Ultra Converging Chest Press

The Ultra Converging Chest Press is a selectorized, single-station machine from Matrix Fitness’s commercial Ultra line (model G7-S13, also sold as G7-S13-02 and in a stripped-down “Ultra Base” trim, G7-S13B). Unlike a barbell or a home multi-gym’s fixed press arm, its two arms move independently along converging paths — each side travels its own arc toward the center as you press out, which lets your hands follow a more natural line and keeps tension on the chest rather than the joints. A 7-position spring-assisted seat and a 6-position gas-assisted back pad adjust the geometry to fit a wide range of body sizes, and an integrated foot platform plus an open frame make it easy to get in and out between sets. A built-in electronic rep counter tracks reps, activity time, and rest time, and an optional 16” touchscreen console (Matrix’s Intelligent Training Console) can guide a structured progression program.

This is squarely commercial gym equipment, not a machine designed or priced for a typical home gym. The weight stack is a fixed 240 lb (108 kg) — plenty for a chest press, but not user-expandable — and the whole unit weighs 768 lb (348 kg) in a roughly 55” x 55”–66” footprint, so it needs a dedicated commercial-caliber floor, not a garage corner. Pricing reflects that: commercial resellers list it anywhere from roughly $5,000 to $6,500 new depending on region and console options, and used units turn up on the secondary market (recent resale around $2,800) when gyms refresh their equipment. For a home or garage gym, this is realistically a used/resale purchase for someone building a genuinely commercial-grade setup with the space and budget for it — most home-gym buyers doing chest work will do better with a rack-mounted press or an adjustable bench, and should instead look at the Cybex VR Overhead Press for a comparably commercial-grade selectorized alternative if pressing-machine variety is the goal.

Independent editorial coverage of this specific machine is essentially nonexistent — it’s not the kind of product GarageGymReviews or Garage Gym Lab test, since it isn’t sold direct-to-consumer as a home gym unit. What evidence exists is consistent, though: manufacturer specs agree across five separate commercial resellers, an owner demo video (filed under “Matrix Ultra Series”) describes the press as smooth and confidence-inspiring at heavy loads with both bilateral and single-arm options, and recurring Reddit chatter about Matrix’s converging chest press family (not confirmed Ultra-specific, since Matrix uses the same converging mechanism across its Ultra/Versa/Aura lines) consistently praises the chest contraction the independent arms produce, with one recurring gripe about handle/grip feel. Treat this page as an honest, spec-driven look at a well-regarded commercial machine rather than a home-gym buying guide.

Buying guide

Best GHD for a Home Gym — July 2026

Model	Matrix Ultra Converging Chest Press (G7-S13 / G7-S13-02; Ultra Base trim G7-S13B)
Movement	Independent converging (isolateral) press arms
Warranty	Manufacturer's standard warranty; extended 12/24/36-month parts & labor options available through resellers
Footprint	55" W x 55.4" D x 53" H static; ~66.3" D in use
Rep counter	Integrated electronic counter (reps, activity time, rest time); 2 AA batteries
Weight stack	240 lb (108 kg) total, 4.5 kg increments; max training weight ~247.5 lb (111.4 kg)
Machine weight	768 lb (348 kg)
Seat adjustment	7-position, spring-assisted
Optional console	16" Intelligent Training Console (ITC) touchscreen
Back pad adjustment	6-position, gas-assisted, ~20-degree total range

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.

How it compares

	Ultra Converging Chest Press	Cybex VR Overhead Press	Athena® Selectorized Side-Mount Functional Trainer	The Back Attack™
GymRadar rating			5.0/5
Price			$949.99	$4,999.00
Model	Matrix Ultra Converging Chest Press (G7-S13 / G7-S13-02; Ultra Base trim G7-S13B)	Cybex VR2 Overhead Press — single-axis (4526) or Dual Axis (4527)
Movement	Independent converging (isolateral) press arms	Single-axis fixed path (4526), or Dual Axis user-defined path with 2-directional resistance (4527)
Warranty	Manufacturer's standard warranty; extended 12/24/36-month parts & labor options available through resellers	None new (discontinued); reseller listings seen range from 30-day parts-only (used) to 1-year parts & labor (remanufactured)
Footprint	55" W x 55.4" D x 53" H static; ~66.3" D in use	55" W x 62" L x 61" H (140 x 158 x 155 cm) — both variants		82" W x 82" H x 51" D
Rep counter	Integrated electronic counter (reps, activity time, rest time); 2 AA batteries
Weight stack	240 lb (108 kg) total, 4.5 kg increments; max training weight ~247.5 lb (111.4 kg)	205 lb (93 kg), 5 lb increments	170 lbs per side stock (feels like 85 lbs at 2:1 ratio); upgradeable to 220 lbs per side (feels like 110 lbs)
Machine weight	768 lb (348 kg)	519 lb / 236 kg (single-axis 4526); 542 lb / 246 kg (Dual Axis 4527)
Seat adjustment	7-position, spring-assisted
Optional console	16" Intelligent Training Console (ITC) touchscreen
Back pad adjustment	6-position, gas-assisted, ~20-degree total range

Reviews by source

Expert

4.34/5

2 reviews

The Ultra Converging Chest Press is a well-specced commercial machine from an established gym-equipment brand (Matrix Fitness / Johnson Health Tech), and the fundamentals check out consistently across five separate commercial-reseller listings and the manufacturer’s own page: independent converging press arms, a wide 7/6-position seat-and-back-pad adjustment range, a 240 lb stack, and an electronic rep counter. Recurring Reddit commentary on Matrix’s converging chest press family backs up the core pitch — people like the chest contraction the independent arms produce, though at least one user found the handles/grips awkward. The one confirmed-Ultra owner video on YouTube describes a smooth, confident press at heavy loads with both bilateral and single-arm options. Where this page is thin is independent evidence: no dedicated editorial review exists (it isn’t sold direct-to-consumer, so outlets like GarageGymReviews don’t cover it), pricing is all over the map across resellers ($5,040–$6,475 new, ~$2,800 used) with no single authoritative number, and it’s fundamentally commercial equipment — a 768 lb, ~55” machine most home-gym buyers have neither the space, budget, nor real need for. Score it as a solid, well-built commercial machine on paper, discounted for a lack of independent track record and its poor fit for a typical home-gym buyer.

+Functionality: independent converging press arms follow a natural arc per side, keeping tension on the chest — the recurring praise point in Reddit mentions of Matrix's converging press family
+Adjustability: 7-position spring-assisted seat + 6-position gas-assisted back pad (~20-degree range) fit a wide range of body sizes
+Build: commercial-grade construction from an established brand (Matrix/Johnson Health Tech), 768 lb machine weight, 240 lb weight stack with fine 4.5 kg increments
+Tracking: integrated electronic rep counter (reps, activity time, rest time); optional 16" touchscreen ITC console for guided programs
+Usability: owner video (confirmed Ultra series) describes a smooth, confident press with both bilateral and single-arm options

−Evidence: no independent editorial review exists for this specific machine (not sold direct-to-consumer, so outlets like GarageGymReviews/Garage Gym Lab never tested it) — this page leans on manufacturer specs, resellers, and brief owner/community mentions
−Price: no single authoritative price — new commercial listings range $5,040–$6,475 depending on reseller/console, several others are quote-only, and used units resell around $2,800
−Fit: this is commercial gym equipment (768 lb, ~55" footprint, fixed 240 lb stack) — most home-gym buyers lack the space, budget, or need for it versus a rack-mounted press or adjustable bench
−Sourcing ambiguity: some community chatter about "Matrix converging chest press" isn't confirmed to be the Ultra generation specifically, since Matrix uses the same converging mechanism across its Ultra/Versa/Aura lines
−Minor: one recurring community gripe about the handle/grip feel on Matrix's converging press machines