Sam Sulek's Home Gym Analysis: Equipment Review from a Pro's Perspective
Having your own custom home gym is the dream for many fitness enthusiasts. When popular fitness influencer Sam Sulek revealed his new training space stocked with Arsenal Fitness equipment, it created quite a buzz in the strength training community. Let's take a deep dive into his setup, analyzing the equipment choices, potential improvements, and what we can learn from his gym design.
The Arsenal Fitness Equipment Line
Sulek's gym features primarily Arsenal Fitness equipment, a brand that manufactures components in China but assembles them in the United States. While there's some controversy around this manufacturing approach, our focus remains on equipment quality and functionality rather than origin.
The Cable Systems
The gym features an impressive jungle gym cable crossover setup. While this isn't practical for most home gyms due to space constraints, it's an excellent addition if you have the room. Most home gym enthusiasts can achieve 98% of cable exercises with a functional trainer, but the dedicated crossover does provide enhanced training options.
Back Training Equipment
The Arsenal seated row machine stands out as one of their better offerings. Its adjustable pad allows for both seated and standing variations, which creates versatility in back training angles. However, like many machines in this line, the strength curve could be improved as it focuses resistance at the end of the movement rather than throughout the range of motion.
The pulldown machine receives less favorable marks, with a suboptimal strength curve and limited functionality compared to other market options. For the price point, there are better alternatives available, particularly those that can convert between pulldown and high row positions.
Chest and Shoulder Equipment
The Arsenal chest press machines (both flat and incline) are serviceable but not exceptional. The handles have decent angles, but the convergence is limited. For those building a serious home gym, looking for used Magnum or Nebula chest presses might provide better biomechanics at potentially lower costs.
The standalone barbell bench press station is critiqued as redundant in a home gym setting where a power rack would provide the same functionality while saving space.
Lower Body Equipment
The leg training area includes several notable pieces:
- A linear leg press (similar to the Nebula design)
- An Arsenal hack squat
- A pendulum squat with adjustable footplate
- Leg extension and leg curl machines
- A donkey calf raise machine
The pendulum squat features an innovative design with a straight counterweight arm, though traditional angled counterweights may provide better assistance at the bottom of the movement. For home gym owners with limited space, a pendulum squat would be preferable to a hack squat due to superior biomechanics and reduced lower back compression.
Unique Equipment Highlights
The most intriguing piece in Sulek's collection is Arsenal's pullover machine, which features an adjustable back pad and elbow pads. This allows for customization of torso position relative to the bar, similar to a banana pullover. At $4,700, it's a significant investment, though the adjustability features make it stand apart from standard pullover machines.
What's Missing?
Despite the comprehensive collection, there are some notable absences that could enhance the gym:
- Prime Fitness equipment, particularly their leg extension which offers superior biomechanics
- A Gym Leko flat chest press with foot pedal and better convergence
- More variety in equipment brands to optimize for specific movement patterns
Recommendations for Home Gym Builders
Based on this analysis, here are some key takeaways for anyone building their own strength training space:
- Don't limit yourself to a single equipment brand – cherry-pick the best pieces from different manufacturers
- Consider space efficiency – combination units often make more sense than standalone stations
- Look for used commercial equipment from brands like Nebula, Magnum, and Cybex instead of paying premium prices for new equipment with similar functionality
- Prioritize equipment with adjustability features that allow multiple exercise variations
- Focus on biomechanically sound designs that provide optimal strength curves throughout movements
Final Thoughts
Sulek's gym represents an impressive collection that will evolve over time. The trend toward dedicated home training spaces continues to grow, and seeing influencers invest in their own facilities provides valuable insights for the home gym community. While Arsenal Fitness makes several solid pieces, the ideal approach for most home gym builders is to carefully select equipment that maximizes training effectiveness within their available space and budget.
