The Marcy MWM-990 Home Gym comes with multi-position high and low pulleys. They connect to a 150 lb adjustable selectorized weight stacking system that offers smooth and controlled body exercises without loading and unloading weight plates.
The Marcy MWM-990’s upper pulley targets your core while performing ab crunches, and you can control the resistance by adjusting the selectorized weight stack. The high and low pulleys allow for both upper and lower body exercises. In addition, the Marcy MWM-990’s overhead lat station helps work the back, while the adjustable preacher curl pad helps tone your abs and triceps.
The Marcy MWM-990’s dual-function Leg Developer works your lower body muscles and features foam roller pads for added comfort. In addition, it properly aligns the knee joints for valid leg extensions and leg curls.
This all-in-one home gym provides over 30+ strength training exercises for the total body. This complete gym system is constructed from heavy-duty steel and offers various functions for an entire workout. It features a 150 lb selectorized weight stack, a dual-functioning press arm, an adjustable preacher curl bicep pad, and comfortable roller pads.
Learn more in my complete review below!
Product: Marcy MWM-990 Home Gym
Price: For a great deal on this gym, merely go here on Amazon
Warranty: Frame 2 years
My rating: 8.5/10
Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Affiliate Program participant, I earn commissions on purchases made through links in this post. Full disclosure
Details and Specifications
- Assembled dimensions: 69″L x 36″W x 79″H (173L x 92W x 201H cm)
- Assembled weight: 271 lbs (123 kg)
- Max. user capacity: 300 lbs (136 kg)
- Stack weight: 150 lbs (68 kg)
- Max. weight resistance: 200 lbs (90.7 kg) for the front press
- Possible exercises: 30+
- Warranty: Frame 2 years
MWM-990 Frame Construction
Since it’s a weight stack machine, its frame is 14ga steel tubing with a black/gray powder coating resistant to corrosion and scratches. It’s not an extremely large gym. It takes 69″L x 36″W (173 x 92 cm) of floor space.
It can safely fit in a room with a 7′ ceiling; its assembled height is 79″ (201 cm). In particular, users taller than 6’0″ – 6’1″ (183 – 185 cm) may find it a bit “tight.” Therefore, they may not adopt an utterly correct form for specific exercises.
The assembled machine with the weight stack attached is relatively heavy. It weighs over 270 lbs; therefore, it remains on its spot once completed. This weight plays an essential role in its stability. You can be sure that it won’t wobble or move when you exercise. Thus, it doesn’t require to be anchored to the floor either.
The seat and backrest of the machine feature a 2″ foam material padding. The seat and backrest are stationary (non-adjustable) and directly attached to the frame bars. They’re finished with durable upholstery and heavy-duty vinyl material in black, gray, and red colors.
The preacher pad has similar padding and upholstery and is vertically adjustable. Preacher curls use the low pulley of the machine and the lat bar. Also, you don’t need a new curl bar.
The leg developer attachment and the fly bars integrate 4″ thick foam rollers to provide adequate comfort for the related exercises.
Accessories
Last but not least, there are several accessories supplied with this machine. I count one ankle strap, one short bar, one chain extension, and one lat bar. The preacher curl pad also comes included with the machine. Unfortunately, the machine does not have a leg press.
Pulleys and Cables
The machine comes with 16 heavy-duty nylon pully with integrated sealed ball bearings for prolonged use. The machine’s cables are steel-made and covered by a thin PVC material sheet.
They are for a much higher tension than the maximum 200 lbs that this machine can provide. Cable tension is adjustable by moving up or down the lower pulley in the double pulley bracket behind the device’s main vertical tube.
MWM-990 Workout stations
This Marcy home gym set integrates six distinctive workout stations:
Chest press station – for triceps, shoulders, and pectoral muscle training.
Pec fly station – for pectoral and deltoid muscles training;
High-pulley station (lat bar included) – for lat pulldown exercises and the practice of triceps, shoulders, and back muscles;
Low-pulley station – the pulley attached to the lower front part of the machine can facilitate a wide array of exercises, such as stand-up curls, triceps kickbacks, squats, and more;
Curl pad attachment – as I’ve mentioned above, the curl pad is vertically adjustable, offering several positions. This workout station provides several types of exercises for the arm muscles;
Leg developer – this accessory is designed mainly for leg extensions. The machine’s seat is not long enough to support face-down leg curls. But you can perform one-leg stand-up curls by using the ankle strap.
Weight Resistance System
To begin with, the Marcy MWM-990 comes with a weight stack including 14 plates, approx. 10 lbs (4.5 kg) each. The top support plate also weighs 10 lbs; thus, the stack’s total weight is 150 lbs (68 kg).
The weight plates are concrete materials encased in a synthetic material sheet. Therefore, this factor renders this machine quite a bit less expensive than one with cast iron or steel plates. But the plates supplied with this Marcy home gym are durable enough to last for many years.
The weight stack is selectorized; thus, the weight adjustments are easy and quickly made without taking time from your workout.
The weight ratios vary depending on the pulley. The maximum weight resistance output is 200 lbs (90.7 kg), which applies to the press station.
The weight stack is not upgradeable. There aren’t extra plates available that you can add, and the plate bars don’t allow any additional plates. However, if you want heavier loads, you can always improvise by adding 1-2 dumbbell plates to the machine’s stack and securing them with a chain. The pulleys and cables should support at least 100 lbs of extra load.
MWM-990 Possible Exercises
The machine comes with a sheet of exercises attached to the weight stack enclosure. Among the activities that you can perform on this Marcy weight stack machine, I can count:
- Seated Biceps Curls
- Stand-up Biceps Curls
- Preacher Curls
- Concentration Curls
- Triceps press downs, Triceps Extensions, and Triceps Kickbacks
- Ab Pulldowns
- Low Pulley Trunk Rotations
- Deltoid Raises
- Seated Rows
- Upright Rows
- Vertical Grip Chest Presses
- Horizontal Grip Chest Presses
- Fly presses
- High Cable Cross-Overs
- Lat Pulldowns
- Leg Curls
- Leg Abductions, Leg Extensions, and Leg Adductions
- Kickbacks
- Squats
- and more.
MWM-990 Assembly and Maintenance
The Marcy MWM-990 comes packaged in 3 boxes, 2 for the weight plates and one for the frame. They’re rather heavy; thus, two people should receive the packages and do unboxing and assembly.
Assembly, although a straightforward process, may take up to several hours. The assembly instructions provided in the manual are not too good. However, it contains an exploded diagram to see how to position each part. Unfortunately, tools for assembly do not come included: you will need two adjustable wrenches and a Phillips screwdriver for it.
You have to lubricate the pulleys when it comes to maintenance periodically.
Pros
- Sturdy construction, elegant frame design;
- Thick and durable vinyl upholstery with consistent padding for maximum comfort;
- Foam roller padding on the chest press bars and leg developer attachment;
- Relatively small footprint for a home gym system;
- Six workout stations, including pec fly, chest press, low pulley, high pulley, curl pad, and leg attachment;
- The short bar included;
- Ankle strap included;
- Lat bar included;
- Over 30+ exercises available;
- Quiet operation, a suitable machine for apartment use;
- Little maintenance is required;
- Reasonably easy to assemble.
Cons
- The weight stack is not upgradeable;
- Not for users taller than 6′ (183 cm);
- The owners manual doesn’t offer detailed step-by-step instructions;
- Tools for assembly do not come included.
Marcy MWM-990 Home Gym Summary
The Marcy MWM-990 is a home gym designed for beginners and intermediate users. It’s equipped with a 150 lb (68 kg) weight stack, providing up to 200 lbs (90.7 kg) of weight resistance. In addition, it offers the possibility to perform more than 30+ exercises involving most muscles.
Although the weight plates supplied are concrete and not steel, the weight stack is exceptionally durable and should last for many years of use. Due to the non-steel weight plates, the machine is at least a few $100s cheaper than other similar models with a cast iron or steel stack. Moreover, it’s an affordable machine with a decent construction and range of features, offering an excellent price/value ratio.
I hope you found this article helpful and informative. Would you please speak up if you have anything you’d like to share on the topic or any opinions about my website? I look forward to your comments, questions, and the sharing of ideas.
Please remember that you should consult your physician to determine if you have any medical or physical conditions that could put your health and safety at risk or prevent you from using the equipment properly. In addition, your physician’s advice is essential if you are taking medication that affects your heart rate, blood pressure, or cholesterol level.
I had the total body gym back awhile ago and have been in the market for a new one. This post came to me at the right time. Being a personal trainer, its always important that I show my clients that I’m fit, but spending all day in the gym can get pretty exhausting. So thank you for this, I will be ordering it right away.
Best of luck and thanks!
How is it the best home gym under $500 when it’s well more than $500? I must be missing something. Thx
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, prices have gone up. Amazon is out of stock; a 3rd-party seller is charging what the market can bear price-wise. At the time I published this review it was selling for under $500.00 on Amazon. I hope this clears up any confusion about the price.
Bought it for $428 back in 2019 and still going strong in 2024!
Is it possible to perform reverse pec deck exercises with this gym?
Hi Guy, thanks for stopping by. I’m not so sure what you mean but I’ve sent a PDF workout chart for the MWM-990 to your email address. I hope this will suffice.
Kind regards, Robert
Would love a PDF exercise chart.
Hi Nancy,
I’ve sent the pdf to your email address. If I can be of any further assistance, would you please let me know?
Kind regards, Robert
Can you send me the pdf also? Thanks!
Hi Diane,
I’d be happy too. I’ve sent it to your email address.
Kind regards, Robert
I haven’t received it, Robert. Will you please send it again? Thank you, sir.
Hi Guy, I’ve sent a PDF exercise chart for the MWM-990 home gym to your yahoo email address. Please be sure to check for it in the spam folder. I’m also sending it as an attachment to this comment. Also, would you please let me know if you haven’t received it?
Robert
I tried to click the link in the comments for the pdf chart, but it went to an empty page. I would love to have a copy of this chart if you could.
Hi Serena, thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us. I’ve sent the pdf to your email.
Please let me know if I may further assist you with exercise equipment. I’m always happy to help.
Kind regards, Robert