Nemesis 300 LB Single Stack Functional Trainer

Built for relentless strength and peak performance, the Nemesis functional trainer has a hefty 300 LB weight stack and dual independent arms on separate trolleys, allowing you to attack from every angle with over 1,000 strength training positions. Each arm pivots from 30 to 165 degrees with eight rock-solid locking positions for total control. Each column has 18 adjustable cable positions in 3" increments and 54" of vertical trolley travel, so you can quickly dial in the perfect position for optimal form and effectiveness. Use the cables separately for a 4:1 ratio for smooth, controlled resistance during isolation exercises, or connect both cables and shift to a 2:1 ratio when it's time to load up for heavier lifts. This functional trainer comes with an all-inclusive accessory package, including a long bar, short bar, waist strap, ankle strap, dual D-handle straps, and stainless steel carabiners.

Buying guide

Best GHD for a Home Gym — July 2026

What is a Machine?

What a strength machine is

A strength machine guides the resistance along a fixed path so you can train a movement safely, often without a spotter. The main types: selectorized (pick weight with a pin), plate-loaded (add your own plates for a heavier ceiling and better feel), and functional trainers / cable machines (adjustable pulleys for dozens of exercises).

Machines vs. free weights

Machines shine for isolation, safety, and high-rep hypertrophy, and for training hard alone. Free weights build more stabilizer strength and carry over better to sport. Most well-rounded home gyms use a rack and barbell as the core and add one machine — often a cable/functional trainer or a lat-pulldown/row — to fill the gaps.

The sub-types worth knowing

“Machines” covers several categories that barely compete with each other: GHDs for hamstring and posterior-chain work, belt squats for loading the legs without the bar on your back, leg press / hack squat combos for heavy quad volume, reverse hypers for posterior-chain work and lower-back decompression, cable towers and functional trainers for pulling movements, and row machines. Pick the one that fills a gap in what your rack and barbell already do. Almost nobody needs two.

Space and standalone vs. rack-mounted

Most of these come in a standalone version and a cheaper rack-attachment version. The attachment saves floor space and money, but often gives up stability or range of motion — a tradeoff worth checking on the specific product rather than assuming, since it varies a lot between designs.

A note on ratings

Machine listings frequently show a manufacturer’s own on-site rating, which runs high (4.7–5.0 is typical) and sometimes pools reviews across a whole product family rather than the exact configuration you’re buying. Where we have independent hands-on coverage, our summaries anchor to that instead, and say so on the product page.