Marcy Smith Cage Machine SM-4008 Review

The Marcy Smith Cage Machine SM-4008 also known as the Marcy Combo Smith Machine is a home gym with a small footprint when compared to other home gyms, however, it will still take a considerable space due to the bench.

The Marcy Smith SM-4008 is a typical smaller version of the Marcy Diamond Elite Smith Cage with slight differences of course. The most outstanding difference between these two home gyms is the absence of the preacher pad in the Marcy Smith SM-4008.

The MS-4008 frame is not slanted like the Marcy Diamond Elite and has a pull-up bar and a slimmer bench.

It does not come with weight plates, which means these are to be purchased separately, but the good news is that it is compatible with standard and Olympic weight plates because it has adapters for Olympic size weight plates.

The generated weight resistance and the weight capacity of the Marcy Smith SM-4008 and the Marcy Smith MD-9010G are pretty similar but the latter is expensive than the former.

If you wish to have an early peek at the price of the Marcy Smith Cage Machine SM-4008 click right here.

The Frame

The frame of the Marcy Smith Cage Machine SM-4008 is very sturdy and stable due to its make and design; it is made of oversized 14-gauge square steel tubing. The design allows you to load the storage pegs with weight plates which complement the stability by increasing its already existing assembled weight of 279 pounds/126 kg. So, even though it doesn’t have the possibility of screwing the bases to the floor like the case with the Marcy Smith MD-9010G it does provide the stability required for a safe and comfortable workout.

Just as aforementioned, the home gym has a small footprint without the bench but will still take a bit of space. The overall assembled dimensions, that is including the bench is 98 inches long by 59 inches wide by 82 inches tall. This means a workout area of 8 feet 2 inches long by 5 feet wide by 6 feet 9 inches tall will be required. This is not a machine for a small garage or a small room especially if you also consider adding the needful clearance of at least 2 feet on each side, front and rear side of the home gym for safety and convenience purposes.

Moreover, 9 to 10 feet ceiling height should be enough to accommodate the height of the machine and the workouts you intend to perform, especially, if you do not wish to experience restrictions during the pull-up exercises. Therefore, at least the ceiling height of the room it is going to be installed should be 8 feet.

We do know that the standard Olympic bar weight is about 45 pounds but the bar that is integrated with this home gym is about 25 pounds. The reason for this is to make room for standard weight plates as well; it has adapters at both ends that make it compatible with Olympic weight plates but you can always remove them if you wish to use the standard weight plates instead. This is also the same for the weight plate peg so that you can store both the 1 inch and 2 inches weight plates.

The top of the home gym is integrated with a simple pull up bar without any covering for grips but could provide comfortable and wide-grip pull-ups.

There are about 9 safety and catch bar locking positions on the upright main frame tubing with two extra external catch and safety bars that allow you to use the bar outside the premise of the cage, especially if you wish to perform a squat exercise with weight on, or use it independently with dumbbells (not included).

The Marcy Combo Machine offers over 100 workouts some of which we are going to list below.

The frame is coated with anti-corrosion and scratch paint that protects it from rust invasion and prolongs its lifespan.

The Bench

The bench that comes with the Marcy Smith Cage Machine SM-4008 is made of high-quality steel that is similar to that of the cage. It is also designed generously with good density foam and upholstery made from two-toned vinyl for longevity and comfort.

The bench can be used in isolation or be connected to the mainframe cage depending on what type of workouts you wish to accomplish. Also, the leg developer is considerably padded with 3.5 inches foam roller to ensure that you experience comfortable workouts even under heavy loads.

The detachment of the bench from the cage is very easy and the backrest has multiple adjustments of up to four positions, which is 3 inclines and the horizontal (flat) position.

The bench supports 300 pounds/136 kg maximum weight capacity, while the leg developer supports up to 100 pounds/45 kg maximum weight capacity.

Just in case you are wondering if the bench should be compatible with a preacher pad attachment as it does not come with one; no, it is not compatible with a preacher pad attachment.

The length of the bench is 65 inches but the leg developer is 68.25 inches.

The Pulleys

The pulleys are very essential because they are responsible for the cables and weight movements and provide the crossover workouts in the comfort of your home. You can perform many upper body workouts such as the independent motion butterfly for your chest; triceps pulldowns, back extensions, and more.

That said, this machine’s pulleys are made of high quality, heavy-duty nylon material that is reinforced with sealed bearings, 1-inch chrome guide rods, steel aircraft cables rated at a tensile of 2000 pounds.

The cables are encapsulated in PVC sheets so that there will be smooth movement over the pulleys.

Accessories

The Marcy Marcy Smith Cage Machine SM-4008 comes with several accessories such as 2 handle grips, 1 triceps rope, 1 ankle strap, 1 V bar, 1 shiver bar, and 1 chain link.

These are accessories that are not included in the machine. These are weight plates of any kind, even though the storage pegs are designed to accommodate both the standard and the Olympic weight plates. It does not come with a lat bar accessories as well.

Workout Stations

There are six major workout stations available in the Marcy Smith Cage Machine SM-4008 which include Pull up station, Pec fly station, Chest press station, Upper body cable station, Leg developer station, and Low pulley station. These workout stations essentially cover all the major muscle groups of the body.

The Upper body cable station

This is also known as the high crossover station. This allows you to perform exercises such as the cable crossover just as the name implies, cable lat pulldowns, triceps extensions, single-arm row, cable crunches, and more.

You may not be able to perform the lat pulldowns because the machine does not come with it, but can always purchase one separately.

The Pull-up station

This is performed by the utilization of the pull-up bar that is integrated at the top of the machine’s frame. It is a very simple looking bar without any rubber coverings but provides you with the opportunity to perform various types of pull up exercises that work on the arms’ brachialis and brachioradialis, the biceps, and more.

The Leg Developer Station

Just as the name suggests, this station allows you to perform different leg exercises such as leg extensions, leg curl, and more that target the various muscle groups in the leg.

Chest Press Station

The chest press station allows you to work on the different muscles on the chest such as the pectoralis major, arms, and shoulder muscles as well.

This workout station consists of the machine, the bench, the bar with weight plates.

Pec Fly Station

The pec fly station is designed to work on the chest without loading weight plates into a bar.

This workout station consists of the bench with a backrest, and two levers on each side.

The Low Pulley Station

The low pulley station provides several exercises that strengthen the hamstrings, the quadriceps, gluteus maximus, and more.

You can perform the cable squat, cable lunge, cable leg extension, cable leg curl, and cable unilateral calf raise.

Options

Two optional accessories are often sold with the machine. These are the rubber mat and the barbell clamps.

The Barbell Clamps

The barbell clamps are meant to be used in locking up the barbells on the bar, designed to secure the barbells on the bar for safe and convenient workout experience often used by professionals.

The Rubber Mat

The rubber mat is used underneath the home gym machine to protect the floor and further enhance its stability.

Some of the Available Exercises

• Back flies
• Biceps curl
• Chest Flies
• Chest press
• Deadlifts
• Face Pulls
• Glute bridge
• Hip abduction
• Hip extensions
• Leg curls
• Lunges
• Pullovers
• Seated row
• Shoulder press
• Squats
• Triceps and many more…

Approval Rating

The approval rating of the Marcy Smith Cage Machine SM-4008 is impressive and positive as many users are satisfied with their purchase.  However, few users have issues with it, especially with the assembly.

But overall, this will pass for a good home gym.

Pros/Features Overview

• Very sturdy with 99% steel made
• Over 100 workouts available
• Affordable
• Bench with backrest are well padded with foam and vinyl material to offer comfort and durability
• The seat has 3 recline adjustments
• Accessories such as the ankle strap, V bar, handle grips triceps rope, shiver are included
• The bar can accommodate both standard and Olympic weight plates
• The pulley system is quiet during operation
• Four storage weight plate pegs
• Supports up to 600 pounds/272 kg
• Leg extension padded with 3.5 inches rollers
• Full body workout machine

Cons

• Does not include a preacher curl pad, neither is the bench compatible with the attachment
• Weight plates are not included
• Takes a little bit of space, which means small rooms or garage cannot accommodate it

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Product Dimensions and Specifications

• 98’’ Length
• 59’’ Width
• 82’’ Height
• Assembled weight: 279 pounds/127 kg
• Bench maximum weight capacity: 300 pounds/136 kg
• Press bar maximum weight capacity: 300 pounds/136 kg
• Leg developer maximum weight capacity: 100 pounds/45 kg
• Crossover and lat pull maximum weight capacity: 200 pounds/91 kg
• Upper pulley system with steel aircraft cables rated 2,000 pounds

Warranty

• 2 Years limited warranty

Shipping, Assembly, and Maintenance

Shipping

The delivery of the Marcy Smith Cage Machine SM-4008 comes in 3 boxes that weigh 154 pounds, 86.5 pounds, and 50.5 pounds. They are usually delivered within days of order; the duration varies depending on your location.

The shipping cost of this machine solely depends on the retailer you are purchasing from; however, some vendors such as Amazon provide free shipping.

Assembly

To assemble the Marcy Smith Cage Machine SM-4008 is not very easy and it will require at least two persons because of its weight.

It could take a couple of hours to fully assemble the machine because of the many parts that are involved. However, it could be assembled by anyone that follows the instruction manual that is included.

You will require tools like adjustable wrenches and a set of Allen wrenches.

Maintenance

The maintenance of the Marcy Smith Cage Machine SM-4008 is not a serious task. All it needs to oil or grease the moving parts and always examine the entire machine for any loose, broken, or worn part; and do re-tight, repair, or replace accordingly if there is any such case.

Conclusion

If you are looking forward to adding a home gym that provides full-body workouts to your home at an affordable price then it will make sense to consider the Marcy Smith Cage Machine SM-4008.

It has got features to help you realize your fitness goals and to experience outstanding strength training that could chisel and sculpt that body of yours the way you have always desired it if you put your mind to it.