine, I've done it. Just don't press it directly up against the weight stack, you can use a barbell clip to space it out further if needed
Excellent Informative review Video!
Thanks! Glad you liked it!
Great review best I have seen on the Aries.
Thanks, I guess Rep liked the review also. They invited me to HQ before they revealed the Ares 2.0 and said this video inspired a lot of the changes they made on the new version.
Thanks for the helpful video and the gym pin code. Can the rack be pushed right against the wall, or do you have to leave some space to accommodate the cable/pulleys?
In theory you could push the rack against the wall but it might be a little tougher to go through the assembly without a little clearance in the back. You would also need access to the back for the weight stack cover but you could do that as an earlier step instead of towards the end like the instructions advise.
Im glad I found this review. I just got the clear coat PR5000 and was debating on the Ares or Athena
Clear Coat is the best finish in my opinion! Might be a good idea to wait for the Athena to drop before choosing that option. It looks to be a great alternative for someone who wants to still be able to access the back of their rack.
@@flexmarksthespot yeah man. I’m trying to decide if I’ll ever even need access to the back. I feel like the Athena might take away more potential upgrades to the rack in the future but not sure if I’m correct
Thank you so much for the review, I had one question though, where did you pick up that adjustable lat pulldown bar? I’ve never seen one like that, looks cool!
discord representin'!
Only real ones know 👀
Great video! Love your bougie setup. What's that leg roller you have installed?
PR-4000 leg roller with a 1" pin adapter. Titan makes one specifically for 1" holes that might fit a bit more secure than this setup.
Nice video - thanks for putting it up! So this doesn’t add any additional depth to a 6 post pr5k/4K correct? Side note - how do the rogue monster monolifts fit your rack? I have the old version on my 4K and they definitely don’t fit well and scratched up my paint.
Nope, it doesn’t add any depth to the back.
These monolifts were used on my pr-4000 and are the monster lite version. They fit well enough on the pr-5000 but probably not as snug as some would like. If you DM me on Instagram I can send you more videos of the fit.
Thanks for your work. On a 4 post Ares, can you add front feet stabilisers? Looks like the cross members get in the way??
Yes, they recommend using front feet on the 4 post versions
Great detailed review! Best I’ve seen soo thank you. Is it uncomfortable doing pull ups in the 80? Do your feet hit the floor? is I’m 5’6 and debating between the 80 and 93. I’m not limited by ceiling height but don’t want the rack to high or short. Im concerned the 80 will be to low for pull ups with any bar other then multi grip as well as OHP in the cage. But to high for pull-ups and the ares pull lay down on the 93 lol any advice would be appreciated. Thanks
I'm 5'7" and the 80" is fine for the most part. I don't have issues doing pullups but I do have to kick my legs up slightly. I can't OHP inside of the rack which is the biggest limitation. Once you start with attachments however you have more limitations with the 80". With the Ares you're going to have a lot less clearance on the top pulleys. ISO Arms also remove a lot of the higher hole usability. If you don't have ceiling restraints, I'd 100% recommend the taller rack. But the 80" is fine for the most part if you want the shorter one though.
@@flexmarksthespot Thank you so much for the quick response. Absolutely getting ares in the near future and thought this would be a problem as well since the crossmembers further limit how high you can place the pulleys. Keep doing reviews 👍 you’re extremely thoughtful and it’s difficult to find this level of detail other then first hand experience. Appreciate the time and advice
How do you find the ares with 80" rack height? Any range of motion limitations or limitations in general as a result of the rack height? How tall are you?
Great video man!
FYI I just bought the clear coat pr5000 with ares in 80" because of this video. Great job brother! Keep up the good work
80" is fine for the most part except I can't OHP inside of the rack but doing it outside of the rack isn't a problem for me. I'm 5'7" and don't really have many other ROM restraints.
Thanks man, I appreciate it!
@@flexmarksthespot good to know! That’s kind of what I figured. I’m 5’9" and prefer seated OHP anyways. So excited! Thanks again
@@alexfedorchuk104 sure thing man 🤝
Great idea! Ordering this now, and using your code
Glad it helped, thanks for the support!
Definitely getting a guy pin with your bench set up for low rows
Nice!
Awesome video man. Waiting on mine..... somewhat patiently. Hey man what leg roller is that? Titan?
Thanks
Thanks man! This is a PR-4000 leg roller with a 1" adapter. It works well enough but is still a little loose so I wouldn't recommend going out and buying the pieces for this setup. Titan does have a 1" leg roller specifically that has a similar form factor.
Thanks for this great review! 💪🏼
Nice video and well organized.
Thanks! Hope it was helpful!
How far are the middle uprigjts from tje ares stacks? Iam wondering if I could mount the bully glyder in one of the middle uprights to do belt squats. The bully glider with the extension sticks out 10" and I still have to co sidereal the plates too
Great review! Thank you! 💪🏾
Genius solution to the poor low row design. It almost seemed like an afterthought by Rep. Gonna pick up the 30” bar you mentioned. Cheers!
Glad it helped!
I took delivery of my Ares late last week. Got it installed on my 80” 4000 series rack and have been test driving it this week. I got the base weight stacks, which are 240 lbs. per side (480 lbs. total). Taking into account the 2:1 ratio, each stack is effectively 120 lbs. (240 lbs. total). I’m not participating in any strong man competitions anytime soon so this is enough weight for me. If by chance my 52 year old body is able to find the fountain of youth, I can always add the Gym Pin and throw a plate on for additional weight.
@@handontheplow what do you think so far a week in?
Overall, I think it’s a brilliant piece of engineering. The tolerances are pretty damn tight and everything fit perfectly. I’m really impressed that this bolt on “accessory” functions as well as it does. The operation is very smooth. No hanging up, no dragging and no mysterious noises. I honestly can’t believe they are charging this little for it. As mentioned, I have the 80” 4000 in a 24 x 16 configuration with the Ares and it came in under $5K delivered! I don’t have any experience with the other manufacturers that occupy this space as this is my first real home gym, but my guess is Rep could charge an additional $1,500.00 if they wanted (don’t tell them this though!) and be competitive. I understand that Rep and it’s foreign sourcing allows them to be the value proposition though.
I had the same experience that you did with cable length. I was only grabbing a couple of threads on the trolley and it made me nervous. They give you additional holes on the double wheel thingy (technical term) but the starting point is too low. They should add another 1”-2” to the cable length and attach the low pully up a hole or two to give more adjustment. I actually dropped the very top back pullies down a hole to gain more cable length. We will see if cable stretch is great enough to where I need to move it back.
It’s only been a few days but I like it so far. Time will tell if it holds up under continual use.
@@handontheplow So far so good on my end about a month in 😬
thanks for the review. Is that the 80 or 93" rack? Also, any thoughts on how to use the weight stack with their ISO arms to have a more consistent resistance curve?
It’s an 80” rack. It’s gonna be tough to use the weight stacks together with the iso arms since the adjustable pulleys will always need to be above the ISO arms. I’d check out @dkj.fit on Instagram. He’s a big iso arm user and is adding the Ares on his rack also.
FYI at the end of that rep ares video they show that you can adjust those nuts on the end of the cable to get your stack levelled out
Yeah, got it situated 😎
@@flexmarksthespot what did you do? I tried to bolt but having it only like 5 threads felt SKETCHY
Nice work Mark!
Did you ever hear from rep on the using the bottom hole for the floating pulley? I had the same problem. Had to use the bottom hole.
I was looking to get the same color scheme. How are the metallic black crossmembers holding up, as far as scratches go?
I’m stuck between matte black and metallic black.
Great in-depth review!
I'd say it's more personal preference. Most of Rep's attachments will be matte black so the matte black crossmembers will match most of it a little better. I personally prefer metallic black
Excellent review.
Thank you! 🤝
Is this the 80”?
Thank you for sharing your video. This is one of the pieces of equipment that I really want to purchase. As space is limited, and this appears to help with this issue rather than a standalone system. I have watched multiple reviews and I have heard no complaints about its functionality, just minor suggestions such as your video demonstrates as well.
Glad it was helpful!
So I finally got my rack PR-4000 6 post with ARES attachement, I have ran into the same issues with the duel pulley dogbone. I have to place it on the same setting as yours even though it does not show it as a posistion to adjust to. Have you hear anything back from REP Fitness?@@flexmarksthespot
How long did this take you to put together and by yourself or helper?
Just finished installing the Ares. Used your code on gympin, thanks for the advice and great review! Did rep ever get back to you on the headplate not laying flat without floating pulley adjustment? Same issue on 80in rack
Their CS was clueless but from multiple people I've talked to with 80" racks you have to use the very last hole on the floating pulley. I haven't had any issues so far using that hole.
Awesome review! I don’t see myself ever getting this but I love that they did this! For now the traditional lat low row is enough for me. The one thing I don’t like is you can’t use every hole since they use one hole on each upright to put “Rep”
I was thinking about that too but luckily haven’t come across an instance where I needed that one position yet 😬
@@flexmarksthespot I doubt anyone would need that spot but would still be nice as an option. Still an amazing attachment either way! Oh and that clear grind is amazing!!
@@Nick-1828 Yeah one missing hole isn’t enough to point anyone away from the ares but someone will definitely miss it lol. Thanks man, I love the clear coat!
What bench attachment for your feet are you using when you perform those seated rows?
It’s the Rep AB-5000 leg roller attachment but I took off the leg rollers. It works in a pinch but is not ideal unless you weigh the bench down.
At 12:55 what attachment do you have your feet placed on?
i just asked this question? I hope he answers. I've searched the web and cannot find that bench he is using, and no one seems to have something similar. I would rather do my low rows like this.
great review. I'm going to wait for the Athena since the gympin D handle can connect both weight stacks for low rows and lat pull downs. was the gympin u used in the video the 30 inch version or is there a longer version?
Yeah the Athena looks like it'll be great. This is the 30" Pro D-Handle Bar
One of the best ares reviews I have seen so far. Good attention to details.
What’s your overall rack footprint?
Rack from front to back is 58 1/2” and about 51” in width if you include the bottom pulleys that protrude out to the side a bit
Looks well thought out by rep. If I had the PR5000 instead of Rogue monster I would be interested
Once you see it up close, it’s easy to see the amount of thought that went into the engineering. Hopefully Rogue & other manufacturers follow suit and release comparable competitors sooner rather than later 😬
Yo, because of you I just copped the PR-5K and Ares. Funny enough...it's the exact same colors. If you have an affiliate code or anything I'd love to get it applied to my order to return the favor.
Dude the clear coat looks even better in person 😮💨. No affiliate code unfortunately but my affiliate link is in the video description. I don’t think they retroactively apply it to orders tho but no worries, just happy the video helped 🤝
Great job on the video it was very in-depth and well done. I have a question regarding the ability to add a LOGO PLATE CROSSMEMBER to the front of the rack. Rep sells them individually on the Rep website. Do you think it’s possible to add one with the Ares Attachment if you were to move the pull-up bar slightly to the middle of the rack. It would be nice if it’s possible in the sense that you would have extra holes for attachment on the front of the rack. I’m looking at possibly adding the Henny Attachment to the front of rack.
At first glance, I don't see why it wouldn't work since it won't interfere with any of the pulleys or cables. It'd be similar to the compact 4 post version of the Ares.
Can you give me a total measurement from the rear or the back upright to the very front of the front upright ? I know when ordering a 30”x 16” rack that it’s actually more than 46” in total depth.
55 1/2” from front post to back post, 58 1/2” if you include the feet at the bottom of the posts
Hi, thank you for the awesome video! I’ve watched in 3 times 😂. Money is an issue so I’m torn between ares, or just getting 2 side Athena’s without the lat pull down. Since they’re likely very similar, will that 30” gympin attachment allow you to do lat pulldowns with both attachments on the front of the rack? I saw you liked it for lower/mid rows, so I’m thinking yes. What are your thoughts? This makes about a $1k difference on what I decide to order. Thank you again for this awesome video and showing some of your hacks to improve it!!
Yes the gympin dhandle bar will also work to connect the athena pulleys. I demoed a similar setup on the Ares here czcams.com/video/5uwj_2RZwf0/video.html
Hey I had the same question. Were you able to do the lat pull downs using the gym pin d handle on the Athena??
Awesome video! How difficult would this thing be to move after it's assembled? I really want to get this and the PR-5000 rack but I'll also be moving in about 2 years.
That's a good question. I'm expecting to move within the next year so I'll find out first hand unfortunately lol. I'll probably post about it on IG/TikTok when the time comes if you're curious 👀
Thanks for the review! I have a question about your set up and platform. Do you have the 80" rack? Also, your platform sits on top of carpet - do you feel like it has any "give" when you stand/squat on it, or is it pretty stable? Thanks!
Thanks for this excellent video.
Thank you for watching!
Nice video and I'm going to put that gym pin attachment on my list of things to buy. That looks slick compared to the prime short bar I have now and like you can tie the front uprights together vs using the low row bar like I was doing.
Dum question tho, the pulleys on the low and high attachments are really 2:1 right? It's just that you tie them together so it essentially is a 1:1 with them both attached. So if you want 200lbs for a pull down or row youd put the pin on 100 for both stacks
Actually I made a mistake. The fixed pulleys are 2:1 individually but using them together makes them 1:1. I spent way too much time making the video and misspoke 🥲
@@flexmarksthespot They are still 2:1 using them together too. Together the max weight is 520 pounds, but you can only get 260 pounds.
@@markhalstead2386 Yes that’s exactly what I was trying to convey with my response.
Lol I feel ya. I think I've recorded 2 time now trying to make a "quick review" and just go off the top of my head and always screw something up or think if something else to say the next workout. Nice video and editing!
@@C3L1CA94 thanks!
excellent review!
Thanks Scott!
Great review!
Thank you! I appreciate it!
EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT VIDEO!!!
Thank you, thank you very much!
Awesome review. What is the overall length from the rear of the rack to front of it?
I have limited space, debating between 4 post and 6 post
55 1/2” from front post to back post, 58 1/2” if you include the feet at the bottom of the posts
Dude! Great job!!!!
Thanks man!
Thanks for the review. What’s depth is the rack?
This is a 30" rack
Great Review
Hit all the details so a consumer can decide on what they want. Didn't try to speak as fast as U could just to get the video over with like Coop from GGR does. Enjoyed the video
Only problem I had with the video is the Powerblock adjustable dumbbells in the backgtound, LOL
Just a little joke, however I don't like them, they feel like I have a block attached to each hand instead of a dumbbell but that's just my opinion.
Very Nice Job
I subscribed and look forward to more of your videos
Thanks for the support man! I'm struggling to get consistent long form videos out but have a few in the pipeline!
@@flexmarksthespot
Pulling for U
Enjoy your stuff
It’s ares vs prodigy for me. I don’t really want the full rack so still weighing the difference between them
If you can swing the Prodigy and don’t care for a full rack I don’t think you’d be making a bad choice going that route
Great video. With that handle you showed that connects the two functional trainers, it makes me feel like the athena is the way to go. With that handle, I can do lat pull downs and seated rows.. What do u think?
Yeah I agree that it makes the Athena much more appealing. I'd only say that if you have an 80" rack that the Ares still might be the better choice bc the adjustable pulleys don't go up as high as the fixed high pulleys, which could limit some movements.
@@flexmarksthespot thanks for the reply. So lat pull downs feel the same on the ares, whether u are using the dedicated pull down or the front pulleys using your special attachment?
@@MrPanthers23 Both feel smooth but the dedicated station is a bit more convenient in my opinion. Plus if you have an 80” rack, I’d suggest doing them inside the rack if you’re 5’9” or above. The outside pulleys are a few inches lower than the fixed high pulleys inside of the rack.
@@flexmarksthespot good to know. I'm 5'10", im going to buy an 93" rack. So maybe I can save a 1000 and keep my rack more open by going with Athena, and using your attachment
@@MrPanthers23 Yeah at this point it's probably worth waiting
Great Video! What strap are you using around 8:56 to help with assisted pullups? I'd love to order one!
That was a reverse hyper strap that came with my Titan hpnd but I think most typical dip belts should also function similarly
Awesome Video! Do you have a 30in or 41in depth on your PR5000? Do suggest the medium size or larger one?
I have a 30" and have never found myself wanting or needing a bigger one
Very nice review, can you tell me what your workout area footprint is. I have limited space and want to see if it will work.
The platform is 8'x12'. I built it pretty similarly to this: czcams.com/video/3TzR_mPEo04/video.html
Great review! I have a few questions:
Can you do pulldowns off the front pulleys? Curious if the angle is weird or there is enough range of motion.
when the front pulleys are at their lowest, can you perform a curl?
Could you lay on a bench and do cable flys? I'm thinking the range of motion would be too tight.
Curious about this also
Pulldowns on the front pulleys are fine on my 80" rack but I'm 5'7" so results will vary depending on how tall you are. Curls feel great when the pulleys are at their lowest. Laying on a bench and doing cable flyes with both sides is to tight but I can't say I've ever done that even with a normal functional trainer, I've only ever done them standing.
@@flexmarksthespot thanks! I am considering skipping the Ares and just a dual Athena and doing pulldowns off the front pulleys. I am 6’2 but have the 93” rack.
@@jordanemery1105 If you don’t mind waiting it’s probably worth waiting to see how the Athena turns out but based on the Ares I’m assuming it’ll be great. Still can’t go wrong with the Ares if you have the extra cash to burn
Which would you recommend the compact logo crossmember or the standard nameplate crossmember?
I see you have both.
I have an 80" rack so I prefer the compact so I get a little extra head clearance in the back. I don't think I'd care much if I had a 93" rack